This is a list of notable alumni and faculty of Central Michigan University.
Alumni
Acting Tim Allen – actor, Toy Story, Home Improvement (attended; transferred to Western Michigan University) Larry Joe Campbell – actor, co-starred on According to Jim as Andy Jeff Daniels – Emmy-winning actor, Terms of Endearment, Arachnophobia, Gettysburg, Dumb and Dumber, Good Night, and Good Luck, The Newsroom Carter Oosterhouse – reality TV star of Trading Spaces Terry O'Quinn – Emmy-winning actor, co-starred on Lost as John Locke Amy Roloff – reality TV star of Little People, Big World Brad Slaight – actor, The Young and the Restless, Love Chronicles, Unsolved Mysteries; comedian
Broadcasting Cam Brainard – voiceover artist and broadcaster Dick Enberg – Emmy-winning sports broadcaster Clark Howard – syndicated consumer talk-show host Edythe Lewis – pioneering Black disc jockey Lem Tucker – Emmy-winning correspondent, CBS News
Journalism Terry Foster – The Detroit News columnist and WXYT-FM radio host John Grogan – author of best-selling memoir Marley & Me and Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Lorrie Lynch – weekend editor, columnist, USA Today magazine Roger Schawinski – Swiss media pioneer and founder of TeleZüri and Tele24 Drew Sheneman – award-winning editorial cartoonist, The Star-Ledger
Politics and military
Ralph Baker – U.S. Army brigadier general Matt Bevin – former governor of Kentucky Kevin Cotter – former speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives Vivien Crea – U.S. Coast Guard vice admiral and 25th vice commandant of the United States Coast Guard Don Davis – U.S. representative from North Carolina's 1st congressional district (2023-) Michael P. DeLong – U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general Leah Gazan – Canadian Member of Parliament for Winnipeg Centre Robert P. Griffin – United States senator and House of Representatives member Scott Haraburda – U.S. Army colonel and president of Indiana Society of Professional Engineers Joseph R. Inge – U.S. Army lieutenant general Reuben D. Jones – U.S. Army major general William F. Kernan – U.S. Army general and commander of Joint Forces Command Dan Kildee – United States representative for Michigan's 5th congressional district Alveda King – activist, author, and former state representative for the 28th District in the Georgia House of Representatives; niece of Martin Luther King Jr. Andrea LaFontaine – represents 32nd District in Michigan House of Representatives Brenda Lawrence – United States representative for Michigan's 14th congressional district, former mayor of Southfield, Michigan, and 2010 Democratic Party nominee for lieutenant governor of Michigan Michael R. Lehnert – U.S. Marine Corps major general Mike Maturen – 2016 United States presidential candidate Serena McIlwain – secretary of the Maryland Department of the Environment Herbert H. McMillan – former Maryland state delegate William Nolde – U.S. Army colonel; last official combat casualty of Vietnam War Thomas M. Pappas – U.S. Army colonel disciplined from the Abu Ghraib prisoner abuse scandal Pete Peterson – U.S. Air Force colonel and Florida representative Lorraine K. Potter – 14th chief of chaplains of the United States Air Force Philip Potvin – represents 102nd district in Michigan House of Representatives Joseph Ralston – U.S. Air Force general and commander of NATO John W. Raymond – U.S. Space Force general Verlina Reynolds-Jackson – politician who represents the 15th Legislative District in the New Jersey General AssemblyJohnson, Brent. "Meet N.J.'s newest Assembly member", NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, February 15, 2018. Accessed February 15, 2018. "Reynolds-Jackson is a graduate of Trenton Central High School and has a bachelor's degree in sociology from Trenton State College -- now the College of New Jersey -- and a master's degree in administration from Central Michigan University." Courtney Rogers – U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel and Tennessee Representative Jimmy D. Ross – U.S. Army general and commander of Army Materiel Command John B. Sams – U.S. Air Force lieutenant general and commander of 15th Air Force Marni Sawicki – former mayor of Cape Coral, Florida Peter Schoomaker – 35th chief of staff of the United States Army Norton A. Schwartz – 19th chief of staff of the Air Force Mary Sheffield – mayor of Detroit, former president of the Detroit City Council Lance L. Smith – U.S. Air Force general Michael D. Steele – U.S. Army colonel Stephen Twitty – U.S. Army major general, commanding officer of Fort Bliss Anthony Zinni – businessman and retired U.S. Marine Corps general
Sports
Curtis Adams – former National Football League running back for the San Diego Chargers Zach Azzanni – NFL wide receivers coach for the Las Vegas Raiders Phil Baroni – former professional MMA fighter formerly with the UFC Dan Bazuin – former NFL defensive end for the Chicago Bears Walter Beach – former NFL safety for the Cleveland Browns Nick Bellore – NFL fullback for the Washington Commanders Ray Bentley – former NFL linebacker, primarily with the Buffalo Bills; ESPN broadcaster Jim Bowman – former NFL defensive back for the New England Patriots Mark Brisker – American-Israeli professional basketball player Antonio Brown – former NFL wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers Josh Collmenter – former MLB player with the Arizona Diamondbacks Tyler Conklin – NFL tight end for the Los Angeles Chargers Paris Cotton –former CFL running back with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Tom Crean – head men's basketball coach for the Indiana Hoosiers (2008–2017) Todd Dagenais – former head coach for UCF Knights women's volleyball Titus Davis – former NFL wide receiver Tony F. Elliott – former NFL defensive back for the Green Bay Packers Paul Emmel – former MLB umpire Dietrich Enns – MLB pitcher Tony Ferguson (attended) – mixed martial artist, The Ultimate Fighter 13 winner, currently competing in the UFC's Lightweight Division Eric Fisher – former NFL offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts Eric Ghiaciuc – former NFL center for the Cincinnati Bengals Luke Goedeke – NFL offensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Josh Gordy – former NFL defensive back for the Indianapolis Colts Brock Gutierrez – former NFL center, primarily for the Detroit Lions Troy Hairston – former NFL fullback for the Houston Texans Gary Hogeboom – former NFL quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys Nate Huffman – professional basketball player, 2001 Israeli Basketball Premier League MVP Tory Humphrey – former NFL tight end for the New Orleans Saints Robert Jackson – former NFL defensive back for the Cincinnati Bengals Cullen Jenkins – former NFL defensive end for the Green Bay Packers Stephen Jones – former CFL All-Star and Grey Cup champion Chris Kaman – former NBA player Donte Kent – NFL defensive back for the Pittsburgh Steelers Adam Kieft – former NFL offensive tackle for the Cincinnati Bengals Chris Knapp – former MLB pitcher Dan LeFevour – former NFL quarterback with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, and Indianapolis Colts Andy MacDonald – former head coach for Northern Arizona Lumberjacks football (1965–1968) James McElroy – former NBA player for the New Orleans Jazz and the Atlanta Hawks Dan Majerle – former NBA player, primarily for the Phoenix Suns Zach McKinstry – MLB player currently with the Detroit Tigers Suzy Merchant – former women's basketball head coach, Michigan State Drew Mormino –former NFL offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins Shane Morris –former Arena Football League quarterback for the Baltimore Brigade Sean Murphy-Bunting – NFL cornerback for the Arizona Cardinals Lew Nichols III – NFL running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers Marguerite Pearson – former All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player and athletic instructor at CMU Kito Poblah – former CFL wide receiver, primarily for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers Jim Podoley – former NFL wide receiver for the Washington Redskins Ben Poquette – former NBA player for the Detroit Pistons Ryan Radcliff – former quarterback Bernhard Raimann – NFL offensive tackle for the Indianapolis Colts Thomas Rawls – former NFL running back for the Seattle Seahawks Mose Rison – former head coach for North Carolina Central Eagles football (2007–2010) Dan Roundfield – former NBA player, primarily with the Atlanta Hawks Cooper Rush – NFL quarterback for the Baltimore Ravens Chase Simon (born 1989) – basketball player for Maccabi Ashdod of the Israeli Basketball Premier League Joe Staley – former NFL offensive tackle, first-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers (2007) George "The Animal" Steele – former professional wrestler Kevin Tapani – former MLB pitcher, primarily with the Minnesota Twins Zurlon Tipton – former NFL running back for the Indianapolis Colts Tom Tresh – 1962 AL Rookie of the Year, former shortstop, primarily with the New York Yankees Jonathan Ward – former NFL running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers J. J. Watt – former NFL defensive lineman for the Houston Texans; left school after one year Grant Wolfram – MLB pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles Curt Young – former MLB pitcher, current pitching coach with the Oakland Athletics Frank Zombo – former NFL linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs
Miscellaneous Angeline Boulley – author of Firekeeper's Daughter Jeffrey R. Caponigro – president and CEO of Caponigro Public Relations, Inc Harold Cronk – screenwriter, director, producer and founding partner at 10 West Studios Alex Cruz – former British Airways CEO Cerelyn J. Davis – Memphis chief of police DDG – YouTuber and rapper Andrew Dost – pianist in the Grammy Award-winning band Fun Dennis Frederiksen – vocalist James Kamsickas – chairman and CEO of Dana Incorporated Brandi Love – pornographic actress Guy Newland – professor of Philosophy and Religion Karen J. Nichols – physician and former medical school dean Terry Nichols – participant in the Oklahoma City bombing (attended 1 semester) Jennifer Schomaker, chemist, professor, researcher Bill Schwab – fine art photographer Keith Sintay – animation artist Lori Nelson Spielman – author C. W. Thornthwaite – geographer and climatologist
Faculty Jeffrey Addicott – adjunct law professor Bill Ballenger – political science professor Stephen M. Colarelli – psychology professor Sidney Graham – math professor Mitchell K. Hall – history professor Eric A. Johnson – history professor Sari Ibrahim Khoury – art professor Charles V. Park – library science professor Paul Yu – philosophy professor
References