Notable Alumni of North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Ilhan Omar 1982–

US Representative for Minnesota's 5th district

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 2011

Child: Isra Hirsi (Barnard College)

Doug Burgum 1956–

US Secretary of the Interior, ex-North Dakota governor

Also attended: Stanford University

Warren Magnuson 1905–1989

Washington senator who served 44 years in Congress

Also attended: University of North Dakota, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

William L. Guy 1919–2013

26th Governor of North Dakota

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Milton Young 1897–1983

Former US Senator from North Dakota

Also attended: Graceland University-Lamoni

Mark Andrews 1926–2020

Former US senator from North Dakota

Also attended: The United States Military Academy at West Point, University of North Dakota

Rick Berg 1959–

Former U.S. Representative from North Dakota and businessman

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1981

Also attended: North Dakota State College of Science

Arthur A. Link 1914–2010

27th Governor of North Dakota

Mancur Olson 1932–1998

Economist and political scientist at University of Maryland

Also attended: Harvard University

Florence Wambugu 1953–

Kenyan plant pathologist and virologist

Lilian Salami 1956–

Former vice-chancellor of the University of Benin

Humayun Ahmed 1948–2012

Bangladeshi novelist, dramatist and filmmaker

Sibling: Muhammed Zafar Iqbal (University of Washington-Seattle Campus)

Alf Clausen 1941–2025

Film and television composer for The Simpsons

Music theory

Also attended: Berklee College of Music, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Bob Backlund 1949–

Professional wrestler and two-time WWF Champion

Physical education

Also attended: Waldorf University

Carson Wentz 1992–

NFL quarterback

Attended until 2016

Andre Smith 1985–

Former basketball player in Europe and Asia

Also attended: North Dakota State College of Science

Erin Teschuk 1994–

Canadian middle- and long-distance runner

Trey Lance 2000–

NFL quarterback for the Los Angeles Chargers

Grant Nelson 2002–

Basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets

Also attended: The University of Alabama

Tyson Ward 1997–

Basketball player for Olympiacos

Taylor Braun 1991–

Basketball player for the Kaohsiung Steelers

Ben Woodside 1985–

Former basketball player, mostly in Europe

Brad Rheingans 1953–

Greco-Roman and professional wrestler

Joseph Edward Duncan III 1963–2021

Convicted serial killer on federal death row