Donny Swanson received his B.S. in Computer Science from St. John’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences in 2002 and his M.S. in Education from St. John’s The School of Education in 2004. In 2006 he became certified in School Building Leadership and School District Leadership from the College of Saint Rose in Albany, NY.
Swanson is an Adjunct Professor at St. John's University where he teaches a course in Technology in the Field of Education. He is also a teacher at I.S. 75, Paulo Intermediate School, where he has held a variety of roles. Initially an Academic Invention Services Math Teacher who assisted students struggling with mathematics, he subsequently became a Computer Applications Teacher. Currently a Lego Robotics Teacher, he has developed a curriculum for middle school Mathematics, Science, English Language Arts, and Technology through a hands-on cooperative approach using the Lego Mindstorms materials.
In addition to his role as an educator, Swanson coached a team of 6th-8th grade students who participated in the F.I.R.S.T. Lego League Competition. His team won the Champions Award and First Place Robot Design and was granted a bid to represent the United States in the International F.I.R.S.T. Lego League Competition in Atlanta, GA against students from 35 countries. The team also won the Against All Odds Award for their use of technology to include in their project a teammate who underwent a heart transplant. For his efforts, Swanson was awarded 1st Runner-Up, New York State Teacher of the Year by the Ambassadors of Education in 2008.