About the author

Bruce C. Swaffield is celebrating his sixth year in the Department of Journalism at Regent University. However, he has many years of professional and academic experience which he is anxious to share with graduate students. 

In 1974, Bruce received his B.S. in Journalism Studies (with emphasis in News-Editorial writing) from Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Bruce was not always interested in journalism. In fact, he began in 1969 at Kent State as a music major because he played the drums. He quickly found the courses in music theory to be far beyond his formal training so he decided to pursue another major. 

Because of his continuing interest in writing, Bruce enrolled in the School of Journalism. During his years at Kent, Bruce held editorial positions on the daily campus newspaper and was chapter president of the Society of Professional Journalists, SDX.  

In April 1974, he became the Broward County Courthouse reporter for a Scripps-Howard daily newspaper in Hollywood, Florida. His next position was as editor of a weekly newspaper in the same city. One year later, he left the paper to begin his own monthly metropolitan magazine called "South Florida Today." The magazine covered a three-county area, but survived only one year. Bruce then became an editorial assistant on "The Western News" in Davie, Florida. Later, he was promoted to editor and general manager of an affiliated paper, "The Courier" in Coral Springs, Florida. 

From 1978 to 1982, Bruce worked as a customer service representative for Eastern Air Lines in Miami, Florida. During this time, he also wrote freelance articles and began taking creative writing courses at a local community college. 

Bruce finally decided he wanted to improve his writing skills so he enrolled at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. In January 1983, he received a graduate assistantship to work toward a master's degree in literature and writing. He continued his studies and his teaching in composition at the University of Miami, receiving his Ph.D. in literature and writing in 1988. By the time he left the university, he had the unique opportunity to work with such writers as Isaac Singer, James Michener, John Kings, John D. MacDonald, Evelyn Mayerson and Lester Goran. 

From 1988 to 1994, Bruce taught as an assistant professor at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. In addition to his classroom duties, Bruce was responsible for beginning the college's first program in communications as well as directing the Office of Off-Campus Studies. He also taught an annual course overseas. For four weeks each May, Bruce led students throughout Italy and France to learn first-hand about the Italian Renaissance. 

Bruce became a faculty member at Malone College in Canton, Ohio, in 1994. There he taught courses in literature and communications. He was chair of the Language and Literature Department for three years and then joined the Department of Communications to start a program in journalism. He also advised the weekly student newspaper and led media seminars to New York City and Washington, D.C. 

The Lord led Bruce to accept a position at Regent University in July 2003. "I knew without a doubt that the Lord was calling me here," he said. "I hope He can use me to share what I have learned so that our students can become better journalists." 

Bruce has a wife, who was his high school sweetheart, and two children: BethAnn, 24, and Brendon, 21. Some other interesting items about Bruce include:

-- He has run 12 marathons.
-- He has climbed Pike's Peak twice.
-- He has been a Presbyterian Elder since 1980.
-- His favorite city in Western Europe is Rome, which he has visited at least 15 times.
-- He collects "Toy Story" memorabilia.
-- He has family in Ohio, Michigan, Virginia, New York, South Carolina, Florida and California.
-- His favorite classic movie is "Casablanca."
-- His favorite hymn is "It is well with my soul."
-- His favorite scripture verse is Psalm 127:1 "Unless the Lord builds the house, they labor in vain." 

Bruce likes to spend time with students and he enjoys helping them to improve their writing skills. His goal is to give Regent students all the tools they need in order to be great journalists and solid Christians.