The following is a list of Western Michigan University alumni. Note that 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 Kyoko Matsuoka, author and translator Richelle Mead, author Hideaki Miyamura, potter Howard Norman, novelist Arleta Richardson, author Carey Salerno, poet Diane Seuss, poet Terry Wooten, poet
Business Robert Bobb, emergency financial manager for the Detroit Public Schools Jeanne Dietsch, co-founder of MobileRobots Inc Tom Englert, second CEO of Discount Tire 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, founder of Stryker Corporation, 1916 Certificate of Teaching
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 PhD
Entertainment Tim Allen, actor and comedian Bruce Campbell, actor Terry Crews, actor Brooke Elliott, star of Lifetime Television Network show Drop Dead Diva Nicole Forester, actress Caleb Hammer, YouTuber (dropped out) Mary Jackson, actress Page Kennedy, actor Loretta Mae Moore Long, Susan Robinson on Sesame Street, 1960 Bachelor of Arts Stephen Lynch, Tony Award-nominated actor, musician, stand-up comedian Marin Mazzie, Tony Award-nominated actress Jeff Osterhage, film and television actor Paigion, born Kimberly Walker, actress, radio and television personality John Saunders, ABC Sports television personality Beby Tsabina, Indonesian actress, model, and singer David Wayne, film, television and Tony Award-winning stage 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
Dennis W. Archer, mayor of Detroit, Michigan Supreme Court justice, president of the American Bar Association, WMU trustee, 1965 Bachelor of Science John J. Bursch, former Michigan solicitor general Michael Cohen, former lawyer of Donald Trump Gershwin A. Drain, judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan Karla Gray, chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court Richard Allen Griffin, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit Wallace Kent, judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Music
Frankie Ballard, country music artist Scott Boerma, director of bands at WMU 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 Sango, DJ and electronic musician Wayne Static, lead singer and guitarist of industrial metal band Static-X Luther Vandross, rhythm and blues/urban contemporary singer, songwriter, and record producer
Politics, diplomacy and military Gardner Ackley, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Lyndon Johnson, Economics Department chair at the University of Michigan Jase Bolger, state representative, speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Scott Boman, Michigan politician Jeanne Dietsch, New Hampshire state senator Gerald Jernigan, mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan Robert B. Jones, mayor of Kalamazoo and Michigan state representative Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, U.S. representative Charles S. May, 16th lieutenant governor of Michigan Jack B. Olson, lieutenant governor of Wisconsin Kristy Pagan, Democratic politician from Michigan who represents the 21st District in the Michigan House of Representatives Kitty Piercy, mayor of Eugene, Oregon Mark Schauer, U.S. representative, state senator, minority leader of the Michigan Senate Dylan Schmorrow, commander, U.S. Navy and aerospace experimental psychologist Mark D. Siljander, U.S. representative Rashida Tlaib, U.S. representative and former Michigan state representative;
Athletics
Keegan Akin, MLB pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles Richard Ash, NFL player for Dallas Cowboys Mohammed Asif, professional sailor and space propulsion researcher Jason Babin, NFL player for Arizona Cardinals Freddie Bishop III, CFL player for Calgary Stampeders Jim Bouton, MLB baseball player, World Series pitcher for New York Yankees, actor, author of Ball Four Don Boven, NBA player Daniel Braverman (born 1993), NFL football player"Be Like Mike: Motivated Bears WR Daniel Braverman has no regrets," ESPN."In Jewish faith and talent, Daniel Braverman is a rare NFL prospect," Sports Illustrated. Judi Brown, Olympic silver medalist Matt Cappotelli, professional wrestler Orlando Colon, aka Epico, WWE wrestler, played baseball for Western Michigan Scott Colton, aka Colt Cabana, professional wrestler and podcaster Kevin Connauton, NHL player for Dallas Stars Terry Crews, NFL all-conference MAC player and actor Corey Davis, NFL wide receiver for the New York Jets, highest drafted NFL player in WMU history (5th overall) Danny DeKeyser, defenseman for Detroit Red Wings Louis Delmas, All-American free safety NFL player Bill Doba, head football coach at Washington State University (2003–2007) Dave Dombrowski, President of Baseball Operations of Boston Red Sox, former GM of Detroit Tigers Shawn Faulkner, football player Brad Fischer, bullpen coach for Oakland Athletics Paul Griffin, NBA player Ben Handlogten, NBA player John Harbaugh, former NFL head coach for Baltimore Ravens (Master's degree from WMU) Glenn Healy, NHL goalie Greg Jennings, former NFL wide receiver Keith Jones, hockey analyst on NBC Sports and NHL player Ernie Koob, MLB pitcher, threw no-hitter for 1917 St. Louis Browns John Kusku, Team USA goalball player, Paralympic silver medalist Bill Lajoie, general manager of Detroit Tigers, 1984–90; special advisor for three other teams Rich Maloney, head coach for University of Michigan baseball team Charlie Maxwell, Major League Baseball player Jamal Mayers, NHL player for Chicago Blackhawks Jeff Mayweather, trainer and former professional boxer Jay McDonagh, football player Ira James Murchison, Olympic gold medalist, NCAA national champion Lenda Murray, bodybuilder, 8-time Ms. Olympia Tom Nütten, retired NFL player for St. Louis Rams John Offerdahl, 5-time Pro Bowl NFL player Walter Owens, Negro league baseball pitcher, basketball and track and field player for Michigan, baseball and basketball coach at Detroit's Northwestern High SchoolWalt Owens biography. Negro League Baseball Museum website. Retrieved February 25, 2019. William Perigo, Western Michigan basketball player and head coach William Porter, Olympic gold medalist John Potter, professional football kicker Mike Prindle, NFL placekicker Frank Quilici, infielder (1965, 1967–70) and manager (1972–75) for the Minnesota Twins Joe Reitz, NFL offensive lineman, WMU basketball player Mark Ricks, football player Sean Riley (born 1974), football player Adam Rosales, MLB third baseman for Oakland Athletics Walker Russell, NBA player Tony Scheffler, NFL tight end for Detroit Lions Neil Smith, owner of Greenville Road Warriors of ECHL, general manager of NHL's New York Rangers and New York Islanders Paul Szczechura, NHL player for Tampa Bay Lightning Wayne Terwilliger, Chicago Cubs second baseman, MLB coach, author Roger Theder, head football coach, University of California, Berkeley (1978–1981) Ray Thomas, MLB player Elliot Uzelac, head football coach, Western Michigan University (1975–1981) and U.S. Naval Academy (1987–1989) John Vander Wal, professional baseball player Jordan White, professional football player Skyler Young, basketball coach
Fictional Tim Taylor, Home Improvement Jill Taylor, Home Improvement Dave Johnson, The Neighborhood
References
External links Distinguished Alumni Award Recipients