Notable Alumni of DePauw University

Dan Quayle 1947–

44th Vice President of the United States

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Purdue University-Main Campus

Spouse: Marilyn Quayle (Northwestern University, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis)

Child: Ben Quayle (Duke University, Vanderbilt University)

Lee H. Hamilton 1931–2026

Former U.S. Representative from Indiana

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1952

Newton Booth 1825–1892

11th Governor of California and US senator

Albert J. Beveridge 1862–1927

Indiana senator and historian

Joseph W. Barr 1918–1996

Businessman and U.S. representative from Indiana

Also attended: Harvard University

James Harlan 1820–1899

US senator and Secretary of the Interior

Elmer Thomas 1876–1965

U.S. politician from Oklahoma

Attended until 1900

Joseph E. McDonald 1819–1891

Former US Senator from Indiana

Also attended: Wabash College

Phil Crane 1930–2014

US Representative from Illinois

Also attended: Hillsdale College, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Daniel Wolsey Voorhees 1827–1897

U.S. Senator from Indiana

Child: Charles Stewart Voorhees (Wabash College)

Thomas M. Patterson 1839–1916

Colorado US senator and newspaper publisher

Also attended: Wabash College

James Eli Watson 1864–1948

Indiana senator and second Senate majority leader

Roy Owen West 1868–1958

U.S. Secretary of the Interior under Coolidge

William A. Massey 1856–1914

U.S. Senator from Nevada

Joseph R. Burton 1852–1923

Kansas senator, first US senator convicted of a crime

Also attended: Franklin College

Albert G. Porter 1824–1897

19th Governor of Indiana

Also attended: Hanover College

Alexander Vraciu 1918–2015

US Navy WWII fighter ace and Navy Cross recipient

David E. Lilienthal 1899–1981

Chairman of the Tennessee Valley Authority and Atomic Energy Commission

Also attended: Harvard University

Eli Lilly 1838–1898

Founder of Eli Lilly and Company; pharmacist

Child: Josiah K. Lilly, Sr. (University of the Sciences)

Mary Meeker 1959–

Founder of BOND and venture capitalist

Bachelor of Arts · Psychology

Also attended: Cornell University

Al Ries 1926–2022

Marketing author and co-founder of Ries & Ries

Attended until 1950

Steven Rales 1951–

Co-founder of Danaher Corporation

Also attended: American University

Sibling: Mitchell Rales (Miami University-Oxford)

Charles T. Hinde 1832–1915

Industrialist, riverboat captain and entrepreneur

Bill Rasmussen 1932–2026

Co-founder of ESPN

Bachelor's degree · Economics

Child: Scott Rasmussen (University of Connecticut, DePauw University)

Tim Collins 1956–

Founder and CEO of Ripplewood Holdings

Also attended: Yale University

Margaret Mead 1901–1978

Cultural anthropologist, author of Coming of Age in Samoa

Also attended: Barnard College, Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Luther Cressman (Columbia University in the City of New York, The Pennsylvania State University)

Child: Mary Catherine Bateson (Harvard University)

Ferid Murad 1936–2023

Pharmacologist, 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1958

Also attended: Case Western Reserve University, University of Virginia-Main Campus

Charles A. Beard 1874–1948

Historian and Columbia University professor

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1898

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Mary Ritter Beard (DePauw University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Joseph P. Allen 1937–

Former NASA astronaut

Also attended: Yale University

Percy Lavon Julian 1899–1975

Chemist and pioneer in synthesis of medicinal drugs

Bachelor of Arts · Chemistry

Also attended: Harvard University

Arthur Burks 1915–2008

Mathematician who helped design ENIAC

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Brenda Laurel 1950–

Interaction designer and video game designer

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

William H. Riker 1920–1993

Political scientist applying game theory to politics

Also attended: Harvard University

Barbara Kingsolver 1955–

Novelist, author of The Poisonwood Bible

Also attended: University of Arizona

Scott Adsit 1965–

Actor, comedian, and writer

Also attended: Columbia College Chicago

Mary Ritter Beard 1876–1958

Historian and women's suffrage activist

Attended until 1897

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Charles A. Beard (DePauw University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

John Gardner 1933–1982

Novelist and critic, author of Grendel

Also attended: University of Iowa, University of Detroit Mercy, Washington University in St Louis

Spouse: Liz Rosenberg (Binghamton University, Bennington College)

John Jakes 1932–2023

Historical novelist, author of North and South trilogy

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Jane Randolph 1914–2009

Film actress known for Cat People

Max Ehrmann 1872–1945

Writer and poet, author of Desiderata

Also attended: Harvard University

Drew Powell 1976–

Actor, series regular on Gotham

Chinonye Chukwu 1980–

Nigerian-American film director

Bret Baier 1970–

Fox News chief political anchor and journalist

Bachelor of Arts · English studies, Political science · Class of 1992

Bill Hayes 1925–2024

Actor and singer, hit The Ballad of Davy Crockett

Also attended: Northwestern University, West Virginia University

Mary Beth Edelson 1933–2021

Artist and pioneer of the feminist art movement

Also attended: School of the Art Institute of Chicago, New York University

Annie Corley 1960–

Actress in The Bridges of Madison County

David Graham Phillips 1867–1911

Novelist and muckraking journalist

Also attended: Princeton University

Alice Ripley 1963–

Broadway actress; 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical

Terry Lester 1950–2003

Actor known for The Young and the Restless

David Cryer 1936–

Actor known as Firmin in The Phantom of the Opera

Also attended: Boston University

Adam Kennedy 1922–1997

Actor and screenwriter

Gretchen Cryer 1935–

Playwright and musical theatre lyricist

Also attended: Yale University

Walter Bullock 1907–1953

Song lyricist and screenwriter

Richard Peck 1934–2018

Young adult novelist and Newbery Medal winner

Tracey Chang 1986–

Model and Miss New York USA contestant

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Brad Stevens 1976–

President of basketball operations, Boston Celtics

Bachelor of Science · Economics · Class of 1999

Mary Washburn 1907–1994

Track and field sprinter

Also attended: New York University

Ford Frick 1894–1978

Baseball executive and former National League president

Earl Gardner 1923–2005

American professional basketball player

Nooran Ba Matraf 1999–

Yemeni swimmer at the 2016 Olympics

Larry D. Nichols 1939–2022

Puzzle designer and chemist

Also attended: Harvard University