Union News

Associate professor Mary Swiggum spends most of her days at Wingate among adults in the doctor of physical therapy program, but what motivates her is her desire to help children.

“I love my profession and am passionate about sharing my knowledge and love of PT with our students,” says Dr. Swiggum, who has been a pediatric physical therapist since 1984 and works as a contract therapist for Full Circle Pediatric Therapy in Indian Trail.

The 2022 winner of the University’s Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award, Swiggum has published multiple abstracts in peer-reviewed journals, has authored four textbook chapters and has presented three times at national conferences, all in the past year alone. Much of her research is on how physical therapy can be used to prevent or relieve pain in children. In the past two years she has helped shed light on the treatment of Sever’s Disease, Rett Syndrome and torticollis and has examined the effects of animal-assisted therapy on children with neurological impairments, among many other study topics.

“I love talking to pediatric PTs across the nation, young and old, students and new professionals, and families of children with special needs,” Swiggum says. “I feel an obligation to perform research to advance the profession and improve the lives of the people we serve.”

Dr. Karen Friel, director of Wingate’s DPT program, says Swiggum’s scholarly work in pediatrics meshes with her clinical practice, her advanced specialty certification and the coursework she teaches at Wingate, where she has taught since 2013.

Friel says she also serves as a mentor to novice researchers.

“Others often benefit from her knowledge and expertise,” Friel wrote in her nomination of Swiggum for the award, adding that “she often does not take authorship credit for her efforts.”

As for Swiggum’s success as a professor, she chalks it up to being real with her students and would advise those new to the classroom to spend time building relationships.

“Get to know your students – What excites them? What are they passionate about?” Swiggum says. “Don't be afraid to share what you are passionate about. Don’t be afraid to ‘be human!’”

A resident of Waxhaw, N.C., Swiggum earned her bachelor’s degree from Boston University, a master’s from the University of Indianapolis and her Ph.D. in physical therapy from Texas Woman’s University.

The Excellence in Research and Scholarship Award acknowledges the importance of discovery and dissemination of new information and recognizes noteworthy contributions to original research and literature as well as teaching.

Swiggum was one of two graduate faculty members earning awards at Wingate last month. Dr. Jennifer Wilson was named Graduate Faculty Member of the Year. Undergraduate professors also earned awards for excellence in teaching. Dr. Kaitlyn Niedzielski was presented with the Debra M. O’Neal Award; Dr. Magdalena Krajewska received the Charles and Hazel Corts Award.

Original source can be found here.