This list of West Virginia University alumni includes notable people from published sources that previously attended West Virginia University.

Arts and entertainment

* Michael Ammar – world-renowned magician; WVU Distinguished Alumni Award winner 2003 *

Emily Calandrelli Emily Dawn Calandrelli is an American science communicator, former MIT engineer, and the host and an executive producer of ''Xploration Outer Space'' and '' Emily's Wonder Lab''. Early life and education Emily Calandrelli grew up in Morgantown, ...

– science communicator, host and producer for Netflix's Emily's Wonder Lab and children's STEM science programming block '' Xploration Station'' * Paul Dooley – actor, writer, comedian * Conchata Ferrell – actress; known for playing Berta the housekeeper on the CBS sitcom '' Two and a Half Men'' * Antoine Fuqua – director of ''Training Day'', ''Shooter'', ''Replacement Killers''; attended, but did not graduate * Steve Harvey – Emmy-winning host of '' Family Feud''; attended, but did not graduate * Cheryl Hines – actress, ''Curb Your Enthusiasm''; attended but did not graduate * Mike Hodge (B.A. in journalism, minor in theater) – actor and actors' labor union executive; former President of SAG-AFTRA New York local * Taylor Kinney – actor; portrays Lt. Kelly Severide in NBC's drama '' Chicago Fire''; stars in '' The Other Woman'' *

Don Knotts Jesse Donald Knotts (July 21, 1924February 24, 2006) was an American actor and comedian. He is widely known for his role as Deputy Sheriff Barney Fife on ''The Andy Griffith Show'', a 1960s sitcom for which he earned five Emmy Awards. He also ...

– television and movie actor *

Richard Kuranda Richard Kuranda is an American director and artist of stage, cinema and television. He currently is the CEO of the Raue Center for the Arts in Crystal Lake, Illinois and the current Artistic Director of Williams Street Repertory. A widower, h ...

– theatrical producer and artistic director Eugene O'Neill Theater Center, Signature Theatre Company, Raue Center for the Arts * Billy Mays – television advertiser featured on

Discovery Channel Discovery Channel (known as The Discovery Channel from 1985 to 1995, and often referred to as simply Discovery) is an American cable channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav. , Discovery Channe ...

's ''

PitchMen ''PitchMen'' (original name: ''But Wait...There's More'')as seen on TV products; attended but did not graduate; died in 2009 * Kathleen Noone – portrays

Edna Wallace This is a list of significant characters who have appeared on the soap opera ''Passions''. A ;Dr Ackland :Michael Woods (December 22 to 26, 2003), :Roark Critchlow (December 26, 2003 to March 17, 2004) ;Stuart Allen :Emanuelle Xuereb (2006) ...

on the NBC soap opera '' Passions''; known to have attended *

Ben Reed Benjamin Lee Reed (born May 1, 1965) is an American actor and producer. Early life Reed was born in Bixby, Oklahoma on May 1, 1965. He played as a quarterback at West Virginia University. Career Reed began his acting career when he appeared in t ...

– actor; played quarterback for the West Virginia University football team *

John A. Russo John A. Russo (born February 2, 1939), sometimes credited as Jack Russo or John Russo, is an American screenwriter and film director most commonly associated with the 1968 horror classic film ''Night of the Living Dead'', which he co-wrote wi ...

– screenwriter and film director; co-wrote '' Night of the Living Dead'' * Chris Sarandon – television and movie actor, voice of Jack Skellington *

David Selby David Lynn Selby is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for playing Quentin Collins on the daytime soap ''Dark Shadows'' (1968–71) and Richard Channing on the prime-time soap ''Falcon Crest'' (1982–90). ...

– actor *

Robert Ellis Silberstein Robert Ellis Silberstein (also known as Bob Ellis; born January 5, 1946) is an American music executive and businessman. During his career, he managed many musicians, including Billy Preston, Diana Ross, Rufus, the Rolling Stones' Ronnie Wood ...

- "Bob Ellis" from Long Branch, New Jersey. Manager of Diana Ross, Billy Preston, Meat Loaf & other performers. Married to Diana Ross, 1971-1977.

Athletics

Joe Alexander Joe Alexander (ג'ו אלכסנדר; born December 26, 1986) is a Taiwanese-born American-Israeli professional basketball player for Maccabi Haifa B.C., Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Liga Leumit (basketball), Liga Leumit. Alexander, who at plays ...

– American-Israeli current professional basketball player for Maccabi Tel Aviv * Michael Baker –

football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...

player * Terry Bowden – Yahoo sports analyst * Tommy Bowden – former head football coach for Clemson University and Tulane University *

John Browning John Moses Browning (January 23, 1855 – November 26, 1926) was an American firearm designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms many of which are still in use around the world. He m ...

– former NFL defensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs * Marc Bulger – former NFL quarterback for the St. Louis Rams, New Orleans Saints, and Baltimore Ravens * Da'Sean Butler (born 1987) – basketball player for Hapoel Be'er Sheva of the Israeli Premier League * Niccolò Campriani – Olympic gold and silver medal-winning sport shooter; won gold in the men's 50 metre rifle three positions and silver in the men's 10 metre air rifle at the

2012 Summer Olympics The 2012 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXX Olympiad and also known as London 2012) was an international multi-sport event held from 27 July to 12 August 2012 in London, England, United Kingdom. The first event, the ...

* Jevon Carter - Current NBA player for the Chicago Bulls. * Mike Compton – two-time Super Bowl Champion and former NFL guard for the

Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at Ford ...

New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...

, and Jacksonville Jaguars *

Devin Ebanks Devin Ebanks (born October 28, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for Al-Ahli Jeddah (basketball), Al-Ahli of the Saudi Premier League (basketball), Saudi Premier League. The Forward (basketball), forward was selected 43rd overall ...

– professional basketball player *

James "Clayster" Eubanks James Clayton Eubanks, better known as Clayster or Clay, is an American professional ''Call of Duty'' player for the Las Vegas Legion. Early life Eubanks is from Winchester, Virginia, and attended West Virginia University. Career Eubanks w ...

– professional ''

Call of Duty ''Call of Duty'' is a first-person shooter video game Media franchise, franchise published by Activision. Starting out in 2003, it first focused on games set in World War II. Over time, the series has seen games set in the midst of the Cold W ...

'' player, two-time

Call of Duty Championship The Call of Duty Championship is an annual ''Call of Duty'' tournament held at the end of each competitive season to determine the year's World Champion. To determine qualification, teams must qualify through events before the World Championship ...

winner * D'or Fischer (born 1981) – American-Israeli basketball player in the

Israeli National League Liga Leumit ( he, ליגה לאומית, lit. ''National League'') is the second division of the Israeli Football League, and below its Premier League. Structure There are 16 clubs in the league. At the end of each season, the two lowest-place ...

Mike Gansey Michael Gansey (born December 21, 1982) is an American professional basketball executive and former player who is currently the general manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He previously served as assis ...

– former basketball player in the NBA Development League; current assistant general manager of the

Cleveland Cavaliers The Cleveland Cavaliers (often referred to as the Cavs) are an American professional basketball team based in Cleveland. The Cavaliers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference (NBA), Ea ...

Jedd Gyorko Jedd Lindon Gyorko ( ; born September 23, 1988) is an American former professional baseball infielder. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers. He is curre ...

– current second baseman for the St. Louis Cardinals * Major Harris – quarterback for West Virginia University in their 1988 undefeated season *

Sue Haywood Sue Haywood (born October 9, 1971) is a retired professional mountain bike racer. She raced for team Trek Volkswagen along with notables Jeremiah Bishop, Travis Brown, Chris Eatough, Lea Davison and Ross Schnell. Sue Haywood was awarded $ ...

– professional

mountain bike A mountain bike (MTB) or mountain bicycle is a bicycle designed for off-road cycling. Mountain bikes share some similarities with other bicycles, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain, which ...

racer * Johannes "Joe" Herber – former professional and

German international The Bonn International is an international badminton tournament held in Germany. The event is part of the Badminton World Federation The Badminton World Federation (BWF) is the international governing body for the sport of badminton recognised ...

basketball player * Chris Henry – former NFL wide receiver for the

Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC North, North division. The c ...

* Jeff Hostetler – Super Bowl Champion and former NFL quarterback for the Washington Redskins,

Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Raide ...

, and

New York Giants The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Giants compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. ...

; starting quarterback in Super Bowl XXV * Chuck Howley – former NFL linebacker for the

Chicago Bears The Chicago Bears are a professional American football team based in Chicago. The Bears compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) North division. The Bears have won nine NF ...

and Dallas Cowboys, and Super Bowl V MVP * Sam Huff – former NFL linebacker; inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1982 * Bob Huggins – former head coach of the West Virginia University men's basketball team and former West Virginia University basketball player * Rodney Clark "Hot Rod" Hundley – former NBA basketball player for the Minneapolis/Los Angeles Lakers; first pick in the

1957 NBA draft The 1957 NBA draft was the 11th annual draft of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The draft was held on April 17, 1957, before the 1957–58 season. In this draft, eight NBA teams took turns selecting amateur U.S. college basketball play ...

* Hal Hunter – football coach * Bruce Irvin – Super Bowl Champion and current NFL linebacker for the

Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 as ...

* James Jett – Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter and former NFL wide receiver for Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders *

Adam "Pacman" Jones Adam Bernard Jones (born September 30, 1983) is a former American football cornerback and return specialist who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, most notably with the Cincinnati Bengals. Nicknamed "Pacman", he was dra ...

– NFL cornerback, currently a free agent * Greg Jones – three-time NCAA Division 1 wrestling champion, 2005 Most Outstanding Wrestler award winner, former associate head coach for the West Virginia University wrestling team, current Blackzilians wrestling coach * Brian Jozwiak – former NFL offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs * Ken Kendrick – owner of the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball * Steve Kline – former Major League Baseball pitcher *

Ellis Lankster Ellis Lankster (born June 3, 1986) is an American football cornerback for the West Virginia Roughriders of the American Arena League (AAL). He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football ...

– current NFL cornerback for the

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

Ashley Lawrence Ashley Elizabeth Marie Lawrence (born June 11, 1995) is a Canadian professional Association football, soccer player who plays as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, full-back or a midfielder for Women's Super League club Chelsea F.C. ...

– soccer player for the Canada national team * Oliver Luck – former NFL quarterback, athletic director of West Virginia University, first Commissioner of the XFL, president/general manager of the

Houston Dynamo Houston Dynamo FC (formerly officially, but still commonly, called the Houston Dynamo) is an American professional soccer club based in Houston. The Dynamo compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Establi ...

, father of Andrew Luck *

Billy Joe Mantooth Billy Joe Mantooth (July 23, 1951 – July 23, 1986) was an American football linebacker from Clendenin, West Virginia, known as "The Man-Eater" during his playing days. He started his career at Ferrum College; after being honored as an NJCAA A ...

– former NFL linebacker for the Houston Oilers * Pat McAfee – former NFL punter for the

Indianapolis Colts The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...

* Casey Mitchell (born 1988) – basketball player for

Elitzur Ashkelon Elitzur Ashkelon ( he, אליצור אשקלון) was a professional basketball team based in Ashkelon in south-west Israel. The team reached the quarterfinals of the EuroCup Challenge in 2006 Israeli Basketball Premier League Ligat HaAl ( he, ליגת העל, lit., ''Supreme League or Premier League''), or the Israeli Basketball Premier League, is the top-tier level league of professional sports, professional competition in Israeli sports club, club basketball, making ...

* Dan Mozes – 2006 Rimington Trophy winner * Adrian Murrell – former running back for New York Jets *

Solomon Page Solomon Page (born February 27, 1976) is a former American football offensive lineman in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys and San Diego Chargers. He was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in the second round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He ...

– former NFL offensive lineman for the Dallas Cowboys and

San Diego Chargers The San Diego Chargers were a professional American football team that played in San Diego from 1961 until the end of the 2016 season, before relocating to Los Angeles, where the franchise had played its inaugural 1960 season. The team is now ...

Tarik Phillip Tarik Phillip (born August 10, 1993) is a British-American professional basketball player for the London Lions of the British Basketball League (BBL) and the EuroCup. He played college basketball for West Virginia. Early life and high school P ...

(born 1993) – British-American basketball player in the Israel Basketball Premier League * Kevin Pittsnogle – former basketball player in the NBA Development League * Adrian Pledger (born 1976) – basketball player * Jerry Porter – former NFL wide receiver for the

and Jacksonville Jaguars *

Wil Robinson Wilbert Robinson Jr. (born December 25, 1949) is a former American Basketball Association (ABA) player. In his senior year at West Virginia University, Robinson was selected to the AP All-American Third Team. Robinson was taken with the seventh pi ...

– former

ABA ABA may refer to: Businesses and organizations Broadcasting * Alabama Broadcasters Association, United States * Asahi Broadcasting Aomori, Japanese television station * Australian Broadcasting Authority Education * Académie des Beaux- ...

basketball player; All-American at West Virginia * Rich Rodriguez – former head football coach of the University of Michigan; current head football coach of the University of Arizona * Todd Sauerbrun – former All-Pro NFL punter (five different teams) *

Owen Schmitt Owen Schmitt (born February 13, 1985) is a former American football fullback. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the fifth round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at West Virginia University. Before transferring to the M ...

– former NFL fullback for the

, Philadelphia Eagles, and

* Floyd B. "Ben" Schwartzwalder – former head coach of the 1959 National Championship Syracuse University football team * Heath Slater – professional wrestler, former wrestler at WVU * Steve Slaton – former NFL running back for the

Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston. The Texans compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) AFC South, South division, and play their home ga ...

and Miami Dolphins; current CFL running back for the Toronto Argonauts *

Dave Stephenson James David Stephenson (October 22, 1925 – July 19, 1975) was a guard in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the fifteenth round of the 1950 NFL Draft and played that season with the team. The nex ...

– former NFL guard for the

Los Angeles Rams The Los Angeles Rams are a professional American football team based in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Rams compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division. The Rams play ...

and

Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC North, North division. It ...

Darryl Talley Darryl Victor Talley (born July 10, 1960) is an American former professional football player who was an outside linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons during the 1980s and 1990s. He played college football for West Virgi ...

– West Virginia University all-time team member and former NFL Linebacker for the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

* Rod Thorn – former NBA and

basketball player and current President of Basketball Operation for the NBA * John Thornton – former NFL defensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals *

Virginia Thrasher Virginia "Ginny" Thrasher (born February 28, 1997) is an American sports shooter who won a gold medal in the women's 10 meter air rifle at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. She won the first gold medal awarded at the 2016 Oly ...

– current WVU rifle team member and 2016 Olympic gold medalist in air rifle * Yutaro Tsukada – professional soccer player * Mike Vanderjagt – former NFL placekicker for the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys * Jerry West – former NBA basketball player for the

Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...

and Hall of Famer; considered one of the greatest NBA and college basketball players of all time; is the image on the logo for the NBA * Pat White – former NFL quarterback for the Miami Dolphins * Andrew Wright – current defender/midfielder for Morecambe F.C. *

John Writer John Henry Writer (born September 17, 1944) is a retired American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens ...

– Olympic gold and silver medal-winning sports shooter * Amos Zereoué – former NFL running back for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

, and New England Patriots * Antomius Wise – former NFL player, also played in the Arena Football League for teams such as the Spokane Shock, San Angelo Stampede, and Iowa Barnstormers

Authors

Maggie Anderson Maggie Anderson (born September 23, 1948) is an American poet and editor with roots in Appalachia. Education and beginning of career Anderson attended West Virginia Wesleyan College from 1966–68 and earned a bachelor's degree in English, wit ...

– poet * Allen Appel – writer *

Matt Carson Matthew "Matt" Carson (born October 14, 1975) is an American author from Virginia. Carson's recent works include ''The Attic, A Christmas Story'' and most recently ''On A Hill They Call Capital''. In 2009 he ran as an independent candidate for V ...

– novelist *

Stephen Coonts Stephen Coonts (born July 19, 1946) is an American spy thriller and suspense novelist. Early life, education, and military career Stephen Coonts grew up in Buckhannon, West Virginia, a small coal mining town. Following high school graduation, h ...

– ''New York Times'' bestselling author * Paul Russell Cutright – historian and biologist *

Chip Ingram Ralph Browne "Chip" Ingram II (born June 21, 1954) is an American Christian pastor, author, and teacher. He is the founder, teaching pastor, and CEO of Living on the Edge, an international teaching and discipleship ministry. A pastor for over 30 ...

– Christian writer * Chuck Kinder – novelist *

Ann Pancake Ann Pancake is an American fiction writer and essayist. She has published short stories and essays describing the people and atmosphere of Appalachia, often from the first-person perspective of those living there. While fictional, her short storie ...

– author * Jayne Anne Phillips –

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

-winning author

Business

* Heather Bresch – CEO of Mylan, Inc. * John Chambers – President and

CEO A chief executive officer (CEO), also known as a central executive officer (CEO), chief administrator officer (CAO) or just chief executive (CE), is one of a number of corporate executives charged with the management of an organization especially ...

of Cisco Systems * Karen S. Evans – ''de facto''

CIO CIO may refer to: Organizations * Central Imagery Office, a predecessor of the American National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency * Central Intelligence Office, the national intelligence agency of the former Republic of Vietnam * Central Intellige ...

of the United States under President George W. Bush *

Maggie Hardy Magerko Maggie Hardy (born December 7, 1965) is an American billionaire businesswoman and the owner of 84 Lumber and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort, both founded by her father Joseph A. Hardy III. In 2022, '' Forbes'' estimated her personal fortune at aroun ...

– President of 84 Lumber Company and Nemacolin Woodlands Resort (attended for two years but did not graduate) * Richard Wallen – CEO and General Manager of

Grant County Public Utility District Public Utility District No. 2 of Grant County, or Grant County PUD, is a public utility district in north central Washington state. It is owned by its customers and governed by a Board of Commissioners elected by the customer-owners. Though it is ...

Education

Charles E. Bayless Charles E. Bayless (born November 2, 1942) is a former president of West Virginia University Institute of Technology and a regional vice president of West Virginia University. He retired from WVU Tech on June 30, 2008. Early life Charles E. Bayless ...

– president of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology *

Todd H. Bullard Todd Hupp Bullard (May 31, 1931 – January 1, 2009) was a 20th-century American educator, most notable for having served as president of Potomac State College and Bethany College, and provost of Rochester Institute of Technology. Career Bulla ...

– former president of

Potomac State College Potomac State College is a public college in Keyser, West Virginia. It is part of the West Virginia University system. Potomac State College is located approximately 90 miles (140 km) east of West Virginia University's campus in Morgantown, West ...

and Bethany College * Margaret Buchanan Cole – American mathematician, retired professor

emeritus ''Emeritus'' (; female: ''emerita'') is an adjective used to designate a retired chair, professor, pastor, bishop, pope, director, president, prime minister, rabbi, emperor, or other person who has been "permitted to retain as an honorary title ...

from WVU *

Joseph DiSarro Joseph DiSarro is an American professor and chair in the Department of Political Science at Washington & Jefferson College. In addition to his teaching duties, DiSarro is chair of the Legal Profession Committee and is the Pre-Law Advisor and Dir ...

(Ph.D.) – professor and chair in the Department of Political Science at Washington & Jefferson College * Wanda Franz (Ph.D.) – professor and anti-abortion activist * Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufa'i – Nigeria's Minister of Education *

Steven E. Shreve Steven Eugene Shreve is a mathematician and currently the Orion Hoch Professor of Mathematical Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University and the author of several major books on the mathematics of financial derivatives. His first degree, awarded in 1 ...

- University Professor Emeritus at

Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...

Patrick Vaughan Patrick Vaughan (born 1965) is a professor at Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. He was the co-founder of the MA program in Transatlantic Studies, Jagiellonian University Early life Vaughan was born in Seattle, Washington. Vaughan's fath ...

– historian and professor at the

Jagiellonian University The Jagiellonian University (Polish: ''Uniwersytet Jagielloński'', UJ) is a public research university in Kraków, Poland. Founded in 1364 by King Casimir III the Great, it is the oldest university in Poland and the 13th oldest university in ...

in Kraków, Poland *

Charles M. Vest Charles "Chuck" Marstiller Vest (September 9, 1941 – December 12, 2013) was an American educator and engineer. He served as President of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology from October 1990 until December 2004. He succeeded Paul Gray a ...

– President Emeritus of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Journalists

Frank Kearns Frank Kearns (1917–1986) was an American broadcast journalist for CBS News from 1958 until 1971, although he first began with CBS in 1953 as a freelance correspondent, or “stringer”, stationed in Cairo, Egypt. During World War II, he wa ...

(died 1986) – foreign correspondent and broadcast journalist with

CBS News CBS News is the news division of the American television and radio service CBS. CBS News television programs include the ''CBS Evening News'', ''CBS Mornings'', news magazine programs '' CBS News Sunday Morning'', '' 60 Minutes'', and '' 48 H ...

1953–1971; WVU Professor of Journalism 1971–1983 * Frank Lovece * Asra Nomani * Michael Tomasky – editor in chief of '' Democracy'', editor of '' The New Republic'' *

Ken Ward Jr. Ken Ward Jr. is a former staff reporter for the ''Charleston Gazette-Mail'' and writes about the coal mining industry and its impacts on Appalachian communities. He is chairman of the Society of Environmental Journalists First Amendment Task Force ...

– reporter for the '' Charleston Gazette-Mail''; 2018 MacArthur Fellow

Military

* Ret. Gen.

Earl E. Anderson Earl Edward Anderson (June 24, 1919 – November 12, 2015) was an U.S. Marine four-star general. He was the youngest active duty Marine ever promoted to the rank of general and the first active duty Marine Naval Aviator to be promoted to a 4-star ...

– Marine Corps General * Corporal Thomas W. Bennett – US Army conscientious objector corporal who served as a combat medic * Ret. Gen.

Bantz J. Craddock Bantz John Craddock (born August 24, 1949) is a former United States Army general. His last military assignment was as Commander, United States European Command and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe from December 2006 to June 30, 2009. He als ...

– United States Army, former

Supreme Allied Commander Europe The Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) is the commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) Allied Command Operations (ACO) and head of ACO's headquarters, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE). The commander is ...

* Brig. Gen.

Frank Kendall Everest, Jr Brigadier General Frank Kendall "Pete" Everest Jr. (August 9, 1920 – October 1, 2004) was a U.S. Air Force officer who is best remembered as an aeroengineer and test pilot during the 1950s. Early years Everest was born August 9, 1920, i ...

– test pilot and pioneer of rocket aircraft * Gen.

Robert H. Foglesong General (United States), General Robert H. "Doc" Foglesong, United States Air Force, USAF, Ret., (born 13 July 1945), formerly of Williamson, West Virginia, is a former president of Mississippi State University. He served in the United States Ai ...

– retired Commander, US Air Force in Europe; former President of Mississippi State University

Music

* Velvet Brown – tuba soloist, music educator * Jay Chattaway – ''

Star Trek ''Star Trek'' is an American science fiction media franchise created by Gene Roddenberry, which began with the eponymous 1960s television series and quickly became a worldwide pop-culture phenomenon. The franchise has expanded into vari ...

'' music score writer * Little Jimmy Dickens – country music singer * Fuzzy Knight – writer of the WVU Fight Song and country-western actor * Scott Krippayne – singer/songwriter * Kathy Mattea – country music singer * James Valenti – tenor at the Metropolitan Opera, New York * Charles Wesley Godwin - new age folk/country singer/songwriter

Politics

* Victor A. Arredondo – former Minister of Education at the State of Veracruz, Mexico, 2004–2010 * Carl George Bachmann – United States Congressman, Republican Minority Whip 1931–1933 * Clark S. Barnes – West Virginia Senate, District 15, 2004–present * William Wallace Barron – 26th Governor of West Virginia * Irene Berger – United States District Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia *

Frank L. Bowman Frank Llewellyn Bowman (January 21, 1879 – September 15, 1936) was an American politician who represented West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives from 1925 to 1933. Biography Early life Bowman was born in Masontown, Pennsyl ...

– politician who represented West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives * Eric Brooks – West Virginia House of Delegates * Virginia Mae Brown – first woman to head the

Interstate Commerce Commission The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was a regulatory agency in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. The agency's original purpose was to regulate railroads (and later trucking) to ensure fair rates, to eliminat ...

Becky Cain Rebecca "Becky" Cook Cain-Ceperley was the president of the League of Women Voters from 1992 to 1998. Cain is currently the president and CEO of The Greater Kanawha Valley Foundation in Charleston, West Virginia. Life Cain is from St. Albans, W ...

– past president of the

League of Women Voters The League of Women Voters (LWV or the League) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan political organization in the United States. Founded in 1920, its ongoing major activities include registering voters, providing voter information, and advocating for vot ...

Geno Chiarelli Eugene "Geno" Chiarelli (Born December 7th, 1994) is an American politician serving as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 78th district. Biography Chiarelli earned a bachelor's degree from West Virginia University in 2018. ...

- West Virginia state delegate *

William G. Conley William Gustavus Conley (January 8, 1866October 21, 1940) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the Attorney General of West Virginia (1908–1913) and 18th governor of West Virginia as a Republican (1929 to 1933). Early and family ...

– 18th Governor of West Virginia *

William Harrison Courtney William Harrison Courtney (born July 18, 1944 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA) is an American diplomat, having served as representative for the U.S. mostly in Eastern Europe. He was appointed by President Bill Clinton as Senior Director for Russia, ...

– special assistant to President Clinton *

Joseph M. Devine Joseph McMurray Devine (March 15, 1861August 31, 1938) was an American politician who was the Governor of North Dakota from 1898 to 1899. He served as governor for less than one year as he finished the term after Governor Frank A. Briggs died in ...

– Governor of North Dakota from 1898 to 1899 *

David Ginsburg David Ginsburg may refer to: *David Ginsburg (chemist) (1920–1988), Israeli researcher in synthetic organic chemistry *David Ginsburg (lawyer) (1912–2010), American political advisor and lawyer *David Ginsburg (politician) (1921–1994), Britis ...

(1912–2010) – presidential adviser and executive director of the Kerner CommissionGrimes, William
"David Ginsburg, Longtime Washington Insider, Dies at 98"
'' The New York Times'', May 25, 2010. Accessed June 1, 2010. *

William E. Glasscock William Ellsworth Glasscock (December 13, 1862 – April 12, 1925) was an American politician who served as the 13th Governor of West Virginia as a Republican from 1909 to 1913. Glasscock worked for several years as a teacher, becoming the supe ...

– 13th Governor of West Virginia * Howard Mason Gore – 17th Governor of West Virginia * Kathleen M. Hawk – Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons *

Robert Lynn Hogg Robert Lynn Hogg (December 30, 1893 – July 21, 1973) was an American politician who represented West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives from 1930 to 1933. He was the son of Congressman Charles E. Hogg. Hogg was born in Point ...

– represented West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives, 1930–1933 * Brad Hoylman – sitting New York State Senator representing the 27th District which includes Midtown, Times Square, and Greenwich Village of lower Manhattan *

Nancy Jacobs Nancy Jacobs (born October 27, 1951 in West Virginia) is a former Maryland State Senator representing District 34. Early life, education, and early career Jacobs attended Bridgeport High School in Bridgeport, West Virginia. After high school, ...

– Maryland State Senator (1973) * Sen.

Harley M. Kilgore Harley Martin Kilgore (January 11, 1893 – February 28, 1956) was a United States senator from West Virginia. Biography He was born on January 11, 1893, in Brown, West Virginia. He was born to Quimby Hugh Kilgore and Laura Jo Kilgore. His fat ...

– chairman of the US Senate Subcommittee on War Mobilization during World War II *

Tim Mahoney Timothy Edward Mahoney (born August 16, 1956) is an American politician and businessman who served as the U.S. representative for from 2007 to 2009. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected in November 2006 after his opponent, six-te ...

– United States Congressman from Florida * Joe Manchin – 34th Governor of West Virginia; United States Senator from West Virginia *

William C. Marland William Casey Marland (March 26, 1918 – November 26, 1965), a Democrat, was the 24th Governor of West Virginia from 1953 to 1957. He is best known for his early attempts to tax companies that depleted the state's natural resources, especial ...

– 24th Governor of West Virginia *

Edward F. McClain Edward F. McClain is a former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly. Biography McClain was born on August 12, 1935, in Martinsburg, West Virginia. After graduating from high school in Parsons, West Virginia, McClain served in the United State ...

– member of the Wisconsin State Assembly * Darrell McGraw – former West Virginia Attorney General, former Chief Justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court * Carlos Eduardo Mendoza – United States District Judge for the

Middle District of Florida The United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida (in case citations, M.D. Fla.) is a federal court in the Eleventh Circuit (except for patent claims and claims against the U.S. government under the Tucker Act, which are appea ...

M. Blane Michael Martin Blane Michael (February 17, 1943 – March 25, 2011) was a United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. Education and career Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Michael grew up in Grant Cou ...

– Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit * Alan Mollohan – United States Congressman * Arch A. Moore, Jr. – 28th and 30th Governor of West Virginia *

Ephraim F. Morgan Ephraim Franklin Morgan (January 16, 1869January 15, 1950) was an American Republican politician who served as the Governor of West Virginia from 1921 to 1925. He was born on a farm near Forksburg, Marion County, West Virginia, a descendant of ...

– 16th Governor of West Virginia *

Matthew M. Neely Matthew Mansfield Neely (November 9, 1874January 18, 1958) was an American Democratic Party (United States), Democratic politician from West Virginia. He is the only West Virginian to serve in both houses of the United States Congress and as the ...

– 22nd Governor of West Virginia * Asra Nomani – former ''Wall Street Journal'' reporter, author and Islamic reform and feminism activist * Corey Lee Palumbo – West Virginia Senate, District 17, 2009 – present and West Virginia House of Representatives 2003–2009 *

Mike Pantelides Michael John Pantelides (born September 5, 1983) is an American politician who served as the mayor of the city of Annapolis, Maryland from 2013 to 2017. He is a member of the Republican Party. Pantelides was elected in November 2013, defeating inc ...

– Mayor of

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

Tom Pridemore Larry Thomas Pridemore Jr. (born April 29, 1956) is a former Safety (football position), safety from West Virginia who played eight seasons in the NFL for the Atlanta Falcons and served as a delegate in the West Virginia House of Delegates from 1 ...

– West Virginia House of Delegates and football player *

Jeff Pyle Jeffrey Paul Pyle (August 30, 1964 – September 14, 2022) was an American politician and educator who served as a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 2005 to 2021, representing the 60th legislative district. E ...

– Pennsylvania State Representative *

Stuart F. Reed Stuart Felix Reed (January 8, 1866 – July 4, 1935) was an American lawyer and Republican politician who became the Secretary of State of West Virginia (1909–1917) and represented West Virginia's 3rd congressional district in the United ...

– politician who represented West Virginia in the United States House of Representatives * Clay Riley - West Virginia state delegate *

Nelson Stamler Nelson Frank Stamler (May 4, 1909 – April 11, 1972) was an American Republican Party (United States), Republican Party politician, prosecutor and judge. He won considerable fame in the 1950s as a racket-busting Deputy state Attorney General who ...

– New Jersey State Senator, Assemblyman, Judge, and Prosecutor *

Virginia Starcher Virginia Rae "Ginny" Starcher (February 23, 1930 – December 19, 2012) was an American politician and schoolteacher from West Virginia, who represented Jackson County and part of Mason County from 1987–1991. Early life, education and teachi ...

– member of the West Virginia House of Delegates, 1986–1990 *

Paul S. Stull Paul S. Stull (born May 8, 1936) is an American politician and was member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Background Paul Stull was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1995 to represent District 4A, which covers Frederick Co ...

– member of the Maryland House of Delegates *

John G. Trueschler John G. Trueschler (born September 13, 1957), was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates, District 42. Background In the 2002 election, Trueschler won his first election. He won a seat in District 42, which covers portions of Baltimore Co ...

– former member of the Maryland House of Delegates (1979) *

Cecil H. Underwood Cecil Harland Underwood (November 5, 1922 – November 24, 2008) was an American Republican Party politician from West Virginia, known for the length of his career. He was the 25th and 32nd Governor of West Virginia from 1957 to 1961, and fro ...

– youngest (25th) and oldest (32nd) Governor of West Virginia * Christopher C. Wilkes – Judge, West Virginia Circuit Court *

William S. Thompson William Stewart Thompson (born 1969) is the United States attorney for the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia since 2021. From 2007 to 2021, he served as a judge on the Wes ...

- United States Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia

Royalty

* Princess Sarah Culberson – Mende princess and philanthropist

Science and technology

* Ann Bartuska – ecologist and biologist, Senior advisor at Resources for the Future and former Deputy Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics at United States Department of Agriculture *

James M. Bobbitt James McCue Bobbitt (January 18, 1930 – November 22, 2021) was an American chemist and academic who taught chemistry at the University of Connecticut from 1956 to 1991 and developed the Bobbitt reaction. Early life and education Bobbitt was ...

– chemist and professor at the University of Connecticut *

– science communicator; host of science programs and author of science books for children * Dianne Dorland – engineer and first female president of the

American Institute of Chemical Engineers The American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a professional organization for chemical engineers. AIChE was actually established in 1908 to distinguish chemical engineers as a profession independent of chemists and mechanical engineer ...

Frances Harshbarger Frances Harshbarger (16 August 1902, Quimby, Iowa – 11 February 1987, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio) was an American mathematician. Education She obtained her B.A. with honors in 1923 at Grinnell College, and went to West Virginia University to ser ...

(1902–1987) – mathematician *

Steven C. Hayes Steven C. Hayes (born August 12, 1948) is an American clinical psychologist and Nevada Foundation Professor at the University of Nevada, Reno Department of Psychology, where he is a faculty member in their Ph.D. program in behavior analysis. He is ...

– psychologist * Katherine Johnson – mathematician, NASA computer scientist, recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom *

Robert Kerns Robert Kerns (June 8, 1933, Detroit - February 15, 1989, Vienna) was an American baritone, he was a stylish and versatile singer with a wide repertoire. Life and career Kerns studied at the University of Michigan, and made his debut in 195 ...

– psychologist * Jon McBride – NASA astronaut *

Kim Weaver Dr. Kimberly A. Weaver (born April 19, 1964 in Morgantown, West Virginia) is an American astrophysics astronomer and professor. She has worked with NASA on several research projects. She is often seen on television programs about astronomy. She i ...

– astrophysicist

Other notable alumni

* Cynthia Germanotta – philanthropist, co-founder of Born This Way; also, Lady Gaga's mother. *

Patsy Ramsey Patricia Ann Ramsey (née Paugh; December 29, 1956 – June 24, 2006) was an American beauty pageant winner who won the Miss West Virginia Pageant at age 20 in 1977. She was best known as the mother of JonBenét Ramsey, a six-year-old chi ...

– mother of JonBenet Ramsey; Miss West Virginia in 1977

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:West Virginia University Alumni * West Virginia University