Student Spotlight

Mar 2, 2026 9:00 AM

If you walk into Frostburg State University’s Education and Health Sciences Center and glance to the right, you’ll see a striking installation by artist Stacia Goodman. What most visitors don’t realize is that many of the geological specimens within it were donated by FSU junior Colton Swauger, a Geology and Earth Sciences major from Frostburg, Md.

Swauger has been collecting rocks since childhood. “When I was little, I would come to the STEM Festivals here on campus,” he recalled. “I met Dr. Phil Allen, and every year I’d bring him new rocks to look at.” Those early connections later led Dr. Allen to suggest he donate minerals for the new campus artwork — pieces from Swauger’s own extensive collection. Soon after, he watched videos of Goodman assembling the installation and spotted minerals he had dug up himself.

Many came from local sites like Springfield, Keyser, and Rocky Gap, while others were collected in Herkimer County, N.Y., famed for its “Herkimer diamonds.” “I donated a good many specimens from around West Virginia and Virginia,” he said. “A couple weeks later, they were in the art piece. It was very cool to be a part of something like that.” His collection includes rarities like a 4.2-pound quartz crystal he unearthed in New York.

Swauger calls mineral hunting a slow, careful process, one done with a hammer, screwdriver, and patience. Some of his best finds have been accidental — like a cliff he noticed on a drive that turned out to be full of fossils.

During the COVID lockdown, he turned his hobby into a small business. “I was cooped inside with all my rocks,” he joked. “So I thought, maybe I’ll give selling them a try.” Through his business, Backyard Geology Guy, he sells minerals online with detailed labels to preserve their scientific value.

Beyond collecting, Swauger is active on campus. Geography competitions have taken him to Hawaii, and he works in an archaeological lab, helping wash, catalog, and curate artifacts. “I wouldn’t have had opportunities like that if I hadn’t come to Frostburg,” he said.

Next semester, he’ll study at Northumbria University in England. “As a geography and earth sciences major, travel is crucial,” he said. He hopes to visit Sicar Point, where James Hutton first recognized geologic time.

When Swauger looks at Goodman’s  installation today, he feels proud of the personal connection woven into the piece. “There’s a huge black line running through the piece that nods to the coal seam,” he said. “Frostburg is a former coal town, and my name’s Colton — so it feels close to home in a lot of ways.”

He hopes the display will one day include information about the origin of the minerals. For now, he’s simply glad that crystals he uncovered — some millions of years old — are now part of Frostburg State’s campus for future students to discover.