Off The Cuff: Kristen Swithers
Oct. 4, 2019
Our CCRI faculty and staff are a diverse group with many fascinating hobbies and interests that keep them busy during their free time off campus. Welcome to Off the Cuff. Every other week, we'll profile a member of our CCRI family to find out what makes them tick. Hopefully, their stories inspire others and help us develop new connections and friendships with our CCRI colleagues.
Assistant Biology Professor Kristen Swithers is a modern-day superhero at the Flanagan Campus – science whiz by day, yoga instructor
by night.
In addition to teaching biology, the North Attleboro, MA, native is leading the charge
to bring yoga classes to all CCRI campuses on a full-time basis. Swithers is currently
teaching a free session each Wednesday at the Flanagan Campus Fieldhouse from 4:45-5:45
p.m. – among the many she teaches throughout the state – and hopes to encourage fellow
faculty to participate and take full advantage of yoga’s numerous health benefits.
Now in her third year at CCRI after teaching as a visiting professor at Southern Connecticut
State University, Swithers is also a freelance scientific manuscript editor and has
had several of her original works and research projects published in various biology
journals. We checked in with Swithers this week to find out what fuels her passion
for yoga and how it gets her through a long week of classes at CCRI.
How did you get involved in yoga, specifically teaching?
I discovered yoga in 2008 during grad school [before graduating in 2012 with a Ph.D.
in microbiology from the University of Connecticut]. I loved the confidence and strength
it gave me, both emotionally and physically. I wanted to be able to pass that on to
others, so I completed a 200-hour vinyasa teacher training in May of 2019 with Providence
Power Yoga.
How many classes do you teach per week and where can yoga enthusiasts find you?
I teach five-plus yoga classes a week at different places. One at CCRI, and if it
picks up we will be offering more classes and possibly at other campuses. I also teach
two permanent classes for Blue Cross Blue Shield and whenever else they need a substitute
for class. These are free classes for Blue Cross Blue Shield members, which will open
up for all the CCRI faculty and staff when we switch over our health insurance. I
teach one class for Providence Power Yoga, which is where is did my training, and
there’s a new studio called YOGA TOGETHER opening by The Steel Yard in Providence
and I’ll be teaching one or two classes there.
How long was the process in terms of getting this project off the ground at CCRI?
This yoga program is new here. We started with a few classes at the end of the semester
last academic year and picked it up again for the fall. We are still in the process
of getting it off the ground. The current plan is to offer free classes for everyone
at CCRI for the fall semester. Then, moving forward, there could be a charge for the
class. Bringing in money will allow us to get mats and props, such as blocks and blankets,
for the class.
Why specifically would you recommend yoga to faculty and staff? Is it particularly
helpful for people who work at a desk most of the day?
Yoga is really good at realigning the body and releasing areas of the body where we
hold stress. Yoga is for everyone! It doesn’t matter how young or old you are, how
flexible or inflexible you are – it can make everyone feel better. From the point
of view of the faculty, teaching is rough on the body. Everyone’s body is different.
For me, after a day of teaching, my legs and back hurt significantly more than they
do after going for a 30-mile bike ride, so having a regular yoga practice helps to
combat the aches and pains of teaching and life.
I've noticed you've also published several works in your field as well. Is there a
particular area of interest in your field that you're looking to study in the future
or an interesting research project you may work on?
At previous positions, I was doing research and I was interested in how bacteria and
archaea make and utilize vitamin B12. These days my passion is teaching, though I
still follow the research others do and envision possible honors projects with students
addressing biosynthetic pathways and community dynamics of vitamin B12.
We would love to hear your story, too! Email us at [email protected] if you’d like to be featured in a future edition of “Off the Cuff” or want to nominate a co-worker.
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