News Reporter
At-Large senator Aaron Tran-Swope, 20, who is most often referred to by his peers as “Swoop,” was born and raised in Erlanger, KY to a Vietnamese mother and German father. This is his third year at CMU, but his first year as a member of ASG as well as the Fee Allocation Committee (FAC).
“It’s given me good connections and a chance to represent and speak for students who don’t have a voice,” Tran-Swope said. “It’s something that helps me help people, so I’m glad to do it.”
Tran-Swope is also Grand Procurator of Kappa Sigma, more commonly known as the vice president. Ronan Bennett is president.
“Basically, I’m Ronan’s right hand man,” Tran-Swope said. “I have to enforce the laws within the fraternity.”
He joined Kappa Sigma last year after his roommate recruited him and was sworn in as the Grand Master of Ceremonies.
“It gave me the outlet that I desperately needed,” Tran-Swope said. “Being in sports throughout high school and going to a college that only one of my friends came to, it was weird going from having such a close team to nothing.”
Tran-Swope is a Mass Communications major and has previously worked for CMU TV as a reporter and editor.
“In the future I would like to go into some kind of video production, all behind the scenes stuff,” Tran-Swope said. “News, television, movies – anywhere my talents can take me.”
He is the youngest of three children after his a sister who lives in California, and his brother, Ryan, who coaches the CMU club lacrosse team.
“I played lacrosse and football in high school,” Tran-Swope said. “My brother went to CMU and I came up here almost every weekend to watch him play football. I was on the club lacrosse team last year, and hopefully next semester I can play again.”
According to Tran-Swope being raised in Kentucky was “an experience.”
“I met some weird people and made some good friends,” Tran-Swope said.
Halfway through his first semester of middle school, Tran-Swope moved to Castle Rock.
“The elevation was the hardest thing to get used to, and not having all the friends I used to have,” Tran-Swope said.
To add to his busy schedule Tran-Swope just got hired as a sales associate at American Eagle. He also has a Thursday night radio show on KMSA called “Robot Language” with fellow ASG senator Ronan Bennett.
“I used to have a metal show and an Electric Dance Music (EDM) show also,” Tran-Swope said.
Tran-Swope has an extremely broad musical preference, his favorite artists being from five different genres. The Black Dahlia murder, a death metal band, stands in great contrast to rapper Macklemore and Frank Turner, a folk/rock artist. Two other favorites of his include Dillon Francis, an EDM producer, and Romantic composer Frederic Chopin.
Tran-Swope is also a Buddhist, although according to him, practicing is hard here.
“I have one tattoo on my shoulder of the three marks of existence in Buddhism,” Tran-Swope said. “I also have a memorial for my grandparents from my mom’s side on my left bicep. It’s of two flowers with a ribbon wrapped around it.”
When asked to describe himself in three words, Tran-Swope didn’t hold back.
“Obnoxious, stubborn, and a go-getter,” Tran-Swope said. “Or, Do Work Son.”
arildefonso@mavs.coloradomesa.edu
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