Being an 83-year-old Iowa State student is unusual in itself, but being an 83-year-old Government of the Student Body senator puts David Crawford in a class of his own.

Crawford, an undeclared graduate student, was elected as a write-in candidate during last week’s 1997-98 GSB elections. Seen on campus wearing a plastic, black top-hat with his name neatly stenciled on it, Crawford campaigned the old-fashioned way — handshakes and conversations — and garnered 103 votes, enough to become a senator.

“I was very surprised. I thought like so many things here, let’s give it a try,” he said. “I have a lot to learn, a lot of nice people to meet.”

Crawford may very well be the oldest student in ISU history to serve on the Senate. Mary McBirnie, GSB office coordinator, said she has never heard of another senator who can top Crawford’s 83 years.

“I can just see some of the senators arguing with him next year,” McBirnie said. “I think he’ll be good for them. [They] will have a tough time with him, though.”

Crawford’s platform was simple: to better communication on campus. He said there needs to be better communication among President Martin Jischke, GSB and ISU students. “The whole pattern of communication is set by the president. If you talk to your employees directly, a lot can be achieved,” he said.

He said he also wants to help people understand what diversity really is. Crawford said ethnic diversity is good, but national diversity is bad.

“You can’t have a great country that doesn’t speak the same language. You can’t have a country like ours without understanding there are basic principles we all have to stand on,” he said. “I want to help provide things like that to GSB. I think I have a few privileges, because I’ve been around a little longer.”

Crawford lived in Massachusetts for most of his life. But after he retired in 1980, he said the Eastern tendencies to focus on money and bad manners didn’t fit his “style.”

“I was going to retire happy, but I soon learned no one wanted to talk about the stuff I wanted to talk about,” he said.

So in 1996, Crawford and his pal Charlie, a half-labrador and half-husky dog, headed to Iowa to be closer to Crawford’s four sons and seven grandchildren, who all lived in the Midwest.

For Crawford, it was love at first sight. “I was astounded with what goes on out here with the openness, honesty and trust,” he said.

Once in Iowa, the 1936 Harvard graduate in liberal arts, decided he wanted to go back to school. One of his daughters-in-law suggested Iowa State. “The first thing I noticed about this place was no graffiti. “Amazing,” he said. “I don’t care about a degree anymore. I’m just here for some answers.”

Finding an apartment in Ames that allowed Charlie was a difficult task, Crawford said. Finally Crawford found a basement apartment in Story County Attorney Mary Richards’ home. There was only one requirement: that Richards’ dog, Molly, liked Charlie. “They get along great,” Crawford said. “They’re good friends.”

Once he was settled in Ames, Crawford enrolled in his first semester of classes in January of 1996.

He said he takes a few classes each semester in areas that interest him, such as philosophy of religion, computer science, persuasion and media ethics.

“I feel so loved and appreciated. Everyone is so nice here. I couldn’t find that back home. [The] only bad I can find in that is it makes you gullible. You have to get out and be heard,” Crawford said.

And heard he is. Crawford is a frequent audience member at lectures, speeches, panel decisions and any event that gives him a chance to talk with people. “I don’t have time for classes. This is such a smorgasbord,” he said.

Crawford is also a vocal student in class.

Dick Haws, an associate professor of journalism, said Crawford is a joy to have in his media ethics class.

“He’s really open-minded and willing to hear other sides of issues, even though he generally comes down on the predictable conservative side,” Haws said.

He said Crawford brings a perspective to the class that isn’t often heard. “I like his vitality. He just enjoys life, and I just love to see that. I wish all students had as much spirit as he has,” Haws said.

Crawford said he enjoys all his classes and the professors, even though he thinks he is graded harder because he is conservative. “You know the professors are all liberal out here,” he said.

Enjoying Iowa, despite the cold winters, and loving ISU, Crawford says he’ll stay a while. “I’m out here because people think differently than I do and I want to know why,” he said. “I guess that kind of sums it up.”