Michael Swenson has always loved learning. He earned a BS in Finance from Brigham Young University and a Ph.D. in Marketing from the University of Oregon. It was during his time at the University of Oregon, while listening to a guest lecturer, that Swenson first decided to dedicate his life to the pursuit of knowledge. The lecturer remarked, “Being a university professor is a loophole in society…I get to teach what I want. I get to be around bright, young people. I get to be around scholars who are at the cutting edge of their field” (Green). Swenson then realized that that was the life he wanted too. Shortly after graduating, Swenson took the next step in his pursuit of knowledge and accepted a position to teach at BYU’s Marriot School of Business—which he has done for over 30 years.
A Global Education
Michael Swenson doesn’t limit his education–both his own and the one he offers to students–to the Utah campus he works at. Swenson has led multiple study abroad programs, directed BYU’s Washington Seminar, and accepted guest lecture positions abroad, such as Pforzheim University in Germany. When asked what the most important piece of advice he could give to students, Swenson replied:
“Get as much education as possible…it has to be education that is for today and even looks forward to how things are changing. And try to be educated so you learn how to be a lifelong learner and being able to adapt to change” (Fürst).
In the same interview, Swenson emphasized the importance of understanding the global marketplace.
“Years ago, the competitor was across the street and today the competitor can be around the world. And also, the customer was across the street but today the customer can be around the world. So, it’s important to understand the global marketplace in terms of customers and in terms of competitors” (Fürst).
Swenson hopes that all students have the chance to experience new places and people to help them better understand the world around them . That is why he leads by example and leads study abroad programs.
Research that Improves Learning
As part of his ambition to pursue lifelong learning, Michael Swenson participates in research within his field. But he doesn’t stop there. Michael Swenson is committed to using his research to help instructors help their students. Many of his published articles focus on how to better engage students in learning.
In his article “Engaging Students in Large Sections of Principles of Marketing ,” he and his co-author, Gary Rhoads (a fellow MyEducator author), present three approaches to engaging students in the learning process: student response systems, in-class activities, and application assignments to engage students. The article details their approach to engaging students specifically in principles of marketing classes , but the principles are applicable to other disciplines.
Engaging students in learning is only one part of his research. Michael Swenson also focuses on what other factors lead to student success. He has conducted empirical analyses in regard to success factors in business-track classes such as financial management and introductory business.
A Fundamental Approach
Michael Swenson has used his research to inform his own teaching. Then he took it a step further. Working alongside Gary Rhoads and David Whitlark, Michael Swenson has brought all that experience and knowledge to MyEducator with the book Marketing Fundamentals.
Here is a video from Marketing Fundamentals where Professor Swenson introduces himself:
Marketing Fundamentals covers essentials such as global marketing, social media marketing, and market segmentation. Constantly adapting to a changing world, the book has also been recently updated to include a new section on marketing with AI. Interested in knowing more? Ask us about a Marketing Fundamentals or other resource demonstration today!
Sources
Brau, J., Brau, R. I., Swenson, M. J., & Rowley, T. D. (2017). An empirical analysis of success factors in an introductory financial management class. ResearchGate. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/315553645_An_Empirical_Analysis_of_Success_Factors_in_an_Introductory_Financial_Management_Class
Fürst, F. (2019). Interview with Michael Swenson from Brigham Young University. In HS PF KONTUREN (p. 135). https://www.hs-pforzheim.de/fileadmin/user_upload/uploads_redakteur/Die_Hochschule/Oeffentlichkeit/05.Publikationen/KONTUREN/KONTUREN2019/3.International/GuestProfessor_Swenson.pdf
Green, N. (2020, April 16). The perks of being a professor. BYU Marriott School of Business. Retrieved January 21, 2025, from https://marriott.byu.edu/news/?article=1761
J. Swenson, M., & K. Rhodes, G. (2019). Engaging Students in Large Sections of Principles of Marketing. Business Education Innovation Journal, 11(1).
