On October 14, 2006, Professor Earle Swank was memorialized in a ceremony at Carnegie Mellon University. For a list of speakers and speeches, please view the program.

Below is an excerpt from Professor Swank's obituary, written by Brian David and published in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

"The Swank Room is a comfortably appointed seminar space just a few feet from the English department office in Carnegie-Mellon University's Baker Hall.

Those who knew Earle Swank say it's an honor for the room to bear his name--and fitting that it is a welcoming place used by visiting professors, since Swank, a professor of English and dean of students, spent 40 years welcoming people to the institution he loved. "This man gave his life to Carnegie Mellon," fellow professor and former dean Erwin Steinberg said. "He was totally consumed with helping students, and with helping the university grow."

Professor Swank grew up in the Danville area and earned a bachelor's degree from Muhlenberg College and a master's from Harvard University before coming to what was then Carnegie Tech in 1947.

Professor Swank taught composition and literature, and then was invited joined the office of student affairs. He eventually was named dean of students, though he kept teaching as well.

"He was very popular with students,"professor emeritus Lois Fowler said. "He was a good teacher, and students really felt he cared about them."
Professor Swank was also devoted to undergraduate students, teaching them exclusively even as Carnegie Tech became Carnegie-Mellon University and began offering graduate degrees in his field."