Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Ethan Hyman / TNS
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Grant Halverson / Getty Images
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Ethan Hyman / AP
Ethan Hyman / AP
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Daniel Sangjib Min / AP
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Grant Halverson / Getty Images
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
P. Kevin Morley/Richmond Times-Dispatch
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Andrew Shurtleff / AP
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Ethan Hyman / AP
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
P. Kevin Morley/Richmond Times-Dispatch
Andrew Shurtleff / AP
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Grant Halverson / Getty Images
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Ethan Hyman / AP
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Ethan Hyman / AP
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Andrew Shurtleff / AP
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Aileen Devlin / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Joe Fudge / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Ethan Hyman / AP
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Grant Halverson / Getty Images
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
P. Kevin Morley/Richmond Times-Dispatch
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Jonathon Gruenke / Daily Press
Ryan M. Kelly / Getty Images
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Sarah Holm / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Rob Ostermaier / Daily Press
Today, Aaron Swinton couldn’t be happier. He has his degree in economics from William and Mary and is working on his master’s in accounting. He’s in his second year as a starting cornerback for the Tribe after overcoming a torn ACL.
But those first few weeks on campus were challenging, both academically and socially. His teammates, and the student body for that matter, were nothing like his friends back home in Lancaster, Pa. It was just so … different.
“There were definitely some hard times,” he said. “I really had to learn what it was to grow as a man and face things on my own when your support system isn’t right next to you. It was a learning experience being in a place that isn’t like home.
“I’d been outside the city probably no longer than week before I came to college. As a young guy, it was definitely hard. But uncomfortable times allow you to do one of two things: You either grow or tuck your head away.”
Swinton grew. Not literally — he remains an undersized 5-foot-9, 175-pound cornerback. And he’s not that much more outgoing than the introverted kid he was as an 18-year-old freshman.
But in addition to becoming a dependable cornerback who led the Tribe in interceptions last season, Swinton is one of four team captains. Many of those teammates from whom he felt so different four years ago voted for him.
“He’s a good, quiet leader,” W&M coach Jimmye Laycock said. “It’s important to him, and the players know it’s important to him. They know it’s for real, not just for show.
“He has credibility (in) that he’s had to work for what he’s gotten. He hasn’t had an easy path. He’s had to overcome the injuries and things like that. He has a lot of respect from our players.”
Those early days helped shape him. Before coming to William and Mary, he was only around those who thought like he did. Here, he’s one of 95 young men from different walks of life with their own thoughts on life, politics and the world.
“I was born and raised in the inner city where the majority of the people felt the same way,” he said. “I had to come to the understanding that there’s a lot of different types of people out here in this world.
“It’s changed me a lot. Not my core values as a person, but it’s allowed me to step outside my comfort zone. That’s the biggest things.”
Two months ago, when white nationalists and counter-protesters clashed in Charlottesville, it was a topic of conversation in the locker room. Some might have disagreed that Confederate monuments should be moved, but everyone agreed that bigotry and hate should be outdated concepts.
So Swinton and the other captains shared their thoughts with Laycock and W&M athletic director Samantha Huge. They wanted to organize a display of unity at their season opener, which happened to be at U.Va.
Before kickoff at Scott Stadium, the players faced the crowd on the sideline while wearing t-shirts that read “United we stand, divided we fall.” It was their way of saying what was important.
“There are a lot of views, a lot of different opinions,” Swinton said. “But it comes down to the simplest things. You do actions that promote love and unity, or you’re either directly or indirectly doing things that promote hate.
“Just having that discussion with 95 guys from different backgrounds, and to come together as one and unify, was amazing to see.
Swinton has plans after receiving his master’s. Not surprisingly, they involve helping the community.
“My goal is to be a social entrepreneur and use business and entrepreneurship as a means to give back and help,” he said. “I’ve gained all this knowledge. I had an amazing opportunity.
“I think others need some inspiration. I want to take what I’ve learned here, the experiences I’ve had, and bring it back to places that need it.”
Johnson can be reached by phone at 757-247-4649. Follow him on Twitter at @DaveJohnsonDP.