St. Rita of Cascia High School Appoints Director of Institutional Advancement

Chicago, IL, – October 21, 2022 – Deacon John Donahue, J.D., Ed.D., President of St Rita of Cascia High School appointed Michael Swanson as the Director of Institutional Advancement. Swanson comes to St. Rita after a successful term as an account executive at Aramark Uniform Services. He received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from St. Joseph’s College and master’s degree in business administration from St. Xavier University.

Swanson has extensive fundraising, grantmaking and operations experience in the non-profit sector. He spent over 12 years at the Robert R. McCormick Foundation (formerly the McCormick Tribune Foundation), last holding the position of operations manager. From there Swanson gained valuable experience at the Greater Chicago Food Depository as senior manager, and the American Bar Foundation as manager of administration and support staff.

Swanson is no stranger to St. Rita. He started in the advancement department in 2014 as Manager of Communications and Alumni Relations. He also held various roles, including Director of Public Relations, Assistant Director of Admissions and Assistant Athletic Director.

Donahue said, “Mike Swanson is the right person for this position. His prior experience at St. Rita gives him a head start on the job. More importantly, he understands and appreciates our Augustinian mission and values. I look forward to working with him, and the advancement team, to engage our alumni, and grow our base of support.”

Swanson said, “Words can’t accurately convey how thrilled I am to be back at St. Rita. I’ve witnessed, first-hand, how this institution, with all its tradition and success, changes individual lives. It is the teachers, staff, students, parents, alumni, along with strong and unwavering Augustinian leadership, that make St. Rita so great. I’m eager to join the advancement office and get started.”

Swanson is a native of Midlothian, IL. He is a St. Rita alumni father, and a parishioner of St. Cajetan. He resides in the West Morgan Park neighborhood of Chicago with his wife Kim, son Patrick ’22, daughter Meghan, and son Timmy ’27.