List of Western Kentucky University people

This is a list of notable alumni and faculty of Western Kentucky University.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Alumni

Academia

• Dr. Gene C. Crume, president of Judson University
• Herman Lee Donovan, president of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky
• James R. Ramsey, president of the University of Louisville.
• Michael G. Scales, president of Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary

Business

• Julian Goodman, former president of NBC
• Chester Hurdle, President of the Baltimore Ravens
• Brad Kelley, businessman and (as of 2012) fourth-largest private landowner in the U.S. (attended; never graduated)^[1]
• Larry C. Renfro, CEO of Optum and Executive Vice President at UnitedHealth Group^[2]

Film and television

• K.C. Armstrong, former assistant producer of The Howard Stern Show
• John Carpenter, film director
• Clint Ford, voice actor^[3]
• Charmaine Hunt, one of 18 contestants on the fifth season of NBC's The Apprentice^[4]
• Matt Long, actor (Jack McCallister on WB's Jack & Bobby)^[5]
• Charles Napier, actor^[6][7]
• Michael Rosenbaum, actor (Lex Luthor on WB's Smallville)
• David Schramm, actor (Roy Biggins on NBC's Wings)^[8]
• Jay Wilkison, actor (Riley Colson on soap opera One Life to Live)^[9]

History

• Lowell H. Harrison, author, WKU university historian

Music

• Michael Card, contemporary Christian music artist
• Chris Carmichael, arranger, studio multi-instrumentalist
• Stephen Cochran, country music singer/songwriter^[10] United States Marine and Former face of the US Veterans Affairs (VA) R&D Department (09-14)
• Steve Gorman, rock drummer, The Black Crowes
• Larnelle Harris, gospel singer
• The Hilltoppers, 1950s popular singing group composed of WKU students including Billy Vaughn
• Chris Knight, country music singer/songwriter
• Bill Lloyd, country/pop/rock musician and composer, half of Foster & Lloyd with Radney Foster
• Mark Melloan, singer-songwriter and "High on a Hilltop" writer and highly acclaimed songwriter for collaborations with another WKU notable alumni Stephen Cochran's first and second Nationally released albums.
• Matthew Shultz, lead singer, guitarist for Cage the Elephant
• Tony Smith, singer, guitarist for Sleeper Agent

Politics

• Cordell Hull,^[11][12] Secretary of State under FDR, Nobel Peace Prize winner
• William Natcher,^[13] U.S. Representative
• Edwin L. Norris, fifth governor of Montana^[14]

Science

• Harry Barkus Gray, chemist
• Terrence W. Wilcutt, astronaut^[15]

Sports

• Darel Carrier, three-time ABA All-Star with the Kentucky Colonels
• Steve Crocker, former SCM 50 freestyle world record holder, 1996 WKU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee^[16]
• Claire Donahue, swimmer, gold medalist, 2012 Summer Olympic Games
• Jeremy Evans, NBA player with the Utah Jazz and 2012 slam dunk champion
• Tellis Frank, former NBA player with the Miami Heat
• Dee Gibson, former BAA and NPBL player
• Clem Haskins, former NBA player with Phoenix Suns, former NCAA basketball coach at WKU and the University of Minnesota
• Yolanda Hughes-Heying, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Crystal Kelly, former WNBA player, now women's assistant basketball coach at Bellarmine University
• Courtney Lee, NBA player, Memphis Grizzlies guard
• Virgil Livers, former NFL player, Chicago Bears
• Jim McDaniels, former ABA and NBA player
• Kenny Perry, professional golfer, PGA Tour and Champions Tour
• Bobby Rascoe, former ABA and NBA player
• Don Ray, former NBA player
• Rod Smart, XFL player known as "He Hate Me"^[17]
• Greg Smith, former NBA player
• Art Spoelstra, former NBA Player
• Chris Turner, MLB player/catcher for the New York Yankees
• Ken Waller, bodybuilder

Other notables

• Damon W. Cooper, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and the first Chief of U.S. Naval Reserve^[18]
• Tanner Curtis, national photo editor at The New York Times
• Larry Elmore, fantasy artist
• Duncan Hines, journalist, namesake of the bakery products company^[19]
• Saeed Jones, poet and LGBT editor at Buzzfeed
• Robert C. Snyder, professor of English at Louisiana Tech University from 1947 to 1989
• Ann-Blair Thornton, former Miss Kentucky
• Barry A. Vann, author, lecturer

Faculty

• David Bell, writer
• William L. Lane, New Testament theologian and professor of biblical studies
• Garnie W. McGinty, Louisiana historian
• Thomas Nicholson, drug policy expert

References

1. Keates, Nancy (October 25, 2012). "The Man With a Million Acres". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved October 27, 2012.
2. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=604980&ticker=UNH. Missing or empty |title= (help)
3. Clint Ford at the Internet Movie Database
4. bio Charmaine Hunt
5. Matt Long at Starpulse.com (May 18, 1980)
6. Charles Napier at TVSA. Tvsa.co.za.
7. The Official Charles Napier Website. Charlesnapier.com.
8. David Schramm at filmsglobe. Filmsglobe.com.
9. "Local boy Jay Wilkison comes home to roost in TPAC's rendition of 'Rent'", Nashville City Paper. Nashvillecitypaper.com (December 27, 2001).
10. "Stephen Cochran : Artist Main". CMT.com. Retrieved 2012-03-08.
11. WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni Archived December 11, 2008, at the Wayback Machine.
12. The Legacy Of Cordell Hull. Cordellhullmuseum.com.
13. William Natcher at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
14. "Montana Governor Edwin Lee Norris". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
15. Terrence W. Wilcutt, Biographical Data. Jsc.nasa.gov.
16. http://www.wkusports.com/ot/hall-of-fame-2.html
17. "Rod Smart". databaseFootball.com. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
18. VADM Damon W. Cooper, Chief of Naval Reserve. (PDF).
19. Duncan Hines. Nndb.com (September 27, 1905).