Cindy Swann has been a professor at Point Loma Nazarene University since 2002 and has worked in the dietetics field for even longer.
Throughout her time at PLNU, she played a vital role in gaining accreditation for the Dietetics Program and now leads the undergraduate Didactic Program in Dietetics. She also advises the Student Dietetic Association club and serves on the Wellness Committee.
Beyond these roles and accomplishments, Swann said she believes her most meaningful impact comes from her day-to-day work in the classroom.
The Point sat down with Swann to reflect on her time at PLNU as she prepares to retire after the spring 2026 semester.
The Point: Do you have a favorite memory or most impactful moment from your time on the faculty?
Cindy Swann: My favorite time is probably graduation and working graduation, because it’s just so joyful. In class… I have to say I have gotten the most joy out of seeing students become colleagues … one of my supervisors right now is one of my former students. So, to be able to now call them a colleague, and to work with them and alongside them — it’s probably been the best part of the job.
TP: What legacy do you hope to leave behind at PLNU?
CS: The dietetics program, when I came here, was not accredited, which meant that students had really nothing when they graduated other than a bachelor’s degree. … so we got it accredited … in 2005, and that meant that students earned a verification statement once they left here, and they could go on to an internship and become a registered dietitian.
TP: What will you miss the most about being a professor?
CS: The classroom. You can take the meetings; you can take the accreditation; you can take the committees. But the classroom … the students really are wonderful here.
TP: If you could go back and give your younger self one piece of advice, what would it be?
CS: Trust that God had a plan, and this is what I was meant to do. It took me a while. I didn’t become a dietitian until I was 31. I was at [San Diego State University] for 13 years doing things, and then I went to Scripps, and I worked full-time, and then I got a call to come here, and I said no. I got a second call, and I said no. I got a third call, and I said OK. So there was a plan there, and I didn’t see it at the time, but it was meant to be.
TP: What are you most looking forward to in retirement?
CS: I have no plans. I guess that’s kind of a good thing. We have a daughter getting married this summer, so that’s kind of the first focus. I’m still going to work for Scripps part-time … and hopefully travel. I already have some ideas of where I’m going to be volunteering, so I’m sure I’ll stay busy until it wears off, and then maybe I can relax.
Carson Dillon 
Kaelyn VanderSpek