List of Western Kentucky University people explained

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

Alumni

Academia

• Herman Lee Donovan, former president of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky
• James R. Ramsey, former president of the University of Louisville
• Michael G. Scales, president of Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary
• Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University

Business

• Julian Goodman, former president of NBC
• 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

• Matthew Alan, actor and producer
• K.C. Armstrong, former assistant producer of The Howard Stern Show
• John Carpenter, film director
• Clint Ford, voice actor
• Charmaine Hunt, one of 18 contestants on the fifth season of NBC's The Apprentice^[3]
• Matt Long, actor (Jack McCallister on WB's Jack & Bobby)^[4]
• Charles Napier, actor^{[5] [6]}
• Michael Rosenbaum, actor (Lex Luthor on WB's Smallville)
• David Schramm, actor (Roy Biggins on NBC's Wings)^[7]
• Jonah Scott, actor

History

• Lowell H. Harrison, author, WKU university historian

Music

• Michael Card, contemporary Christian music artist
• Chris Carmichael, arranger, studio multi-instrumentalist
• Tyler Childers, 2019 Grammy nominee, folk country singer
• Stephen Cochran, country music singer/songwriter^[8] United States Marine and Former face of the US Veterans Affairs (VA) R&D Department (2009–14)
• 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, "High on a Hilltop" writer, and co-writer with Stephen Cochran
• Nappy Roots, rap group best known for "Good Day"
• Matthew Shultz, lead singer, guitarist for Cage the Elephant
• Tony Smith, singer, guitarist for Sleeper Agent

Politics

• Chad Aull, politician
• Dwight D. Butler, member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
• Beverly Chester-Burton (born 1963), politician
• James Comer, U.S. Representative from Kentucky's 1st District
• Cordell Hull,^{[9] [10]} Secretary of State under FDR, Nobel Peace Prize winner
• Derek Lewis, member of Kentucky House of Representatives^[11]
• Brad Montell, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
• William Natcher, U.S. Representative
• Amy Neighbors, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
• Edwin L. Norris, fifth governor of Montana^[12]
• Rebecca Raymer, politician
• Hal Rogers, U.S. Representative from Kentucky

Science

• Harry Barkus Gray, chemist
• Farley Norman, psychological scientist
• Terrence W. Wilcutt, astronaut^[13]

Sports

• Darel Carrier, three-time ABA All-Star with the Kentucky Colonels
• Romeo Crennel, Houston Texans Assistant head coach & defense
• Steve Crocker, former SCM 50 freestyle world record holder, 1996 WKU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee^[14]
• Claire Donahue, swimmer, gold medalist, 2012 Summer Olympics
• Brandon Doughty, former NFL player
• Don Durham, former MLB player
• Ken Edenfield, former MLB player
• 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
• Heath Haynes, former MLB player
• Tyler Higbee, current NFL player with the Los Angeles Rams
• Yolanda Hughes-Heying, IFBB professional bodybuilder
• Jeremi Johnson, former NFL Player, Cincinnati Bengals
• Crystal Kelly, former WNBA player, now women's basketball assistant coach at Bellarmine University
• Duane Kuiper, MLB player, now San Francisco Giants broadcaster
• Forrest Lamp, NFL player, Los Angeles Chargers
• Courtney Lee, NBA player, New York Knicks guard
• Virgil Livers, former NFL player, Chicago Bears
• Jim McDaniels, former ABA and NBA player
• Kenny Perry, professional golfer, PGA Tour and Champions Tour
• Jeff Peterek, former MLB player
• Doug Piatt, former MLB player
• Hugh Poland, former MLB player
• Bobby Rascoe, former ABA and NBA player
• Don Ray, former NBA player
• Rod Smart, XFL player known as "He Hate Me"^[15]
• Greg Smith, former NBA player
• Art Spoelstra, former NBA player
• Steve Stemle, former MLB player
• Libby Stout, former NWSL and professional soccer player, now women's soccer assistant coach at Southern Illinois University
• Taywan Taylor, NFL player, Cleveland Browns
• Chris Turner, former MLB player/catcher for the New York Yankees
• Ken Waller, bodybuilder
• Jim Weaver, former MLB pitcher
• Mike White, NFL player, New York Jets
• Bailey Zappe, American football quarterback in the NFL

Military

• Damon W. Cooper, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and the first Chief of U.S. Naval Reserve^[16]
• Jack Keane, General, United States Army
• Larry G. Smith, retired U.S. Army Major General, former Commanding General of the United States Army Security Assistance Command

Others

• Larry Elmore, fantasy artist
• Duncan Hines, journalist, namesake of the bakery products company^[17]
• Saeed Jones, poet, editor at BuzzFeed
• Mitch McDeere, fictional protagonist in The Firm by John Grisham
• Barry A. Vann, author, lecturer

Faculty

• David Bell, writer
• Robert Duvall, politician
• Sylvia Kersenbaum, classical pianist
• William L. Lane, New Testament theologian and professor of biblical studies
• Garnie W. McGinty, Louisiana historian
• Thomas Nicholson, drug policy expert

Notes and References

1. News: The Man With a Million Acres . Nancy . Keates . . October 25, 2012 . October 27, 2012.
2. News: Stocks . https://web.archive.org/web/20130731133202/http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/people/person.asp?personId=604980&ticker=UNH. dead. July 31, 2013.
3. Web site: bio Charmaine Hunt . 2013-09-13 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130903161743/http://charmainehunt.com/html/bio.html . 2013-09-03 . dead .
4. Web site: Matt Long at Starpulse.com (May 18, 1980).
5. http://www.tvsa.co.za/actorprofile.asp?actorID=656 Charles Napier at TVSA
6. http://www.charlesnapier.com/index.htm The Official Charles Napier Website
7. http://www.filmsglobe.com/person/11836 David Schramm at filmsglobe
8. Web site: Stephen Cochran : Artist Main . https://web.archive.org/web/20070827205408/http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/cochran__stephen/artist.jhtml . dead . August 27, 2007 . CMT.com . 2012-03-08.
9. http://www.wku.edu/textonly/hoda/93hoda.html WKU Hall of Distinguished Alumni
10. http://www.cordellhullmuseum.com/history.html The Legacy Of Cordell Hull
11. Web site: ABOUT ME – Lewis for Kentucky . 2023-11-17 . www.lewisforkentucky.com.
12. Web site: Montana Governor Edwin Lee Norris. National Governors Association . October 10, 2012.
13. http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/wilcutt.html Terrence W. Wilcutt, Biographical Data
14. Web site: Western Kentucky University Hilltoppers Official Athletic Site - Athletics . 2013-12-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140102080108/http://www.wkusports.com/ot/hall-of-fame-2.html . 2014-01-02 .
15. Web site: Rod Smart . https://web.archive.org/web/20160204162156/http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=SMARTROD01%2F . dead . February 4, 2016 . databaseFootball.com . November 26, 2012 .
16. http://www.whs.mil/library/Legislative%20History/93-194_V4_730707_01_0003_From_401_to_600.pdf VADM Damon W. Cooper, Chief of Naval Reserve
17. http://www.nndb.com/people/237/000163745/ Duncan Hines