List of Drake University alumni

This is a list of notable alumni of Drake University.

Politics, military, and law

• Terry E. Branstad, former, longest serving, and current Governor of Iowa
• Bonnie Campbell, lawyer, former Iowa Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate
• Johnnie Carson, career diplomat
• Roxanne Conlin, lawyer, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, and Iowa senate and gubernatorial candidate
• J. W. Conner, Wisconsin politician
• Robert Cowen, senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• Chet Culver, former Governor of Iowa
• Michael Elston, lawyer and former senior U.S. Department of Justice official
• George Gardner Fagg, United States federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit^[1]
• Bill Gates, member of Phoenix City Council^[2]
• Joseph C. Howard, Sr., Judge, United States District Court for the District of Maryland (1979–2000)
• Scott Jensen, Wisconsin politician
• Ron Kouchi, Vice President of the Hawaii State Senate
• Darrell R. Lindsey, Medal of Honor recipient
• Richard Olson, Mayor of Des Moines (1972-1979)^[3]
• Ronald Olson, partner in the Los Angeles office of the law firm of Munger Tolles & Olson LLP
• Wendy J. Olson, United States Attorney for the District of Idaho
• Stephen Rapp, United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues in the Office of Global Criminal Justice
• Robert D. Ray, former Governor of Iowa
• David N. Senty, U.S. Air Force Major General
• Neal Smith, United States House of Representatives
• Sara Taylor, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Political Affairs in the George W. Bush administration
• Ann Williams, member of the Illinois House of Representatives
• David Young, member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa’s 3rd district

Arts, literature, and entertainment

• Steve Allen, comedian, actor and first host of The Tonight Show (attended, did not graduate)
• Lew Anderson, musician and voice of Clarabell the Clown
• Joanne Aono, artist
• John August, screenwriter
• Rose Bampton, principal singer at Metropolitan Opera during 1930s and 1940s
• Steve Bannos, film actor and writer
• Bill Bryson, author (attended, did not graduate)
• Joseph Chaikin, founder of the Open Theater, theater director, actor, author
• Julee Cruise, singer and actress
• Mark DeCarlo, actor, comedian, host of Taste of America television show, cartoon voice actor
• Mark Doty, poet
• Michael Emerson, two-time Emmy Award-winning actor
• Bridget Flanery, actress
• Susan Glaspell, author
• Arne Harris, producer–director for Chicago Cubs on WGN-TV
• Joseph Hermann, conductor, clarinetist and music educator; president of American Bandmasters Association
• Lambert Hillyer, silent film director
• Syleena Johnson, R&B singer, actress, and reality television personality
• Ira Levin, author of Rosemary's Baby, The Boys from Brazil, The Stepford Wives, Deathtrap
• Dave Mallow, voice-over artist for television, film, animation, commercials, video games
• Sherrill Milnes, operatic baritone
• Clark R. Mollenhoff, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
• John R. Montgomery, executive producer of television show The Crazy Ones
• Carol Morris, Miss Universe 1956, actress
• Dick Oatts, jazz saxophonist
• Jeremy Piven, three-time Emmy Award-winning actor
• Wynn Speece, "Neighbor Lady", WNAX radio station
• Phil Stong, author of State Fair, novel filmed three times
• Matthew Stover, author of fantasy and science fiction, including novelization of Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith
• Jim Uhls, screenwriter, including the script for Fight Club
• Sam Wanamaker, actor and director
• Larry Whiteside, award-winning sportswriter
• Roger Williams, musician and composer
• Rex Wockner, journalist
• David L. Wolper, television and film producer

Business

• Archie R. Boe, former Chairman and CEO of the Allstate Corporation; former president of Sears, Roebuck
• Tim Burke, current CEO of Omaha Public Power District
• George A. Cohon, founder of McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited and McDonald's in Russia
• Kenneth A. Macke, former CEO and Chairman of Dayton Hudson Corporation (since renamed Target Corporation)
• John M. Mathew, President and Chief Executive Officer of Wick Communications Company
• Dwight D. Opperman, former CEO of West Publishing Company, after whom Drake's law library is named
• Fred L. Turner, former Chairman of McDonald's

Science and academia

• Jon Bowermaster, oceans expert, journalist, filmmaker and adventurer
• Cuthbert Hurd, computer pioneer^[4]
• Timothy Ley, hematologist, oncologist and cancer biologist
• William A. Staples, president of the University of Houston–Clear Lake
• Brian Wansink, Cornell University professor and author of Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think

Athletics

• Emmanuel Adewole, professional soccer player
• Chris Ash, head coach at Rutgers University
• Tom Bienemann, retired NFL defensive end
• Johnny Bright, member of the College and Canadian Football Hall of Fame
• Waldo Don Carlos, retired NFL center
• Billy Cundiff, NFL placekicker
• Dave Doeren, head football coach at North Carolina State University
• Ezra Hendrickson, professional soccer player and coach
• Zach Johnson, professional golfer, winner of the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open Championship
• Karl Kassulke, retired professional football player
• Wayne Kreklow, retired professional basketball player
• Al McCoy, sports broadcaster, voice of the Phoenix Suns
• Jerry Mertens, retired professional football player
• Bob Netolicky, professional basketball player
• Charlie Partridge, head football coach at Florida Atlantic University
• Ann Swisshelm, two-time Olympic curler
• Willie Wise, professional basketball player
• Felix Wright, former CFL and NFL safety
• Dani Tyler, Olympic gold medalist, 1996 USA softball ^[5]

References