Dr. Kathrine Swanson Appointed Interim President at Park University

April 17, 2025 — Park University’s Board of Trustees has appointed Kathrine Swanson, Ed.D., to serve as the University’s interim president, effective Wednesday, April 23.

Swanson assumes the role as Park’s interim president following the announcement in February of Shane Smeed’s departure as Park’s president as he accepted the presidency at Utah Tech University and will begin his new duties on May 1.

A resident of Parkville, Swanson served as president of the Metropolitan Community College Longview Campus in Lee’s Summit, Mo., from August 2021 to August 2024. She also served MCC as its vice chancellor for student success and engagement from August 2015 to June 2023. Swanson joined MCC after having served as a higher education leader at Montgomery County (Pa.) Community College and Collin County (Texas) Community College (now known as Collin College). Prior to her work in community colleges, Swanson started her career in student services at Montana State University and Northern Arizona University.

Swanson earned her doctorate degree in higher education administration from the University of North Texas, a master’s degree in adult and higher education from Montana State University and a bachelor’s degree in business management from Northern Michigan University. She also earned a graduate certificate in leadership coaching from Avila University.

She has served on the boards for Saint Luke’s East Hospital, Lee’s Summit Creates, Lee’s Summit Chamber of Commerce, Lee’s Summit Workforce Alliance, Lee’s Summit Civic Roundtable and Raytown (Mo.) Chamber of Commerce. She also recently completed a term on the Executive Women’s Leadership Council with the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce. Swanson is also a member of the Parkville Rotary Club.

Swanson, who joined Park’s Board of Trustees in July 2024, will step down from the Board to assume the interim president role. A search for Park University’s permanent president will begin in the coming months. A University presidential search committee will develop a prospectus in the fall, followed by a national search of candidates, with an expected start date for the new president by June 2026.