Anthony F. Swaray M’05, M’08, D’24 enrolled in his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) program from Saint Mary’s largely to make his parents proud. His father, despite his lack of formal schooling and inability to read or write, knew the power of education and its ability to change lives.
“It had always been my father’s dream, when he was alive, may his soul rest in peace,” Dr. Swaray said. “Coming from a very poor family in Liberia, he couldn’t afford to buy a house … the only thing he could give us was a desire for education. I learned from my father that if you take your education seriously, you’ll be able to buy your own house. My brothers and I are all educated because of him. Wherever he is, he is very, very proud. When I saw the opportunity to get my doctorate, I said I have to go. He told us that at least one person in the family needed to get one.”
In addition to fulfilling his father’s dreams, Dr. Swaray also saw his advanced degree as an opportunity to think outside the box — a way to expand his service work in the Twin Cities area, Liberia, and beyond. In the end, his doctoral degree has changed his life, and it’s also changing the lives of countless others.
That Dr. Swaray would continue his education at Saint Mary’s was never a question. He had already earned an M.S. degree in Project Management in 2005 and an MBA in 2008 from Saint Mary’s, prior to earning his Ed.D. in 2024.
“I’m a Saint Mary’s guy,” he says with a laugh.
Friends had recommended the university’s Minneapolis Campus programs, and he found the credit hours lower and the tuition costs more affordable than at other schools he’d been researching. He was also interested in attending a Catholic school for the first time.
“My experience at Saint Mary’s has been wonderful,” he said. “They gave me an opportunity to learn in a diverse environment. I interacted with people from different backgrounds and learned from a diverse pool of instructors and students. The instruction is very strong. That’s why I keep coming back to Saint Mary’s.”
Dr. Swaray said the courses focused on quantitative operations management, leadership, and others combined to strengthen his commitment to help people. “They opened up my mind to a lot of things,” he said. “Different strategies helped me establish a foundation, and knew that I could lead people.”
As the founder and executive director of Falswar International Charity, Swaray is working to advance education, provide healthcare support, and further humanitarian initiatives in the U.S. and Liberia. Established in 2008, Falswar International serves the needs of those less fortunate in Liberia and also low-income families in the Twin Cities area. For example, it partners with the Marines during the Toys for Tots drive to provide toys for children at Christmas. It also hosts job fairs to help individuals create résumés and prepare for job interviews. “We bring them face to face with employers,” he said. “We had one job fair with Sun Country Airlines and helped a lot of people in Minnesota get jobs.”
Remembering his past, Dr. Swaray also focuses on those living in Liberia, a country that, after two back-to-back civil wars, continues to struggle. The organization ships rice (as much as 2,000 bags) and also beans to the elderly there, those who have lost children to the wars and have no one to care for them. They also ship medical supplies to clinics and hospitals in Liberia that are frequently unable to provide enough beds to those in need. Other products they provide to those in need include school supplies, hygiene products, clothing, and scholarships.
Dr. Swaray also founded the Global Network of Doctoral Professionals (GNDP), which is dedicated to advancing scholarship, research, innovation, and professional excellence. A degree does not automatically translate into landing the perfect job, he explained, and the GNDP helps bridge that gap. “Having a doctorate degree is one thing, living with it is a whole new ballgame,” he said, adding that the organization is inclusive to everyone desiring to build connections. “We network with doctoral professionals, doctoral candidates, researchers, faculty, and aspiring scholars, and have workshops on different topics, ” he said. An upcoming workshop will address how attendees can use their education to help children with special needs be successful.
An author, Dr. Swaray also runs a podcast on Facebook called “Voices of Authority” and has interviewed Dr. Paul Kotz from Saint Mary’s Ed.D. program.
One other way he is helping others is by supporting students through every stage of the dissertation process — from topic selection to final defense — providing guidance in research, writing, and data analysis.
“I would recommend Saint Mary’s any day,” Dr. Swaray said. “Wherever you go, when you go to an interview or go to get a job done, it’s about what you have learned and how you can deliver it. Other graduates, when I talk to them about my graduate experience, say, ‘I should have gone to Saint Mary’s.’ ”
