# List of Sam Houston State University alumni

Since graduating its first class, Sam Houston State University has had many of its former students go on to garner recognition and accolades.

## Science and academics

* Hiram Abiff Boaz – Bishop; President of Polytechnic College from 1902 to 1911, and of Southern Methodist University, 1920-1922
* Willie Dee Bowles – historian of women's suffrage
* William "Bill" R. Brinkley – Professor and Dean of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine
* Melinda Estes – neuropathologist and president and chief executive of the Fletcher Allen Health Care corporation

## Arts and media

* David Adickes – painter; sculptor; creator of '65 Sam Houston statue, President heads at Presidents Park
* Jonathan Aibel – screenwriter of Kung Fu Panda and Kung Fu Panda 2
* Dana Andrews – Hollywood actor and president of the Screen Actors Guild, 1963-1965
* Frank Bielec – Trading Spaces designer
* Katie Rose Clarke – Broadway actor
* Roger Creager – country-western musician
* Brooke Daniels – Miss Texas USA 2009
* Frank Q. Dobbs – writer, director, producer (Streets of Laredo, Gunsmoke)
* Dan Dunn – cartoonist, creator of Paintjam
* Randy Galloway – writer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram; radio personality ESPN 103.3
* Greg Graham – Broadway choreographer
* James Havard – painter and sculptor
* Roy Hazelwood – FBI profiler and author
* Richard Linklater – Oscar-nominated film director
* Steven Long – true crime writer
* Johnny Maze - radio programmer/on air personality
* Debra Maffett – Miss America, 1983; now host of The Harvest Show on LeSea Broadcasting Network (RTF major)
* Emily Neves – voice actor
* Dan Rather – newscaster (1953, B.A. Journalism)
* James Surls – modernist artist
* Jack Tinsley – Fort Worth Star-Telegram executive editor who led the paper to two Pulitzer Prizes in the 1980s
* Lauren Galley – Author, spokesperson
* Joel McDonald – voice actor

## Athletics

* Walt Anderson – NFL referee (1974) and head referee for Super Bowl XLV
* Michael Bankston – professional football player, defensive tackle; 3rd round draft choice in 1991 by the Arizona Cardinals; played ten years in the NFL for AZ, Wash., Cin.
* Stan Blinka – linebacker for the NFL's New York Jets
* Rhett Bomar – quarterback for the NFL's Minnesota Vikings
* Ronnie Carroll – offensive guard for the NFL's Houston Oilers
* Tina Chandler – IFBB professional bodybuilder
* Keith Davis – former safety for the NFL's Dallas Cowboys
* Johnnie Dirden – wide receiver for the NFL's Houston Oilers
* Matt Dominguez – wide receiver for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders
* Derrick Harris – professional arenafootball2 Rio Grande Valley Dorados player (2006)
* Keith Heinrich – tight end for the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Phil Hennigan – former Major League Baseball pitcher, Cleveland Indians and New York Mets
* Ben Hightower – tight end for the AFL's Cleveland Rams
* Hubbard Law – offensive guard for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers
* Josh McCown – backup quarterback for the NFL's Cleveland Browns
* Guido Merkens – quarterback, wide receiver, running back, and defensive back for multiple teams
* McNeil Moore – defensive back for the NFL's Chicago Bears
* Sam Moore – gridiron football player
* Monty Sopp, born Billy Gunn - professional wrestler
* Steve Sparks – professional baseball player (1987)
* D.D. Terry – running back for the NFL's Jacksonville Jaguars
* George Wright – defensive tackle for the NFL's Baltimore Colts

## Politics

* Joseph A. Adame – Mayor of Corpus Christi
* Kenneth Armbrister – former Texas state senator and director of legislative affairs
* Robert Gammage – former US Congressman; former Texas Supreme Court Justice
* Lyda Green – retired educator; Republican politician in Alaska
* John H. Hannah, Jr. – former United States federal judge
* Gibson D. Lewis – former Texas Speaker of the House, the longest serving in state history
* Will Metcalf – Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 16, beginning January 2015 (Class of 2006, Criminal Justice)
* Borris L. Miles – member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 146
* Thaksin Shinawatra – former Prime Minister of Thailand (1979, PhD in Criminal Justice)
* Charlie Wilson – member of the United States House of Representatives from Texas's 2nd congressional district
* Ralph Yarborough – Texas Democratic politician who served in the United States Senate (1957 to 1971)
* Bill Zedler – member of the Texas House of Representatives from Tarrant County, 2003–2009 and since 2011 ('67 M.B.A.)

## Armed services

* William F. Garrison – retired Major General of the United States Army; commander of Operation Gothic Serpent, the military operation launched in 1993 to capture Somali warlord Mohamed Farrah Aidid
* Hiram "Doc" Jones – Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force
* Marcus Luttrell – Navy Cross recipient for his actions in 2005 facing Taliban fighters during Operation Red Wing; co-authored the New York Times bestseller Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10
* J. Michael Myatt – retired Major General of the United States Marine Corps; commanded the 1st Marine Division during Operation Desert Storm in 1990–91; his division liberated Kuwait City; president and CEO of the Marines Memorial Association
* Larry Snook – former United States Army Colonel; former Grimes County Judge