Meet the Author

Jacob C. Swartz (he prefers to be addressed as "Jake") is currently an undergraduate student at York College of Pennsylvania. A native of South Central Pennsylvania, he graduated from Central York High School in 2016, and has continued his educational journey to York College to obtain his Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Secondary Education - Social Studies. He has an interest in also pursuing a Minor in Geography.

Even after graduating from YCP in 2020, Jacob knows his journey through education is far from over. He has interests in attending Graduate School to obtain a Master of Arts (M.A.) or Master of Education (M.Ed.), or both. Additionally, he has already expressed an interest in someday obtaining his Doctorate (either a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)), and maybe teach at the College level after a decent amount of time teaching in the Public Education system.

To this date, Jacob has done research essays on various topics, mostly revolving around contemporary current events, especially in the Education System. This recent research analysis is the one he's the most proud of yet because he has chosen to research a broad topic that he claims "not very many people my age seem to care about veterans as much as I do."

Jacob enjoys being active and kept busy. He has recently been appointed into the York College Student Senate, and has been active in the Community Orchestra (in which he was awarded a scholarship to participate). Additionally, he is currently employed as an Orientation Leader for all new incoming students.

For the 2017-2018 academic year, Jacob plans to join the Student Education Association, and become a brother of the Phi Sigma Pi National Honors Fraternity, in which both his cousin and sister were active brothers of the chapter at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. His cousin is employed by Phi Sigma Pi as the Director of Alumni Relations at their national office in Lancaster, PA.

In his spare time, he enjoys walking, hiking, biking, travelling, playing the violin, cooking, reading, photography, being actively involved with his Church, and spending quality time with friends and family, and helping everyone who is in need.

Many of his friends and pupils see Jacob as being a leader, a wise-advice giver, optimistic, determined, goal-oriented, and has a clear vision of the future.

As far as research goes, Jacob is interested in the History of War, Veterans, Globalization, the Sociological Perspective of Public Education, Technology and the effects on 21st Century Learners, and Liberal Arts & Humanities.

Other areas of interest that he finds fascinating include the Italian Renaissance, the Catholic and Protestant Reformations, the Enlightenment, and the Political Ideologies of 18th and 19th Century Western Civilization (post-French Revolution).

Since Jacob loves to travel and explore new places, below are some pictures from a family vacation in June 2016, where he and his family went on a 7-night cruise to Alaska, departing from Seattle.

• Far Left: The skyline of Seattle at night, as seen from the top of the Space Needle
• Left Center: Jacob sightseeing on their day of scenic cruising. Behind him is the Dawes Glacier at the very end of the Endicott Arm Fjord in Southeast Alaska
• Right Center: A photo taken from an observation deck inside of Klondike Gold Rush National Park, near Skagway
• Far Right: Jacob with Mendenhall Glacier behind him, near Juneau