The Bristolville, Ohio native completed her B.A. and M.A. in English at Kent State University, and in 2002 she earned her PhD from Case Western Reserve University. Her specialization is Victorian literature, with an emphasis on law that affected the middle-class woman during Victorian time. At LEC Dr. Swartz focuses on teaching classes on the writing process, principles of composition and research, advanced college writing, composition theory and the Victorian age, as well as 19th and 20th century American literature. As a Learning Community faculty leader she also teaches the first-year seminar course for the Arts, Culture and Humanities Learning Community.