Notable Alumni of Valparaiso University

Mikhail Borodin 1884–1951

Comintern agent and adviser to Sun Yat-sen

George W. Norris 1861–1944

Former US Senator from Nebraska

Also attended: Baldwin Wallace University

Roy E. Ayers 1882–1955

11th governor of Montana, former U.S. representative

John E. Miller 1888–1981

US senator from Arkansas and federal judge

Also attended: University of Kentucky, Southeast Missouri State University

John J. Blaine 1875–1934

24th Governor of Wisconsin and US senator

Len Small 1862–1936

26th Governor of Illinois

Steve Buyer 1958–

Former U.S. representative from Indiana

Juris Doctor · Class of 1984

Also attended: Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Flem D. Sampson 1875–1967

42nd Governor of Kentucky

Also attended: Union Commonwealth University

Gordon Browning 1889–1976

38th Governor of Tennessee

Martin J. Schreiber 1939–

39th governor of Wisconsin

Also attended: Marquette University, University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee

Andrieus A. Jones 1862–1927

US Senator from New Mexico

Also attended: Bethel University

Benjamin F. Shively 1857–1916

U.S. representative and senator from Indiana

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

William E. Dannemeyer 1929–2019

Conservative U.S. Representative from California

Also attended: University of California College of the Law-San Francisco

Gerald L. K. Smith 1898–1976

Clergyman, politician and far-right activist

Oscar Larson 1871–1957

U.S. representative from Minnesota

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Caleb Powers 1869–1932

U.S. representative and former Kentucky Secretary of State

Also attended: Centre College

Jill Long Thompson 1952–

Former US representative from Indiana

Donald Edgar Tewes 1916–2012

Republican congressman from Wisconsin and businessman

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jon Costas 1957–

Mayor of Valparaiso, Indiana

Eugene E. Parker 1956–2016

Sports agent who represented Deion Sanders

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

Carl Otto Lampland 1873–1951

Astronomer at Lowell Observatory

Reuben Leon Kahn 1887–1979

Immunologist known for the Kahn syphilis test

Also attended: Yale University, New York University

R.J.Q. Adams 1943–

Historian, professor at Texas A&M University

Master of Arts · Liberal Arts · Class of 1969

Also attended: University of California-Santa Barbara, Indiana University-Bloomington

Sally Gregory Kohlstedt 1943–

Historian of science, emerita professor at University of Minnesota

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Michigan State University

Beulah Bondi 1888–1981

Character actress

Bachelor's degree, Master's degree · Public speaking · Class of 1918

Lowell Thomas 1892–1981

Journalist, broadcaster and documentary filmmaker

Bachelor's degree · Science, Education · Class of 1911

Also attended: University of Denver, Princeton University

Child: Lowell Thomas Jr. (Dartmouth College)

William March 1893–1954

Decorated U.S. Marine and novelist

Also attended: The University of Alabama, Columbia University in the City of New York

Marya Zaturenska 1902–1982

Poet, 1938 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry winner

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spouse: Horace Gregory (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

John Lutz 1973–

Comedian and writer, 30 Rock actor

Todd Duncan 1903–1998

Baritone who originated Porgy in Porgy and Bess

Also attended: Howard University, Butler University, Columbia University in the City of New York

Ginger Zee 1981–

Chief meteorologist for ABC News

Bachelor of Science · Meteorology

JoBe Cerny 1947–

Actor, voice of the Pillsbury Doughboy

Bachelor of Arts · Drama fiction, Speech

Also attended: Northwestern University

Wayne King 1901–1985

Bandleader known as the Waltz King

Isabel Dawn 1897–1966

American screenwriter, actress and journalist

Melvin Vaniman 1866–1912

Aviator and panoramic photographer

Ryan Broekhoff 1990–

Australian former professional basketball player

Luboš Bartoň 1980–

Czech former basketball player and coach

Alec Peters 1995–

Basketball player for Olimpia Milano

Attended until 2017

Shawn Huff 1984–

Finnish former basketball player and politician

Antti Nikkilä 1978–

Retired Finnish basketball player

Joaquim Gomes 1980–

Angolan basketball player

Bryce Drew 1974–

College basketball coach and former player

Attended until 1998

Sibling: Scott Drew (Butler University, Valparaiso University)

Javon Freeman-Liberty 1999–

Basketball player for Bursaspor

Also attended: DePaul University

Raitis Grafs 1981–

Latvian former basketball player

Lloyd McClendon 1959–

Former MLB outfielder, coach and manager

Fred Thurston 1933–2014

Former NFL guard for the Packers and Colts

Chris Ensminger 1973–

Professional basketball coach and former player

Samuel Haanpää 1986–

Finnish professional basketball player

Don Bielke 1932–2023

Former basketball player and coach

Mohamed Kone 1981–

Basketball player for Côte d'Ivoire national team

Vashil Fernandez 1992–

Jamaican former professional basketball player

Stalin Ortiz 1981–

Colombian professional basketball player

Bob Dille 1917–1998

Professional basketball player and high school coach

Kevin van Wijk 1989–

Dutch professional basketball player

John Janisch 1920–1992

Professional basketball player in the BAA

Scott Drew 1970–

Head basketball coach at Baylor University

Also attended: Butler University

Sibling: Bryce Drew (Valparaiso University)

Jeremiah Wright 1941–

Pastor emeritus of Trinity United Church of Christ

Also attended: Howard University, Chicago Theological Seminary, University of Chicago

Katherine Stinson 1891–1977

Aviation pioneer and aerobatic record-setting pilot

Alys McKey Bryant 1880–1954

Aviator, first woman to fly on the Pacific Coast

Barry Hollowell 1948–2016

Seventh Anglican Bishop of Calgary