Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
86-year-old WCU student works toward his degree
WEST CHESTER » At age 86, Lowell Gardenhour is an inspiration to fellow students, veterans and staffers at the West Chester University community.
Gardenhour, a U.S. Air Force veteran, is a junior majoring in computer science. He has taken one class per semester since 2008.
He was one of only 186 Americans to lead a covert-CIA-spy mission in Indochina, which later became Vietnam, a decade prior to the Vietnam War. The veteran served in Korea, Japan and Indochina and snapped 500 photos
depicting support of French forces at what later became a war zone.
Gardenhour was recognized at a dinner and award presentation Friday night at Sykes Student Union Building.
Gardenhour worked for decades at GE in King of Prussia, with space age technology.
When asked why he takes the courses for credit, Gardenhour said he doesn’t want to suffer from “brain freeze.
“I didn’t want to become a couch potato,” he said. “If you don’t keep active, your brain dies.
“Just like with the body, muscles go weak and you need to exercise the brain.”
Bob Kodosky, associate professor with the Department of History, said the Garnet Valley veteran is dedicated to self-improvement, with a willingness to serve others, while working with traditional students.
Zsa Zsa Alston is a senior psychology major and U.S. Navy veteran.
“When you see someone before you who paved the way for future generations, it’s a wonderful experience,” she said about Gardenhour.
“He’s one of our citizens that walks silently and humbly among us,” said Lillian Morrison, veterans center coordinator. “He’s done some pretty remarkable things.
“He’s got longevity to see how veterans over different wars are treated.”
Dr. Jen Bacon, dean of the college of Arts and Humanities, lauded Gardenhour.
“He reminds us all of the lessons that our history is important … and for finding ways to not repeat the past,” she said.
Kodosky talked about Gardenhour’s lifelong education, lifelong service and his photographs, which are available online.
“It helps explain how we ended up, in the way we ended up in Vietnam,” Kodosky said. “How do we make it understandable for the students?
“I have not seen photographs like these anywhere.”
William Dodd, parliamentarian for the executive board of the WCU student veteran’s group, talked about Gardenhour’s commitment.
“As current service members today we stand on your shoulders,” he told Gardenhour.
Working closely with Gardenhour, senior history and education major, Tyler O’Donnell, helped create the photo captions.
O’Donnell enjoyed working with a veteran with “firsthand” experience.
To view the special collection of photos, go to https://library.wcupa.edu/c. php?g=61441&p=5062572.