# List of Western Kentucky University people

This is a list of notable alumni and faculty of Western Kentucky University.

## Alumni
### Academia

* Herman Lee Donovan, former president of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky
* James R. Ramsey, former president of the University of Louisville
* Michael G. Scales, president of Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary
* Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University

### Business

* Julian Goodman, former president of NBC
* Brad Kelley, businessman and (as of 2012) fourth-largest private landowner in the U.S. (attended; never graduated)
* Larry C. Renfro, CEO of Optum and executive vice president at UnitedHealth Group

### Film and television

* Matthew Alan, actor and producer
* K.C. Armstrong, former assistant producer of The Howard Stern Show
* John Carpenter, film director
* Clint Ford, voice actor
* Charmaine Hunt, one of 18 contestants on the fifth season of NBC's The Apprentice
* Matt Long, actor (Jack McCallister on WB's Jack & Bobby)
* Charles Napier, actor
* Michael Rosenbaum, actor (Lex Luthor on WB's Smallville)
* David Schramm, actor (Roy Biggins on NBC's Wings)
* Jonah Scott, actor

### History

* Lowell H. Harrison, author, WKU university historian

### Music

* Michael Card, contemporary Christian music artist
* Chris Carmichael, arranger, studio multi-instrumentalist
* Tyler Childers, 2019 Grammy nominee, folk country singer
* Stephen Cochran, country music singer/songwriter United States Marine and Former face of the US Veterans Affairs (VA) R&D Department (2009–14)
* Steve Gorman, rock drummer, The Black Crowes
* Larnelle Harris, gospel singer
* The Hilltoppers, 1950s popular singing group composed of WKU students including Billy Vaughn
* Chris Knight, country music singer/songwriter
* Bill Lloyd, country/pop/rock musician and composer, half of Foster & Lloyd with Radney Foster
* Mark Melloan, singer-songwriter, "High on a Hilltop" writer, and co-writer with Stephen Cochran
* Nappy Roots, rap group best known for "Good Day"
* Matthew Shultz, lead singer, guitarist for Cage the Elephant
* Tony Smith, singer, guitarist for Sleeper Agent

### Politics

* Chad Aull, politician
* Dwight D. Butler, member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
* Beverly Chester-Burton (born 1963), politician
* James Comer, U.S. Representative from Kentucky's 1st District
* Cordell Hull, Secretary of State under FDR, Nobel Peace Prize winner
* Derek Lewis, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
* Brad Montell, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
* William Natcher, U.S. Representative
* Amy Neighbors, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
* Edwin L. Norris, fifth governor of Montana
* Rebecca Raymer, politician
* Hal Rogers, U.S. Representative from Kentucky

### Science

* Harry Barkus Gray, chemist
* Farley Norman, psychological scientist
* Terrence W. Wilcutt, astronaut

### Sports

* Darel Carrier, three-time ABA All-Star with the Kentucky Colonels
* Romeo Crennel, Houston Texans Assistant head coach & defense
* Steve Crocker, former SCM 50 freestyle world record holder, 1996 WKU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee
* Claire Donahue, swimmer, gold medalist, 2012 Summer Olympics
* Brandon Doughty, former NFL player
* Don Durham, former MLB player
* Ken Edenfield, former MLB player
* Jeremy Evans, NBA player with the Utah Jazz and 2012 slam dunk champion
* Tellis Frank, former NBA player with the Miami Heat
* Dee Gibson, former BAA and NPBL player
* Clem Haskins, former NBA player with Phoenix Suns, former NCAA basketball coach at WKU and the University of Minnesota
* Heath Haynes, former MLB player
* Tyler Higbee, current NFL player with the Los Angeles Rams
* Yolanda Hughes-Heying, IFBB professional bodybuilder
* Jeremi Johnson, former NFL Player, Cincinnati Bengals
* Crystal Kelly, former WNBA player, now women's basketball assistant coach at Bellarmine University
* Duane Kuiper, MLB player, now San Francisco Giants broadcaster
* Forrest Lamp, NFL player, Los Angeles Chargers
* Courtney Lee, NBA player, New York Knicks guard
* Virgil Livers, former NFL player, Chicago Bears
* Jim McDaniels, former ABA and NBA player
* Kenny Perry, professional golfer, PGA Tour and Champions Tour
* Jeff Peterek, former MLB player
* Doug Piatt, former MLB player
* Hugh Poland, former MLB player
* Bobby Rascoe, former ABA and NBA player
* Don Ray, former NBA player
* Rod Smart, XFL player known as "He Hate Me"
* Greg Smith, former NBA player
* Art Spoelstra, former NBA player
* Steve Stemle, former MLB player
* Libby Stout, former NWSL and professional soccer player, now women's soccer assistant coach at Southern Illinois University
* Taywan Taylor, NFL player, Cleveland Browns
* Chris Turner, former MLB player/catcher for the New York Yankees
* Ken Waller, bodybuilder
* Jim Weaver, former MLB pitcher
* Mike White, NFL player, New York Jets
* Bailey Zappe, American football quarterback in the NFL

### Military

* Damon W. Cooper, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and the first Chief of U.S. Naval Reserve
* Jack Keane, General, United States Army
* Larry G. Smith, retired U.S. Army Major General, former Commanding General of the United States Army Security Assistance Command

### Others

* Larry Elmore, fantasy artist
* Duncan Hines, journalist, namesake of the bakery products company
* Saeed Jones, poet, editor at BuzzFeed
* Mitch McDeere, fictional protagonist in The Firm by John Grisham
* Barry A. Vann, author, lecturer

## Faculty

* David Bell, writer
* Robert Duvall, politician
* Sylvia Kersenbaum, classical pianist
* William L. Lane, New Testament theologian and professor of biblical studies
* Garnie W. McGinty, Louisiana historian
* Thomas Nicholson, drug policy expert