This is a list of notable alumni, faculty, and students of Southern Methodist University. Those individuals who qualify for multiple categories have been placed under the section for which they are best known.
Notable alumni and attendees
Politics and government
Foreign government Fadel Mohammed Ali (M.S. 1978) – Jordanian former director of the Royal Maintenance Corps of the Jordanian Armed Forces Fahad Almubarak (B.S.) – governor, Central Bank of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Catherine Bamugemereire (LL.M. 2003) – justice of the Constitutional Court and Court of Appeal of Uganda, the second-highest judicial organ in Uganda Gela Bezhuashvili (LL.M. 1997) – Georgian former head of the Georgian Intelligence Service, Minister of Defense, Minister of Foreign Affairs Charles Brumskine (LL.M. 1982) – Liberian leader of the Liberty Party, former president pro tempore of the Liberian Senate Mirsad Hadžikadić (PhD 1987) – professor and director of the Institute of Complex Systems at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and candidate for presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 2018 election Susan Kihika – governor of Nakuru County, Republic of Kenya S. M. Krishna (LL.M. 1959) – Indian former minister of external affairs, governor of Maharashtra, chief minister of Karnataka Bagir Manan – chief justice of the Supreme Court of Indonesia Reynato Puno (LL.M. 1967) – 22nd chief justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (2007–2010), 131st associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (1993–2007) Gillian Triggs (LL.M. '72) – president of the Australian Human Rights Commission Elizabeth Gomani-Chindebvu (MS 1998, PhD 2004) - Malawian paleontologist and senior civil servant, serving as the Principal Secretary in Malawi's Ministry of Local Government, Unity and Culture.
U.S. government
U.S. cabinet/White House
Laura Bush (B.S. 1968) – First Lady of the United States (2001–2009), First Lady of Texas (1995–2000) Bill Clements (attended) – U.S. deputy secretary of defense (1973–1977) Hope Hicks (B.A. 2010) – former White House communications director, former press secretary for Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign and presidential transition team Karen Hughes (B.A. 1977) – former under secretary for public diplomacy and public affairs, counselor to the president, White House communications director Jo Jorgensen (MBA 1980) – Libertarian Party's nominee in the 2020 election, first woman to become the Libertarian nominee, and the only female 2020 presidential candidate with ballot access to over 270 electoral votes John Lee Ratcliffe (J.D. 1989) – current director of the Central Intelligence Agency, former director of national intelligence, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas representing the 4th district Chad Wolf (B.A. 1998) – acting secretary, United States Department of Homeland Security, and under secretary of Homeland Security for Strategy, Policy, and Plans; previously chief of staff of the United States Department of Homeland Security and chief of staff of the Transportation Security Administration
U.S. Senate
Bob Krueger (B.A. 1957) – former U.S. senator and member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas, U.S. ambassador to Botswana, U.S. ambassador to Burundi Rick Scott (J.D. 1978) – U.S. senator from Florida John Tower (M.A. 1951) – former U.S. senator from Texas
U.S. House of Representatives John Wiley Bryant (B.A. 1969, J.D. 1972) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas Jim Chapman (J.D. 1970) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas James M. Collins (B.S. 1937) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas John Culberson (B.A. 1981) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas Bob Franks (J.D. 1976) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from New Jersey, chairman of the New Jersey Republican State Committee Ralph Hall (LL.B. 1951) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas Eddie Bernice Johnson (M.P.A. 1976) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas Sam Johnson (B.B.A. 1951) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas Bob Krueger (B.A. 1957) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas, U.S. ambassador to Botswana, U.S. ambassador to Burundi Dennis Moore (attended) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kansas John Lee Ratcliffe (J.D. 1989) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas representing the 4th district, 2015–2020 Lamar Smith (J.D. 1975) – former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas
U.S. ambassadors and diplomats Rena Bitter (J.D. 1991) – former U.S. ambassador to Laos, nominee for assistant secretary of state for consular affairs Teel Bivins (J.D. 1976) – former U.S. ambassador to Sweden, member of the Texas Senate Tony Garza (J.D. 1983) – former U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Texas railroad commissioner, 98th secretary of state of Texas Roy M. Huffington (B.S. 1938) – former U.S. ambassador to Austria Bob Krueger (B.A. 1957) – former U.S. ambassador to Botswana, U.S. ambassador to Burundi George C. McGhee (attended) – former U.S. ambassador to Turkey, U.S. ambassador to West Germany, under secretary of state for political affairs Jeanne L. Phillips (B.A. 1976) – former U.S. ambassador to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Elizabeth Holzhall Richard (B.A. 1981, J.D. 1984) – current U.S. ambassador to Lebanon Roy R. Rubottom Jr. (B.A. 1933) – former U.S. ambassador to Argentina, assistant secretary for inter-American affairs
State governors
Bill Clements (attended) – 42nd and 44th governor of Texas (1979–1983; 1987–1991), U.S. deputy secretary of defense (1973–1977) Rick Scott (J.D. 1978) – 45th governor of Florida (2011–2019)
State legislators Rafael Anchia (B.A. 1990) – current member of the Texas House of Representatives Leo Berman (B.A. 1969) – former member of the Texas House of Representatives, member of the city council of Arlington, Texas Dan Branch (J.D.) – former member of the Texas House of Representatives Raleigh Brown – member of the Texas House of Representatives; Texas State District Court judge in Abilene Jim R. Caldwell (M.S.) – former member of the Arkansas Senate, chairman of the Arkansas Republican Party Mickey Dollens (B.A. 2011) – current member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives Charlie Geren (B.B.A. 1971) – member of the Texas House of Representatives from his native Fort Worth Christine Hamm – member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives Ike Harris (J.D. 1960) – member of the Texas Senate (1967–1995), president pro tempore of the Texas Senate (1973) Todd Ames Hunter (Law '78) – member of the Texas House of Representatives from Corpus Christi (Democrat, 1989–1997; Republican, since 2009) Jim Keet (B.B.A. 1971) – 2010 Republican nominee for governor of Arkansas, member of the Arkansas Senate (1993–1997), member of the Arkansas House of Representatives (1989–1991) Bill Keffer (B.A. 1981) – member of the Texas House of Representatives (2003–2007) Sharon Keller – presiding judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals R. Kirk McPike (B.A. 2005) – member of the Virginia House of Delegates from District 5 since 2026 Morgan Meyer – Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 108 in Dallas County, including University Park Barrow Peacock – Republican member of the Louisiana State Senate from Shreveport E. J. Pipkin (M.S. 2014) – Republican member of the Maryland Senate (2003–2013) Ana-Maria Ramos (J.D.) – member of the Texas House of Representatives Matt Shaheen – Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Plano, effective 2015; former Collin County commissioner; received master's degree from SMU Virginia Shehee – member of the Louisiana State Senate from Shreveport, 1976 to 1980; businesswoman and philanthropist; studied social work at SMU Burt Solomons – Republican former member of the Texas House of Representatives from Denton County; received a Master of Public Administration degree from SMU in the early 1970s
Other state and local government
Dewey F. Bartlett Jr. (M.B.A. 1971) – 39th mayor of Tulsa, Oklahoma (2009–2016), son of former U.S. senator Dewey F. Bartlett Joe Cobb – mayor of Roanoke, Virginia (2025–present) Helena Moreno (B.A. 1999) – mayor of New Orleans (2025–present), former New Orleans City Council president (2019–2025); former journalist and Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from District 93 Barbara Staff (B.A.) – Texas Republican Party activist, Texas co-chairman of Ronald Reagan's 1976 presidential primary campaignBilly Hathorn, "Mayor Ernest Angelo, Jr., of Midland and the 96-0 Reagan Sweep of Texas, May 1, 1976," West Texas Historical Association Yearbook Vol. 86 (2010), p. 81-82 Martha Whitehead (B.A. 1962) – last Texas state treasurer (1993–1996) Phil Wilson (M.B.A.) – 106th Texas secretary of state (2007–2008)
Military
Sam Brown – U.S. Army captain; recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart for service in Afghanistan Fred E. Ellis – Air National Guard major general Fred E. Haynes Jr. – World War II Marine officer and later major general; brother of actor Jerry Haynes General Craig R. McKinley (B.B.A. 1974) – 26th chief of the National Guard Bureau (2008–2012) Jack Miller – World War II Marine officer; namesake of the USS Jack Miller Huan Nguyen – first Vietnamese-American Navy rear admiral Harry M. Wyatt III (B. A. in Business Administration, 1974) – attorney, retired lieutenant general of the U.S. Air Force, former adjutant general of Oklahoma, former secretary of military affairs for State of Oklahoma; J.D. from University of Tulsa School of Law (1980)
Business
Gabriel Barbier-Mueller – founder and CEO, Harwood International Harry W. Bass, Jr. – owner, Vail Resorts Henry L. Brandon – chairman of the board, Unocal Corporation Lally Brennan, proprietor of Commander's Palace Richard L. Clemmer (MBA) – CEO of NXP Semiconductors Lodwrick Cook – chairman and CEO, Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) Trammell Crow – founder, Trammell Crow Company Álex Cruz – former CEO, British Airways C. David Cush – former CEO, Virgin America Aaron Davidson – chairman of the North American Soccer League and president of Traffic Sports USA Aart J. de Geus – co-founder, chairman and CEO of Synopsys Robert H. Dedman, Sr. – founder and CEO, ClubCorp Robert H. Dedman, Jr. – former CEO, ClubCorp David B. Dillon – president and chairman of the Kroger Co. Bob Dudley – CEO, BP Thomas Dundon (B.S. 1993) – chairman and managing partner of Dundon Capital Partners in Dallas, Texas, owner of the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League and one-quarter of TopGolf Sten Ekberg (BBA) – doctor of chiropractic, Olympic athlete J. Lindsay Embrey – chairman and CEO of First Continental Enterprises Inc. and Embrey Enterprises Inc. Gerald J. Ford (B.A. 1966, J.D. 1969) – Dallas-based billionaire Jerry Fullinwider – founder of V–F Petroleum Donald Holmquest – CEO, California RHIO Thomas W. Horton – CEO, American Airlines Clark Hunt (B.B.A. 1987) – current part owner, chairman, and CEO of the Kansas City Chiefs (NFL), founding investor-owner in Major League Soccer Helen LaKelly Hunt – founder of the Sister Fund Hunter L. Hunt (B.A. 1990) – current chairman and CEO of Hunt Consolidated Energy Lamar Hunt (B.S. 1956) – principal founder of the American Football League (AFL), Major League Soccer (MLS), and Kansas City Chiefs, owner of the Kansas City Wizards, Columbus Crew, and FC Dallas Ray Lee Hunt – chairman and CEO, Hunt Oil Company Jim Irsay (B.A. 1982) – former owner of the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League Jerry Junkins – president, chairman, and CEO of Texas Instruments (1988–1996)