Part of the renaissance

As the new dean of La Salle University's School of Nursing and Health Sciences, Beth Ann Swan, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, FAAN, ANEF, hopes to drive growth while always keeping the student experience a top priority.

Looking to the future, Swan plans to continue contributing to the growth of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences in all senses-programs, faculty members, enrollment numbers.

When Beth Ann Swan, Ph.D., RN, CHSE, FAAN, ANEF, dean of La Salle University's School of Nursing and Health Sciences, was growing up, she didn't dream of going into the health care field.

"I never wanted to be a nurse, I wanted to be a chemical engineer," she said, adding that at the time she was attending college, the options for women were limited to teaching or nursing.

Swan opted for nursing.

"It was a decision that I never really made," she said. "But having become a nurse and looking back, it was the best decision I never made."

After graduating with her Bachelor's of Science in Nursing from Holy Family University in Northeast Philadelphia, Swan went to work as a new graduate nurse at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in West Philadelphia.

Throughout fourteen years of working at the institution, Swan got to experience nursing in a variety of different hospital departments.

Swan spent time, among other places, on the surgical unit, and as one of the hospital's early nurse practitioners in the urology and occupational health units. Throughout her time at HUP, she also went back to school, receiving both her Master's of Science in Nursing and doctorate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

After completing her final stint at graduate school, Swan was unsure of what direction she wanted her career to take next. A colleague told her about the Penn Nursing Network, a group of 10 community-based practices across South and West Philadelphia.

Beth Ann Swan at nursing school.

As someone who had always had an interest in community-based care, this appealed to Swan. She spent the next five years with the Penn Nursing Network, beginning as practice director of the Health Annex at the F. J. Myers Recreation Center.

It was as practice director that Swan caught the grant-writing "bug," she said, something that's stayed with her throughout her whole career.

Swan left the Health Annex for a different role within the Penn Nursing Network, before she was recruited to work in the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing's Office of International Programs.

"There's so many opportunities in nursing, so many options leveraging what your interests are, and I've been very fortunate," she said. "I've done everything. Inpatient nursing, urology, orthopedics, admission evaluation, community-based primary care, international - things I never thought I would ever do."

She's also grateful for the people throughout her clinical career who were there to help her make the most of those opportunities.

"I was very fortunate to have people looking out for me every place I went, mentors and people I looked up to," Swan said.

In 2005, Swan added a new area to her resume: associate professor at Thomas Jefferson University's Jefferson School of Nursing. While this was her first faculty role, Swan had often guest lectured or acted as a preceptor throughout her time working in clinical settings.

"I always had that connection with the education side, not directly but indirectly, in supporting a student's education," she said.

Swan spent the next 15 years at the Jefferson School of Nursing, holding several positions throughout the institution, where she is now a professor emeritus.

During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, Swan received a call from the dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing at Emory University in Atlanta. She was offered a role in academic practice partnerships or working to connect the school of nursing with clinical practices.

Beth Ann Swan (center) at her Ph.D. graduation.

While she questioned traveling at that time, Swan and her husband ultimately ended up packing a suitcase each and heading to Atlanta.

Like everywhere else, Emory was full of opportunities. As well as the role she was initially recruited for, among other things, Swan had the chance to be part of a team that designed, built, and constructed programming for a 70,000-square-foot simulation center.

Working as part of the simulation center played well into another facet of Swan's career. In the more recent years, she's found a new interest in research, more specifically around technology and how it can contribute to education.

"When you're a person who grew up without technology and now it's so pervasive in everything we do, my question is always how is the technology supporting the education," she said. "I don't want the technology to be driving the education, I want it to be complementing it."

In her opinion, the consideration should always be the best way to teach students what they need to know instead of having technology for the sake of having it.

After five years in Atlanta, Swan made the decision to come back to Philadelphia.

"When I was starting to network back in Philadelphia, someone mentioned La Salle's dean was leaving and they might be looking for someone new," she said. "I reached out to the president and provost, and the rest is history."

Born and raised in the city, 20^th and Olney wasn't new to Swan, she'd been aware of La Salle throughout her time at high school and college. Her brother spent a period of his academic career as an Explorer, attending the University on a baseball scholarship.

She'd also encountered La Salle faculty, either personally or through their work, throughout her career. This, along with the community surrounding the University, was appealing to her.

Beth Ann Swan (center) with La Salle students and faculty at a poster presentation.

"I knew the history, the community-based university, the connections within the community were something that has always been important," she said. "Those values of community were a big thing, service was important, and that drew me in."

In December 2025, Swan became an Explorer, serving as interim dean of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences. Six months later, her appointment became permanent.

"It's been very interesting," she said of her time on campus, adding that like with any job there have been learning curves. "The people, the faculty, the staff, people across campus, everyone's been very welcoming."

This atmosphere cultivates an environment where campus partnerships are made easily. From the staff in Human Resources who are always happy and willing to answer her questions to the members of the Advancement team who work with her on grants, Swan credits everyone with helping her settling into the role.

She also sees the positive impact the sense of community has on students. When she meets prospective students and their families, Swan said, they often tell her about how there is a neighborhood feel on campus.

Swan shared a story about an incoming nursing freshman she met on orientation. Bumping into the future Explorer at the end of the day, Swan was told how despite her initial nerves and hesitations, the new student had enjoyed her day and even made three new friends.

"That was everything," Swan said. "It was like you came here, you were welcome, and you already have friends. Other places, they'd be too big, too impersonal, and I wouldn't have got to hear that from a new student coming in."

Just as she sees students make the most of what's offered to them at La Salle, Swan is making sure she does the same thing, especially on a campus full of surprises.

"At La Salle, compared to other places, there are so many hidden treasures," she said.

The "best kept secret," in her opinion, is the La Salle University Speech-Language-Hearing Community Clinics. These on-campus training clinics are a space where graduate students in the Speech Language Pathology Program can provide services to community members of all ages, acting as their primary clinicians under the supervision and guidance of licensed SLPs.

She also pointed to the La Salle University Art Museum and the Museum of Nursing History, which is housed in St. Benilde Tower as special features of the University.

When it comes to Explorer sports, after she and her husband attended a women's basketball game in the John E. Glaser Arena inside of the Univest Financial Fieldhouse, Swan said she was pleasantly surprised by all of the features and they left the game having had a great experience.

"I think you have to be curious," she said. "Coming to La Salle, I'm trying to take advantage of everything it has to offer."

Looking to the future, Swan plans to continue contributing to the growth of the School of Nursing and Health Sciences in all senses-programs, faculty members, enrollment numbers.

"I feel like there's a lot of opportunities and I think I'm a positive, optimistic person," she said. "I'm hoping that will help the School of Nursing and Health Sciences really look forward to seeing what's possible."

The Explorers themselves are always at the forefront of that desired growth for her.

"Being able to look through their eyes and their experience," she said. "To always be looking to say okay, how can we make that student experience better."

And now is the perfect time to do that.

"I'm thrilled to be at La Salle," Swan said. "I feel like La Salle is at the point to have its renaissance, and I want to be part of that."

-Naomi Thomas