List of Western Michigan University alumni

The following is a list of Western Michigan University alumni. Note some of the individuals listed may have only attended the university at one point and not graduated.

Arts and literature

• Bonnie Jo Campbell, author
• Xavier Davis, pianist
• Gwen Frostic, artist, naturalist, poet laureate of Michigan, namesake of WMU's Frostic School of Art, 1929 Bachelor of Arts
• James D. Griffioen, writer and photographer
• Patrick Maher, author^[1]
• Hideaki Miyamura, potter
• Howard Norman, novelist
• Arleta Richardson, author
• Carey Salerno, poet
• Jamie Thomas, poet
• Terry Wooten, poet
• Doug Worgul, poet

Business

• Revrisond Baswir, Commissioner of BNI 46, the third biggest state owned bank in Indonesia
• Robert Bobb, Emergency Financial Manager for the Detroit Public Schools
• Alec Gores, billionaire president of the Gores Group with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion
• Gerrard Wendell Haworth, businessman, founder of Haworth, Inc.
• Richard Haworth, businessman, Chairman of Haworth, Inc., WMU trustee
• Timothy E. Hoeksema (1972), founder of Midwest Airlines
• Homer Hartman Stryker,^[2] founder of Stryker Corporation, 1916 Certificate of Teaching
• Brian Thomas,^[3] President and CEO of OtterBox

Education

• Terry Bergeson, State of Washington Superintendent of Public Schools
• Robert H. Bruininks, President of University of Minnesota
• Dr. James Bultman, President of Hope College
• John A. Fallon, President, Eastern Michigan University; President, SUNY Potsdam; President, William Penn University
• Frank Douglas Garrett, All-America basketball, academic dean, Oakland University
• M. Peter McPherson, President of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges, member of the Dow Jones Board of Directors, President-Emeritus of Michigan State University
• John J. Pruis, President of Ball State University
• Merze Tate, first African American graduate of WMU; first African American woman to attend Oxford; Harvard Ph.D

Entertainment

• Tim Allen, actor and stand-up comedian
• Bruce Campbell, actor
• Terry Crews, actor
• Brooke Elliott, star of Lifetime Television Network show Drop Dead Diva
• Nicole Forester, actress
• Page Kennedy, actor
• Don Lane, American-born Australian entertainer
• Loretta Mae Moore Long, Susan Robinson on Sesame Street, 1960 Bachelor of Arts^[4]
• Stephen Lynch, Tony Award- nominated actor, musician, stand-up comedian
• Marin Mazzie, Tony Award winning actress
• Jeff Osterhage, film and television actor
• John Saunders, ABC Sports television personality
• Paigion, both Kimberly Walker, actress, radio and television personality
• David Wayne, Tony Award-winning actor
• Lauren Zakrin, Broadway actress

Journalism

• Roz Abrams, New York City TV news presenter, CNN reporter
• Ed Gordon, television talk show host on BET and MSNBC, correspondent for NBC News and CBS News, and radio host on NPR
• LZ Granderson, columnist for ESPN and CNN

Law

Judge Gershwin A. Drain

• Dennis W. Archer, Mayor of Detroit, Michigan Supreme Court Justice, President of the American Bar Association, WMU trustee, 1965 Bachelor of Science^[5]
• John J. Bursch, former Michigan Solicitor General
• Gershwin A. Drain, US federal judge
• Karla Gray, Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court
• John E. Turner, former Washington State Court of Appeals Judge, Division 2

Music

Frankie Ballard

• Susan B. Anthony, opera singer, 1975 Bachelor of Music^[6]
• Frankie Ballard, country music artist
• Scott Boerma, Director of Bands at WMU^[7] and former Director of the Michigan Marching Band
• Matt Giraud, American Idol top 5 finalist
• Josh Gracin, country music artist and American Idol finalist
• Michael Gungor, lead singer of the musical collective Gungor
• Paul Loesel, musical theater composer
• Debra Romer, 2010 finalist on America's Got Talent
• Wayne Static, lead singer and guitarist of industrial metal band Static-X
• Luther Vandross, rhythm and blues/urban contemporary singer, songwriter, and record producer
• Howard Wooden, bassist and singer with the Woods Tea Company
• Sango, DJ & Electronic Musician, 2015 Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design

Politics, diplomacy and military

• Gardner Ackley, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Lyndon Johnson, Economics Department Chair at the University of Michigan^[8]
• Jase Bolger, State Representative, Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives^[9]
• Scott Boman, Michigan politician^[10]
• Robert B. Jones, Mayor of Kalamazoo and Michigan State Representative^[11]
• Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, U.S. Representative^[12]
• Jack B. Olson, Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin^[13]
• Dan Pero, former Chief of Staff to Michigan Governor John Engler^[14]
• Kitty Piercy, Mayor of Eugene, Oregon^[15]
• Mark Schauer, U.S. Representative, State Senator, Minority Leader of the Michigan Senate^[16]
• Dylan Schmorrow, Commander, U.S. Navy and Aerospace Experimental Psychologist^[17]
• Mark D. Siljander, U.S. Representative^[18]
• Vinod Thomas, Director General of the Independent Evaluation Group of the World Bank
• Dr. Jerry Zandstra, pro-life activist, U.S. Senate candidate
• Kristy Pagan, Democratic politician from Michigan who represents the 21st District in the Michigan House of Representatives

Athletics

Jim Bouton

• Jason Babin, NFL player for the New York Jets^[19]
• Freddie Bishop III, CFL player for the Calgary Stampeders^[20]
• Jim Bouton, MLB baseball player, author^[21]
• Don Boven, NBA player^[22]
• Dr. Judi Brown, Olympic silver medalist^[23]
• Matt Cappotelli, professional wrestler
• Scott Colton, aka Colt Cabana, professional wrestler and podcaster
• Kevin Connauton, NHL player for the Dallas Stars^[24]
• Danny DeKeyser, defenceman for the Detroit Red Wings^[25]
• Louis Delmas, All-American free safety NFL player^[26]
• Bill Doba, head football coach at Washington State University (2003–2007)^[27]
• Dave Dombrowski, President of Baseball Operations of the Boston Red Sox^[28]
• Shawn Faulkner, American football player^[29]
• Brad Fischer, bullpen coach for the Oakland Athletics^[30]
• Paul Griffin, NBA player^[31]
• Ben Handlogten, NBA player^[32]
• John Harbaugh, NFL head coach for the Baltimore Ravens (Master's degree from WMU)^[33]
• Glenn Healy, NHL goalie^[34]
• Greg Jennings, former NFL wide receiver^[35]
• Keith Jones, NHL analyst on NBC Sports and NHL player^[36]
• Ernie Koob, MLB pitcher, threw a perfect game for the 1917 St. Louis Browns
• Bill Lajoie, GM of Detroit Tigers, 1984–1990; special advisor for 3 other teams^[37]
• Rich Maloney, head coach for the University of Michigan baseball team^[38]
• Charlie Maxwell, Major League Baseball player^[39]
• Jamal Mayers, NHL player for the Chicago Blackhawks^[40]
• Jeff Mayweather, boxing trainer and former professional boxer
• Jay McDonagh, football player^[41]
• Ira James Murchison, Olympic gold medalist, NCAA National Champion^[42]
• Lenda Murray, bodybuilder, 8-time Ms. Olympia
• Tom Nütten, retired NFL player for the St. Louis Rams^[43]
• John Offerdahl, 5-time Pro Bowl NFL player^[44]
• William Porter, Olympic gold medalist^[45]
• John Potter, professional football kicker^[46]
• Mike Prindle, NFL placekicker^[47]
• Frank Quilici, infielder (1965, 1967–1970) and manager (1972–1975) for the Minnesota Twins^[48]
• Joe Reitz, NFL offensive lineman, WMU basketball player^[49]
• Mark Ricks, gridiron football player
• Sean Riley (born 1974), football player^[50]
• Adam Rosales, MLB third baseman for the Oakland Athletics^[51]
• Walker Russell, NBA player^[52]
• Tony Scheffler, NFL tight end for the Detroit Lions^[53]
• Neil Smith, owner of Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL, General Manager of the New York Rangers and New York Islanders^[54]
• Wayne Terwilliger, Chicago Cubs second baseman, MLB first and third base coach, author^[55]
• Roger Theder, head football coach, University of California, Berkeley (1978–1981)
• Ray Thomas, MLB player^[56]
• Elliot Uzelac, head football coach, Western Michigan University (1975–1981) and U.S. Naval Academy (1987–1989)^[57]
• John Vander Wal, professional baseball player^[58]
• Jordan White, professional football player^[59]

Fictional

• Tim Taylor, Home Improvement
• Jill Taylor, Home Improvement

References

External links

• Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients