President and CEO
Carthage College | Kenosha
Under John Swallow’s leadership the past seven years, Carthage College has seen record first-year enrollments and first-to-second-year retention rates and near-doubled fundraising levels. The private liberal arts college has also invested more than $80 million in campus and technology upgrades, launched 17 new undergraduate majors and four new master’s degrees and added four new varsity athletic teams. Swallow has served on several boards related to higher education and economic development, most recently as past chair of the Higher Education Regional Alliance and of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance.
Education: Bachelor’s, University of the South; masters’ and doctorate, Yale University
The future of your industry: “Wisconsin higher education must adapt very quickly as the number of traditional college-aged students declines, the demand for specific skills grows, student and family expectations evolve and a great many shibboleths of the past fall away.”
Your secret talent: “I have long been an amateur singer. In fact, my wife, Cameron, and I met in choir in college. I recently joined the Midwest Vocal Express, a 30-year-old barbershop chorus originally founded in Greendale and enjoy performing and competing at the district and international levels.”
What is one thing you would change about Wisconsin to make it even better? “Wisconsin needs a nonpartisan, pro-growth plan to invest more in our citizens, educating our people for the present and future economy.”
Favorite part of the workday: “Interacting with students, whether I’m chatting in the Starbucks line, watching a team compete, listening in on a choir rehearsal, guest conducting the orchestra or being called out of my seat in the middle of a musical to act on stage.”
2022 Wisconsin 275 Profile
Nonprofits and Education
President and CEO
Carthage College | Kenosha
Carthage College president John Swallow has spearheaded several initiatives at the Kenosha liberal arts college over the past five years. Carthage has leveraged a $15 million gift to launch a career development sequence for all undergrads, lowered the “sticker price” of tuition by 30% and committed to closing equity gaps in higher education by 2030 as part of the national Moon Shot for Equity initiative. Swallow is current chair of the Higher Education Regional Alliance and was past chair of the Kenosha Area Business Alliance.
Education: Bachelor’s, Sewanee: The University of the South; master’s and doctorate in mathematics, Yale University
First job: “Software engineer. I learned to prioritize clarity and readability if you want your code to last.”
Hobby/Passion: “Ensemble singing – classical repertoire, barbershop, folk, and more. I wish only that my schedule would allow for more regular rehearsals and get-togethers.”
Biggest risk you’ve ever taken: “Taking my family on a bus trip in rural Jordan, without knowing Arabic and without a guidebook, trying to return into Israel through a rarely used border crossing.”
Fun fact: “I never graduated from high school, but started college at 15, met my wife Cameron in the choir my sophomore year, graduated at 18, and was only 20 when we married. And so, I was carded on our honeymoon. One discerning and helpful waiter placed the bottle and two glasses on her side of the table — Cameron was of legal drinking age — and walked away.”
