List of Drake University people

This is a list of notable alumni and faculty of Drake University.

Notable alumni

Politics and military

• Brenna Bird, Iowa Attorney General (2023–)
• Robert D. Blue, Governor of Iowa (1945–1949)
• Terry Branstad, former Governor of Iowa (1983–1999, 2011–2017) and United States ambassador to China (2017–2020), longest-serving state governor in U.S. history
• Bonnie Campbell, lawyer, former Iowa Attorney General (1991–1995) and gubernatorial candidate
• Johnnie Carson, career diplomat
• Merwin Coad, Iowa Congressman (1957–1963)
• Joe Crail, California Congressman (1927–1933)
• Chet Culver, former Governor of Iowa (2007–2011)
• Cassius Clay Dowell, Iowa Congressman (1915–1935, 1937–1940)
• Abby Finkenauer, former Iowa Congresswoman (2019–2021)
• Guy Gillette, Iowa Congressman (1933–1936) and Senator (1936–1945, 1949–1955)
• Robert K. Goodwin, Iowa Congressman (1940–1941)
• Adam Gregg, lieutenant governor of Iowa (2019–present)
• Carl W. Hoffman, U.S. Marine Corps Major general
• Ron Kouchi, President of the Hawaii State Senate
• Darrell R. Lindsey, Medal of Honor recipient
• Zach Nunn, U.S. Representative-elect from Iowa’s 3rd district (2023–)
• Jim Nussle, former Iowa Congressman (1991–2007) and director of the Office of Management and Budget
• Stephen Rapp, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues in the Office of Global Criminal Justice
• Robert D. Ray, Governor of Iowa (1969–1983)
• David N. Senty, retired U.S. Air Force Major General
• Neal Smith, former Iowa Congressman (1959–1995)
• Sara Taylor, former Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Political Affairs in the George W. Bush administration
• Hubert Utterback, Iowa Congressman (1935–1937)
• Frederick T. Weber, Naval aviator who died at the Battle of Midway
• David Young, former Iowa Congressman (2015–2019)

Law

• Mark Cady, lawyer, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Iowa (2011–2019)
• Roxanne Conlin, lawyer, former United States Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa (1977–1981), and Iowa senate and gubernatorial candidate
• Robert Cowen, senior judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• George Gardner Fagg, United States federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit ^[1]
• Cleon H. Foust, Indiana Attorney General (1947–1949) ^[2]
• Joseph C. Howard Sr., Judge, United States District Court for the District of Maryland (1979–2000)
• Louis A. Lavorato, lawyer, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Iowa (2000–2006)
• 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 (2010–2017)
• Marsha Ternus, lawyer, Chief Justice Supreme Court of Iowa (2006–2010)
• Terry Trieweiler, Montana Supreme Court Justice, Montana Lawyer of the Year

Arts and literature

• Joanne Aono, artist
• Rose Bampton, principal singer at Metropolitan Opera during 1930s and 1940s
• Bruce Brubaker, musician
• Bill Bryson, author
• Marsha Wilson Chall, children's author
• Gwen M. Davidson, artist
• Mark Doty, poet
• Susan Glaspell, author
• Joseph Hermann, conductor, clarinetist and music educator; president of American Bandmasters Association
• Stanley Hess, artist, instrument maker, educator
• 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
• Sherrill Milnes, operatic baritone
• Carol Morris, Miss Universe 1956, actress
• Dick Oatts, jazz saxophonist
• 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
• Roger Williams, musician and composer
• Bart Yates, author

Entertainment and media

• Steve Allen, comedian, actor and first host of The Tonight Show (attended, did not graduate)
• Lew Anderson, musician and voice of Clarabell the Clown
• John August, screenwriter
• Steve Bannos, film actor and writer
• Mary Bock, journalist
• Joseph Chaikin, founder of the Open Theater, theater director, actor, author
• Lee Ann Colacioppo, nee Fleet, editor of The Denver Post ^[3]
• Julee Cruise, singer and actress
• Mark DeCarlo, actor, comedian, host of Taste of America television show, cartoon voice actor
• Jerry Douglas, writer and director, notably of gay pornographic films
• Michael Emerson, two-time Emmy Award-winning actor
• Bridget Flanery, actress
• Lambert Hillyer, silent film director
• Dave Mallow, voice-over artist for television, film, animation, commercials, video games
• Al McCoy, sports broadcaster, voice of the Phoenix Suns
• Clark R. Mollenhoff, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist
• Jeremy Piven, three-time Emmy Award-winning actor (attended, did not graduate)
• Ray Rizzo, three-time Pokémon Video Game World Champion
• Wynn Speece, "Neighbor Lady", WNAX radio station
• Kazuki Takahashi, creator of Yu-Gi-Oh! (attended, did not graduate)
• Jim Uhls, screenwriter, including the script for Fight Club
• Sam Wanamaker, actor and director
• Larry Whiteside, award-winning sportswriter
• 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
• 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
• Johnny C. Taylor Jr., president and CEO of Society for Human Resource Management
• Fred L. Turner, former Chairman of McDonald's

Science and academia

• Jon Bowermaster, oceans expert, journalist, filmmaker and adventurer
• W. Dean Eastman, award-winning educator
• Cuthbert Hurd, computer pioneer ^[4]
• Rachelle Keck, academic administrator
• Thomas Kunz, researcher notable for insights into bat ecology
• 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
• Harley A. Wilhelm, Manhattan Project scientist and co-inventor of the Ames Process for purifying uranium, co-founder of the Ames Laboratory for the U.S. Dept. of Energy

Athletics

• Chris Ash, football coach, former head coach at Rutgers University
• Tom Bienemann, former NFL defensive end for the Chicago Cardinals
• Johnny Bright, member of the College and Canadian Football Hall of Fame
• Waldo Don Carlos, retired NFL center for the Green Bay Packers
• Billy Cundiff, NFL placekicker
• Keno Davis, basketball coach, 2008 Associated Press College Basketball Coach of the Year
• Versil Deskin, former NFL player
• Dave Doeren, head football coach at North Carolina State University
• Pat Dunsmore, former NFL player
• Ezra Hendrickson, professional soccer player and coach
• York Hentschel, CFL player and 3 time Grey Cup champion
• Maury John, Hall of Fame basketball coach: Final Four (1969), and Elite 8 (1970 and 1971)
• Zach Johnson, professional golfer, winner of the 2007 Masters and 2015 Open Championship
• Karl Kassulke, former NFL player
• Wayne Kreklow, retired professional basketball player
• Kevin Little, 1997 world indoor champion, 200-meter dash
• Lewis Lloyd, retired professional basketball player
• John Lynch, former NFL player
• Pug Manders, former NFL player
• Willie McCarter, former NBA player
• Dennis McKnight, former NFL player
• McCoy McLemore, former NBA player
• Jerry Mertens, former NFL player
• Duane Miller, former NFL player, Drake Football record holder
• Dick Nesbitt, former NFL player
• Bob Netolicky, professional basketball player
• Charlie Partridge, football coach, former head coach at Florida Atlantic University
• Mike Samples, former Canadian Football League player
• Eric Saubert, professional American football player
• Boris Shlapak, professional football and soccer player for the Baltimore Colts and Chicago Sting respectively
• Lee Stange, former MLB pitcher and MLB pitching coach
• Bill Stevenson, CFL all-star and record 7 time Grey Cup champion
• Ann Swisshelm, two-time Olympic curler
• Dan Turk, former NFL player; transferred after his sophomore season
• Dani Tyler, softball player and 1996 Olympic gold medalist
• Rick Wanamaker, winner of the 1971 Pan American Games decathlon
• Willie Wise, professional basketball player
• Felix Wright, former CFL and NFL safety

Notable faculty

• Chester C. Cole, Drake University Law School founder and professor, University of Iowa College of Law co-founder and professor, Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
• George Gallup, Head of Journalism Department (1928-1931)
• Frank Irving Herriott (1868-1941), professor of economics (1903-1919), political science and sociology (1903-1941)
• Jacqui Kalin (born 1989), American-Israeli professional basketball player
• Robert Kibbee (died 1982), Chancellor of the City University of New York
• Edward Mansfield, Iowa Supreme Court justice and adjunct law professor
• Milman Parry, professor of Greek and Latin, 1928-29
• Terri Vaughan, Visiting professor in the College of Business and Public Administration
• Francis Wilhoit, Political Science Professor
• George G. Wright, Iowa Supreme Court justice, Drake University Law School professor, University of Iowa College of Law co-founder, United States Senator from Iowa
• Oleg Zatsarinny, Senior Research Scholar and Lecturer (Atomic Physics)

References

1. "Biographical Directory of Federal Judges Fagg, George Gardner". Federal Judicial Center. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
2. White, Donald (10 Apr 1973). "The Hoosier Day". Rushville Evening Daily Republican.
3. "Lee Ann Colacioppo". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2021-06-26.
4. Laurance Zuckerman (June 2, 1996). "Cuthbert Hurd, 85, Computer Pioneer at I.B.M". New York Times . Retrieved May 24, 2010.