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 [ edit ] Bonnie Jo Campbell , author[1]
Xavier Davis , pianist
Gwen Frostic , artist, naturalist, poet laureate of Michigan, namesake of WMU's Frostic School of Art, 1929 Bachelor of Arts
Peter Geye, author
James D. Griffioen , writer and photographer
Kyoko Matsuoka , author and translator
Richelle Mead , author
Hideaki Miyamura , potter
Melinda Moustakis, author [2]
Howard Norman , novelist
Arleta Richardson , author
Carey Salerno , poet
Diane Seuss , poet
Terry Wooten , poetRobert Bobb , Emergency Financial Manager for the Detroit Public Schools
Jeanne Dietsch , co-founder of MobileRobots Inc
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 ,[3] founder of Stryker Corporation , 1916 Certificate of TeachingTerry 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 PhDTim Allen , actor and comedian[4]
Bruce Campbell , actor[4]
Terry Crews , actor[4]
Brooke Elliott , star of Lifetime Television Network show Drop Dead Diva [4]
Nicole Forester , actress[4]
Mary Jackson , actress
Page Kennedy , actor[4]
Don Lane , American-born Australian entertainer
Loretta Mae Moore Long , Susan Robinson on Sesame Street , 1960 Bachelor of Arts[5]
Stephen Lynch , Tony Award -nominated actor, musician, stand-up comedian[4]
Marin Mazzie , Tony Award winning actress[4]
Jeff Osterhage , film and television actor
John Saunders , ABC Sports television personality[4]
Paigion , born Kimberly Walker, actress, radio and television personality
David Wayne , film, television and Tony Award -winning stage actor[4]
Lauren Zakrin , Broadway actressJudge 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[6]
John J. Bursch , former Michigan Solicitor General
Gershwin A. Drain , Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
Michael Cohen , Former lawyer of Donald Trump
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
John E. Turner, former Washington State Court of Appeals Judge, Division 2[7] Frankie Ballard Frankie Ballard , country music artist[4]
Scott Boerma , Director of Bands at WMU[8] and former Director of the Michigan Marching Band
Matt Giraud , American Idol top 5 finalist[4]
Josh Gracin , country music artist and American Idol finalist[4]
Michael Gungor , lead singer of the musical collective Gungor
Sango , DJ and electronic musician, 2015 Bachelor of Arts in Graphic Design
Wayne Static , lead singer and guitarist of industrial metal band Static-X [4]
Luther Vandross , rhythm and blues /urban contemporary singer, songwriter, and record producer[4] Politics, diplomacy and military[ edit ] Gardner Ackley , Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers under Lyndon Johnson , Economics Department Chair at the University of Michigan[9]
Jase Bolger , State Representative , Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives [10]
Scott Boman , Michigan politician[11]
Jeanne Dietsch , New Hampshire state senator
Gerald Jernigan , mayor of Ann Arbor, Michigan
Robert B. Jones , Mayor of Kalamazoo and Michigan State Representative[12]
Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick , U.S. Representative [13]
Charles S. May , 16th Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
Jack B. Olson , Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin [14]
Kristy Pagan , Democratic politician from Michigan who represents the 21st District in the Michigan House of Representatives
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]
Rashida Tlaib , U.S. Representative and former Michigan state representative;Jim Bouton Keegan Akin , MLB pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles [19]
Richard Ash , NFL player for Dallas Cowboys [20]
Jason Babin , NFL player for Arizona Cardinals [21]
Freddie Bishop III , CFL player for Calgary Stampeders [22]
Jim Bouton , MLB baseball player, World Series pitcher for New York Yankees , actor, author of Ball Four [23]
Don Boven , NBA player[24]
Daniel Braverman (born 1993), NFL football player[25] [26]
Judi Brown , Olympic silver medalist [27]
Matt Cappotelli , professional wrestler[citation needed ]
Orlando Colon , aka Epico, WWE wrestler, played baseball for Western Michigan
Scott Colton , aka Colt Cabana, professional wrestler and podcaster[citation needed ]
Kevin Connauton , NHL player for Dallas Stars [28]
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 [29]
Louis Delmas , All-American free safety NFL player[30]
Bill Doba , head football coach at Washington State University (2003–2007)[31]
Dave Dombrowski , President of Baseball Operations of Boston Red Sox , former GM of Detroit Tigers [citation needed ]
Shawn Faulkner , football player[32]
Brad Fischer , bullpen coach for Oakland Athletics [33]
Paul Griffin , NBA player[34]
Ben Handlogten , NBA player[35]
John Harbaugh , NFL head coach for Baltimore Ravens (Master's degree from WMU)[36]
Glenn Healy , NHL goalie[37]
Greg Jennings , former NFL wide receiver [38]
Keith Jones , hockey analyst on NBC Sports and NHL player[39]
Ernie Koob , MLB pitcher, threw no-hitter for 1917 St. Louis Browns
John Kusku , Team USA goalball player, Paralympic silver medalist[40]
Bill Lajoie , general manager of Detroit Tigers , 1984–90; special advisor for three other teams[41]
Rich Maloney , head coach for University of Michigan baseball team[42]
Charlie Maxwell , Major League Baseball player[43]
Jamal Mayers , NHL player for Chicago Blackhawks [44]
Jeff Mayweather , trainer and former professional boxer[citation needed ]
Jay McDonagh , football player[45]
Ira James Murchison , Olympic gold medalist , NCAA national champion[46]
Lenda Murray , bodybuilder, 8-time Ms. Olympia
Tom Nütten , retired NFL player for St. Louis Rams [47]
John Offerdahl , 5-time Pro Bowl NFL player[48]
Walter Owens , Negro league baseball pitcher, basketball and track and field player for Michigan, baseball and basketball coach at Detroit's Northwestern High School [49]
William Perigo , Western Michigan basketball player and head coach
William Porter , Olympic gold medalist [50]
John Potter , professional football kicker[51]
Mike Prindle , NFL placekicker[52]
Frank Quilici , infielder (1965, 1967–70) and manager (1972–75) for the Minnesota Twins [53]
Joe Reitz , NFL offensive lineman , WMU basketball player[54]
Mark Ricks , football player
Sean Riley (born 1974), football player[55]
Adam Rosales , MLB third baseman for Oakland Athletics [56]
Walker Russell , NBA player[57]
Tony Scheffler , NFL tight end for Detroit Lions [58]
Neil Smith , owner of Greenville Road Warriors of ECHL , general manager of NHL's New York Rangers and New York Islanders [59]
Paul Szczechura , NHL player for Tampa Bay Lightning
Wayne Terwilliger , Chicago Cubs second baseman, MLB coach, author[60]
Roger Theder , head football coach, University of California, Berkeley (1978–1981)[citation needed ]
Ray Thomas , MLB player[61]
Elliot Uzelac , head football coach, Western Michigan University (1975–1981) and U.S. Naval Academy (1987–1989)[62]
John Vander Wal , professional baseball player [63]
Jordan White , professional football player[64]
^ "Michigan State University Libraries - Michigan Writers Series - Bonnie Jo Campbell, 1/24/03" .
^ "National Endowment for the Arts, Melinda Moustakis, 2014 Prose" .
^ "1970 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient" . wmich.edu .
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Bennett, Bryan (November 16, 2016). "These Are The Most Famous Western Michigan Alumni" . Retrieved April 8, 2017 .
^ "1971 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient" . wmich.edu .
^ "1982 Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient" . wmich.edu .
^ "John Turner – an Olympia, Washington (WA) Criminal Law Lawyer" . findlaw.com . Retrieved April 8, 2017 .
^ "Marching Band director resigns" . The Michigan Daily . January 9, 2013.
^ "Gardner Ackley" . University of Michigan Digital Library. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Jase Bolger MI House GOP Bio" . Michigan House Republican Caucus. Retrieved December 6, 2015 .
^ Yoakum, Ted (October 18, 2012). "WMU alumnus and former Western Herald contributor running for US Senate seat in Michigan" . Western Herald .
^ "Robert Jones" . Michiganliberal.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2013 .
^ "Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2013 .
^ "Jack B. Olson" . Wisconsin Historical Society. Retrieved December 16, 2013 .
^ "Kitty Piercy" . eugene-or.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2013 .
^ "Mark Schauer" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2013 .
^ "Dylan Schmorrow" . soartech.com. Archived from the original on December 16, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2013 .
^ "Mark D. Siljander" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 16, 2013 .
^ "Keegan Akin" . baseball-reference.com/players. Retrieved March 5, 2023 .
^ "Richard Ash" . Pro-Football Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Jason Babin" . Pro-Football Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Freddie Bishop III" . wmubroncos.com. Retrieved October 7, 2014 .
^ "Jim Bouton" . baseball-reference.com/players. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Don Boven" . Pro-Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "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" . sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Kevin Connauton" . Retrieved January 18, 2014 .
^ "Danny DeKeyser" . hockey-reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Louis Delmas" . Pro-Football Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Bill Doba" . sports-reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Shawn Faulkner" . justsportsstats.com. Retrieved November 6, 2015 .
^ "Brad Fischer" . baseball-reference.com/players. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Paul Griffin" . Pro-Basketball Reference.Com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Ben Handlogten" . Pro-Basketball Reference.Com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "John Harbaugh" . Pro-Football Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Glenn Healy" . hockeydb.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Greg Jennings" . Pro-Football Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Keith Jones" . Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "John Kusku" . teamusa.org. Archived from the original on December 29, 2015. Retrieved December 22, 2016 .
^ "Bill Lajoie" . baseball-reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Rich Maloney" . baseball-reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Charlie Maxwell" . baseball-reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Jamal Mayers" . hockeydb.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Jay McDonagh" . arenafan.com. Retrieved December 27, 2014 .
^ "Ira James Murchison" . sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Tom Nütten" . National Football League. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "John Offerdahl" . Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ Walt Owens biography . Negro League Baseball Museum website . Retrieved February 25, 2019.
^ "William Porter" . sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "John Potter" . National Football League. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Mike Prindle" . Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Frank Quilici" . Pro-Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Joe Reitz" . Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Sean Riley" . arenafan.com. Retrieved January 6, 2015 .
^ "Adam Rosales" . Pro-Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Walker Russell" . Pro-Basketball-Reference. Com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Tony Scheffler" . Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Neil Smith" . hockeydb.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Wayne Terwilliger" . Pro-Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "1934 Huntington Red Birds" . Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 3, 2013 .
^ "Elliot Uzelac" . sports-reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "John Vander Wal" . Pro-Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
^ "Jordan White" . Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 15, 2013 .
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Founded : 1903
Students : 23,914
Endowment : 330 million