David Swinton  David Swinton is an economist and president emeritus of Benedict College. He was awarded the Samuel Z. Westerfield Award by the National Economic Association in 2005, and in 2007, he was inducted into the South Carolina Black Hall of Fame. Born in New Haven, Connecticut, Swinton was raised in Timmonsville, South Carolina and New York City, where he graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School (Brooklyn). He studied economics at New York University, and earned a master's degree and doctorate in economics at Harvard University. Swinton began his career teaching economics at Clark College, where he became director of the Southern Center of Studies in Public Policy. He then became dean of the school of business at Jackson State University. From 1994-2017, he was President of Benedict College. David Swinton is the father of economist Omari Swinton.