List of Southern Illinois University alumni

Southern Illinois University Carbondale has had a number of notable alumni since it was first founded in 1869.

Academics

• Robert Coover, T.B. Stowell Adjunct Professor of Literary Arts at Brown University^[1]
• Sir Curtis Price, KBE, current head of New College, Oxford, former President of the Royal Academy of Music^[2] and former president of the Royal Musical Association^[3]

Jared Funk- Funk's Farms

Business people

• Cecil Hale, former Vice President, Capitol Records^[4] and former National President of the National Association of Television and Radio Artists^[5]
• Ryan Eagle is an Americans businessman, investor, and philanthropist who is the President at Sidago Integrated Solutions and Principal Investor at XCell Fund.^[6]
• Curt Jones, founder of Dippin' Dots^[7]
• Kenny Troutt, founder of telecommunications company Excel Communications^[8]

Entertainers

• James Belushi, actor/comedian^[9]
• Don S. Davis, actor best known for role on Stargate SG-1^[10]
• Jackie Debatin (attended), actress and businesswoman^[11]
• Bil Dwyer, actor, comedian^[12]
• Dennis Franz, actor best known for his work on NYPD Blue^[7][13]
• Dick Gregory (attended), actor, author, comedian, activist^[14]
• Steve James, documentary director and producer of Sundance award winning Hoop Dreams and Stevie^[15]
• Jenny McCarthy (attended), actress and Playmate of the Year, was studying nursing at SIU when she submitted her photo to Playboy^[16]
• Melissa McCarthy, actress, famous for her role in Gilmore Girls and the motion picture Spy
• Gary Miller, ESPN SportsCenter anchor^[17]
• Tom Minton, animation producer, writer, artist
• Bob Odenkirk, actor/writer/comedian^[18]
• Tim O'Malley, actor/comedian, Godshow, Second City alum^[19]
• Randal Mario Poffo, also known as professional wrestler Macho Man Randy Savage; graduated 1971
• Rick Rizzs, broadcaster for the Seattle Mariners^[20]
• Richard Roundtree, actor, Shaft^[21]
• Robert K. Weiss, producer of The Blues Brothers^[7]
• Walt Willey, actor best known for All My Children

Musicians

• Hamiet Bluiett, jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer^[22]
• Shawn Colvin, musician, singer^[23]
• Open Mike Eagle, rapper^[24]
• Darryl Jones, bassist of The Rolling Stones
• David Lee Murphy, musician, singer
• Jason Ringenberg, musician, singer

Politicians and government officials

Federal Government

• Roland Burris, former U.S. Senator from Illinois (2009-2010). He previously served as Illinois Comptroller and Illinois Attorney General.^[7]
• Jack Davis, U.S. Congressman from Illinois's 4th Congressional District who served from 1987-1989.^[25]
• William Enyart, U.S. Congressman from Illinois's 12th Congressional District who served from 2013-2013. He earned his law degree from Southern Illinois University School of Law.^[26]
• Tim Lee Hall, U.S. Congressman who represented Illinois’s 15th Congressional District from 1975-1977.^[27]
• Donald McHenry, United States ambassador to the United Nations (from 1979 to 1981)^[7]
• David D. Phelps, U.S. Congressman from Illinois's 19th congressional district who served from 1999-2003.^[28]
• Glenn Poshard, former U.S. Congressman, gubernatorial candidate, president of SIU^[7]

Statewide Officeholders

• Randy Daniels, former New York Secretary of State^[29]
• Albert E. Mead, former Governor of Washington^[30]

State Legislators

• Carl Bearden, member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• John Cavaletto, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 107th district (2009–present).^[31]
• Jerry Costello II, Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 116th district (2011–present).^[32]
• William Davis, Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 30th district (2002–present).^[33]
• Chad Hays, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 104th district (2010–present).^[34]
• Jeanette Mott Oxford, Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Mary Nichols, Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives representing the 72nd district (2010–present).^[35]
• Lena Taylor, Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate for the 4th district (since 2005).^[36]
• Art Turner, Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives (2010–present).^[37]
• Kathleen Vinehout, Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate representing the 31st district (since 2007).^[38]
• Grant Wehrli, Republican member of the Illinois House of Representatives representing the 41st district (2015–present).^[39]

Local Officeholders

• Howard Brookins, Chicago Alderman for the 21st ward.^[40]
• Forrest Claypool, member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners for District 12 (2002-2006). He is currently the CEO of Chicago Public Schools.
• David Coss, Mayor of Santa Fe, New Mexico (2006-2014)^[41]
• Jason Ervin, Chicago Alderman for the 28th ward.^[42]

International Figures

• Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq, Pakistani politician and son of former President General Zia-ul-Haq

Sports figures

Baseball

• Jim Dwyer, former Major League Baseball outfielder^[43]
• Steve Finley, former Major League Baseball center fielder, 5-time Gold Glove winner, 2-time All-Star^[43]
• Jason Frasor, Major League Baseball pitcher^[43]
• Joe Hall, former Major League Baseball pitcher^[43]
• Jerry Hairston, Jr., Major League Baseball second baseman^[43]
• Dan Hartleb, college baseball coach at Illinois
• Duane Kuiper, former Major League Baseball second baseman, announcer, commentator for EA Sports baseball video games^[43]
• Al Levine, Major League Baseball pitcher^[43]
• Skip Pitlock, former Major League pitcher
• Bill Stein, former Major League Baseball infielder^[43]
• Dave Stieb, former Major League Baseball pitcher, 7-time All Star^[43]

Basketball

• Ashraf Amaya, former NBA player^[44]
• Chris Carr, former NBA player^[44]
• Walt Frazier, Basketball Hall of Famer and named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History^[7]
• Mike Glenn, former NBA player^[44]
• Nate Hawthorne, former NBA player Los Angeles Lakers and Phoenix Suns.
• Troy Hudson, NBA guard^[44]
• Joe Meriweather, NBA center

Football

• Lionel Antoine, former NFL offensive tackle
• Houston Antwine, former NFL defensive lineman
• Tom Baugh, former NFL player
• Amos Bullocks, former NFL running back
• Jim Hart, former NFL quarterback, 4-time Pro Bowl selection^[45]
• Kevin House, former NFL player^[46]
• Brandon Jacobs, NFL running back^[47]
• Yonel Jourdain, NFL running back for the Buffalo Bills
• Deji Karim, NFL running back for the Jacksonville Jaguars^[48]
• Carl Mauck, former NFL player and NFL coach
• Marion Rushing, former NFL linebacker
• Bart Scott, NFL linebacker^[49]
• Sam Silas, former NFL lineman
• Russ Smith, former NFL guard
• Terry Taylor, former NFL cornerback
• Ernie Wheelwright, former NFL running back
• Adrian White, former NFL safety

Other

• Ron Ballatore, NCAA championship swimming coach, five-time Olympic swimming coach
• Kim Chizevsky-Nicholls, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Roger Counsil, NCAA championship gymnastics coach
• Thomas Glielmi, Stanford gymnastics head coach, Pan American Games coach
• Randy Savage, professional wrestler
• Cameron Wright, retired high jumper; competed at the 1996 Olympic Games; Southern Illinois University Hall of Fame 2011

Writers and journalists

• Steven Alexander, best selling author and clinical counselor
• Andrea Beaty, award-winning children's author of Iggy Peck, Architect, Dr. Ted, Cicada Summer, and Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies^[50]
• Jim Bittermann, CNN European correspondent based in Paris^[51]
• Chris Bury, ABC news anchor^[7]
• Tom Hebel, Vice President of Creative Services and Local Programming, WLS-TV ABC Affiliate in Chicago^[52]
• Charles Johnson, winner of the National Book Award for Middle Passage^[53]
• Dan Katz, morning news anchor for NBC affiliate WFIE^[54] in Evansville, Indiana
• Joan Lovett (Lovelace), CBS four-time Emmy award winner
• Michael Meyerhofer, poet and fantasy author
• P.S. Mueller, cartoonist for The New Yorker^[13]
• Walter Rogers, CNN international correspondent based in London^[55]
• Chad Simpson, Micro Award-winning short and flash fiction author
• Jackie Spinner, writer at the Washington Post and author of Tell Them I Didn't Cry: A Young Journalist's Story of Joy, Loss, and Survival in Iraq^[56]

Others

• Matthew F. Hale (Law School, 1998), white supremacist who solicited the murder of federal judge Joan Lefkow^[57]
• Joan E. Higginbotham, astronaut^[7]
• Rodney P. Kelly, retired Major General, U.S. Air Force
• Thomas E. Lord, retired Aviation Ordnance Master Chief, U.S. Navy
• Thomas McClelland, retired Captain, U.S. Navy
• Johnny R. Miller, Assistant Adjutant General of the Illinois Army National Guard
• Joseph Nechvatal, digital artist and art theoretician
• Michael Swango, physician and serial murderer^[58]
• Mallica Vajrathon, United Nations senior staff member
• Gary Whiteside, Corporate Vice President of Quality Control for Warren Oil Company
• Eric Rochel, Robotics Engineer for KUKA

References

1. "Literary Arts Program: faculty". Archived from the original on 2008-03-03. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
2. "Senior Staff: Principal". Archived from the original on 2008-01-19. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
3. "Council Members & Officers". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
4. http://www.thehistorymakers.com/biography/cecil-hale-40
5. http://www.ccsf.edu/Info/Dir/cgi-bin/ccsfdirs.pl?&words=Hale,%20Cecil%20%20%20%20%20%20%20&type=2
6. "Ryan Eagle on Sidago Integrated Solutions, Success, and The One Tip Every Startup Owner Should Know About Angel Investors". Sweet Startups. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
7. "Distinguished Alumni Wall". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
8. "Troutt-Wittmann Academic and Training Center". Retrieved 2007-08-14.
9. "According to Jim Bios". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
10. http://www.tv.com/don-s.-davis/person/1313/biography.html
11. "Jackie Debatin". Retrieved 2010-10-26.
12. "Last Comic Standing: Bill Dwyer". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
13. Utterback, Wayne (April 19, 2007). "Emprace the 'Dark': Author, SIUC alumnus reprints book about Strip". Daily Egyptian. p. 7.
14. "Dick Gregory: Global Watch-Biography". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
15. "Steve James Biography-Yahoo!Movies". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
16. "Jenny McCarthy Picture, Profile, Gossip, and News at CelebrityWonder.com". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
17. "Jenny Gary Miller Class of 1974". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
18. "Biography for Bob Odenkirk". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
19. http://aol.imdb.com/name/nm0641795/resum
20. "Team: Broadcasters". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
21. "The Working Actor: Richard Roundtree". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
22. "Hamiet Bluiett". mapleshaderecords.com.
23. "Artist Description for Shawn Colvin". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
24. "BA #064:'Open' Mike Eagle". Box Angeles podcast.
25. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=D000106
26. http://bipac.net/briefings/images/2012.1107FreshmanList.pdf
27. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000073
28. http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000584
29. "SIUC launches 1st Capital Campaign". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
30. "Washington Governor Albert E. Mead". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
31. http://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?MemberID=2169
32. http://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?MemberID=2201
33. http://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?MemberID=2111
34. http://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?MemberID=2193
35. http://www.house.mo.gov/bio.aspx?year=2016&district=072
36. "4th Senate District – Lena Taylor" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book (2015-2016). Wisconsin State Assembly. 2015-01-15. p. 26. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
37. http://www.ilga.gov/house/rep.asp?MemberID=2181
38. "31st Senate District – Kathleen Vinehout" (PDF). Wisconsin Blue Book (2015-2016). Wisconsin State Assembly. 2015-01-15. p. 80. Retrieved 2016-02-03.
39. http://www.ilga.gov/house/Rep.asp?MemberID=2269
40. http://www.howardbrookinsjr.com/about_1
41. "Mayor David Coss". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
42. http://www.aldermanervin.com/jason
43. "Southern Illinois University Baseball Players Who Made it to the Major Leagues". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
44. "Players who Played for Southern Illinois University". Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
45. "Southern Illinois Alumni Football Cards". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
46. "Kevin House". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
47. "Player-Brandon Jacobs". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
48. "Deji Karim". CBS Interactive. Retrieved 7 October 2013.
49. "Bart Scott". Retrieved 2007-06-23.
50. http://www.andreabeaty.com
51. "Radio-Television Goes Golden" (PDf). Daily Egyptian. October 5, 2007.
52. http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=resources/inside_station/station_info&id=6203914
53. http://depts.washington.edu/engl/people/profile.php?id=32
54. http://www.wfie.com
55. "Obama favors federal shield law". Archived from the original on April 20, 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
56. "Spring 2005 Commencement Speaker, Jackie Spinner". Archived from the original on 2008-02-13. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
57. "case of Matthew F. Hale: Implications for First Amendment rights, social mores and the direction of bar examiners in an era of intolerance of hatred, The". The Georgetown Journal of Legal Ethics. 2000. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
58. "In Depth: Michael Swango". Retrieved 2007-06-23.

External links

• Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Recreation Center's Distinguished Alumni Wall