History major, an Air Force veteran, relishes in-person connections

Most adult students prefer the flexibility of online courses, which allow them to tailor learning to their schedules.

Michael Barnwell ’26 sought the opposite, seeking the interaction he thrived on during 20 years in the U.S. Air Force.

“I wanted the traditional experience, being able to talk with the teachers and collaborate with students,” said Barnwell, who received his bachelor’s degree in history during last weekend’s commencement ceremony.

The South Carolina native, who recently turned 50, admitted that sharing classrooms with students in their early 20s might seem intimidating, but he called it second nature due to his military background.

“As an NCO (non-commissioned officer), I'd risen through the ranks and assumed more leadership roles,” he said. “One of those roles is leading the new airmen, and they’re all basically the same age as my classmates here. As a leader, you've got to be able to connect.”

He admitted that some of the age-specific conversations held by fellow students go over his head. But those moments are outweighed by the robust discussions that occur in class.

“All the students here are whip-smart, they’re really engaged,” he said. “Alvernia does an amazing job of providing leadership courses and a strong moral foundation.”

Originally from South Carolina, Barnwell enlisted in the Air Force in 1997. After two decades in active duty - which included stretches stationed in Mississippi, Italy and England - a catastrophic motorcycle accident precipitated his retirement.

Following a stint at Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology in Lancaster, he enrolled at Alvernia, needing to use his GI Bill benefits before they expired. Inspired by a lifelong love of history handed down by his father, a longtime history professor, he chose that path for his bachelor’s degree.

The transfer process was smooth, with many of the credits from Thaddeus Stevens and his two associate degrees from the Air Force transferring, allowing him to enroll as a junior.

He also felt at home thanks to Alvernia’s welcoming atmosphere for military veterans. During the 2025-2026 school year, Alvernia was again named a Military Friendly® School, highlighting the university’s commitment to supporting student veterans, service members and military-affiliated learners. Alvernia is one of the few institutions across the country to have a physical Veterans Center. Located in Bernardine Hall, the hub allows veteran students to bond, study, socialize and share experiences.

“We always managed to find each other rather fast," he said. "Most of us, we're older, we're also a little bit more assertive, more talkative."

Barnwell lives in Reading with Heather, his wife of 30 years. He calls her the bedrock of their family, owing much of his military and collegiate success to her. His son, Paul, is a fellow Air Force veteran. 

One of Barnwell’s most visible experiences during his two years at Alvernia came during his final semester, in the Philosophy of Art class taught by Janae Sholtz, Ph.D. The course spotlighted art as activism and the final project was an interactive art exhibition tasking the students to create their own art activist projects.

"Mike has taken two honors philosophy courses with me," Sholtz said. "In each instance, he became a leader of discussion. His insight, born from his experiences in the military and life, inspired other students to speak up and to think more deeply." 

Barnwell chose guerilla art focusing on anti-fascism, spreading the pro-democracy message across campus by posting fliers, banned cartoons and memes. He even used chalk to scrawl Rage Against the Machine lyrics on sidewalks.

“I wanted to do a project reminiscent of the ’60s and ’70s campus protests that we had in the country,” he said. “Part of my military background is that of trying to pull democracy forward; it's what every military member is sworn to. So this was a natural extension from that.”

Diploma in hand, Barnwell plans to earn a master’s degree with the hopes of landing a job discussing real world history with the public.

“The history that actually happened, unvarnished, is critical to understanding where we are now, where we have been, where we are now and how we can move into the future,” he said. “Because if you don't know where you came from, you don't know how you're going to move forward.”

— By Jon Fassnacht