This is a list of notable students and faculty of Shimer College, a Great Books college that was acquired in 2017 by North Central College.

Founded in 1853, Shimer occupied a traditional college campus in Mount Carroll, Illinois, from 1853 to 1978, and an improvised campus in Waukegan from 1979 to 2006. It then occupied a dedicated space on the Illinois Institute of Technology campus in Chicago since 2006. Small throughout its existence, Shimer enrolled 141 students as of 2012. As of 2008, Shimer had 5,615 living alumni. On June 1, 2017, the college became the Shimer Great Books School of North Central College.

The school was known for its Great Books curriculum, and also for its early entrance program, both of which have been in effect since 1950. Many on this list were early entrants.

A

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationStephen AbramsParapsychologist and drug law reform activist1950s studentJosé AybarPresident of Richard J. Daley College1964 graduate

B

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationFrederick C. BeiserScholar of German Idealist thought1971 graduateJohn Bellairs Novelist 1960s facultyBeulah BondiFilm actress1907 graduateAlice BraunlichClassical philologist1910s facultyRachel Fuller BrownChemist and coinventor of nystatin1920s facultyCarol BruchLegal scholar1960 graduateRon BruderEntrepreneur and founder of Education for Employment1960s student

C

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationSamuel James CampbellBusinessman and philanthropist1909 certificate, chairman of the board 1935–1956Lynda CaspePainter, sculptor and poet1960s studentLisa Collier CoolAuthor and journalist1970s studentPeter CooleyPoet and professor of English at Tulane University1962 graduateHeather CorinnaAuthor, sex columnist and activist1990s studentJohn Nathan CrouseDentist, organizer of patent litigation, and American Dental Association president1860s student

D

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationBina DeneenFirst Lady of Illinois, 1904–19121890 graduate; 1889–1890 facultyStephen DobynsPoet and novelist1960s studentGeorge W. DownsPolitical scientist1967 graduateAlan DowtyInternational relations scholar1959 graduate, 1966–1967 facultyVirginia DoxFrontier educator, popular public speaker, key Whitman College fundraising agent1875 graduate, 1875–1877 facultyDale DubinAuthor of bestselling cardiology textbook1950s student

E

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationDorian ElectraSinger and video artist2014 graduate

F

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationVirgil FergusonMember of the Illinois State Senate 1891–18951860s studentArthur FinePhilosopher of science1950s studentKen FriedmanExperimental artist and author1966

G

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationRobert H. GrayAmateur astronomer and writer on SETI1970 graduateEvelyn GreeleySilent film actress1900s student (disputed)Redd GriffinIllinois state legislator1960 graduate

H

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationHenry Winfield HaldemanPhysician, banker and two-term mayor of Girard, Kansas1860s studentMitzi HoagTV actress1952 graduate

J Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationRandolph JacksonNew York Supreme Court justice and co-founder of Metropolitan Black Bar Association1960s student

K

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationRobert KeohaneProfessor of Political Science at Princeton University1961 graduateC. Clark KissingerPolitical activist1960s studentKen KnabbWriter and translator1965 graduatePenney Kome Canadian author and journalist, editor of Straight Goods1960s studentAdam KotskoWriter on philosophy and popular cultureFaculty 2011–presentJesse KraaiChess Grandmaster1994 graduateJerome KristianCosmologist and discoverer of quasar host galaxies1953 graduate

L

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationJake La BotzMusician and actor1980s studentKevin LarmeePainter in the East Village art movement1960s student, 1990 graduate. Does not distinguish between graduates and non-graduates.Emil LieblingPianist and composer1900s facultyThomas LockerArtist and author1970s faculty

M

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationGavin MacFadyenInvestigative journalist and documentary filmmaker1958–1959 studentAnnie Marion MacLeanSociologist1894–1896 facultyJohn Norman MacleanAuthor and journalist1964Samuel W. McCallGovernor of Massachusetts1864–1866 studentAnne McKnight (Anna de Cavalieri)Opera soprano1943 graduateSuzanna Whitelaw MilesMayanist1940–1942 studentH.H.C. MillerEarly Evanston mayor and civic leader1860–1864 student

N

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationDebbie NathanFeminist journalist and writer1960s studentHenry NeikirkMine owner and Colorado state senator1850s studentMary NourseHistorian of China and co-founder of Jinling College1899 graduateJan NovákCzech novelist and screenwriter1970s student

O

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationKenneth OlwigGeographer1967 graduateJinny OsbornSinger and founding member of The Chordettes1945 graduate

P

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationMia ParkTV show host and actress1995 graduateTheodore PepoonNebraska state senator1850s studentDaniel PerlmanPresident of Suffolk University and Webster University1954 graduateNick PippengerResearcher in computer science1965 graduateFrank PoolerChoirmaster and choral instructor1950s facultyEdwin Hartley PrattHomeopathic physician and inventor of "orificial surgery"1864–1865 student

R

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationJ. Morris ReaIowa state senator1850s–1860s studentJen RichardsWriter, actress, producer, and activist2000s student

S

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationDaniel J. SandinComputer graphics and visual arts pioneer1964 graduateRon SchultzFlorida State Representative1950s studentFrances ShimerEducator; founder and principal of Mount Carroll Seminary, which later became Shimer CollegeFounderHenry ShimerEntomologist and physician19th-century faculty, husband of founder Frances ShimerNeta SnookPioneer aviator and teacher of Amelia Earhart1912 graduatePhoebe SnowSinger-songwriter1970s studentLaurie SpiegelComposer and computer scientist1967 graduateSydney SpieselPediatrician and clinical faculty at Yale University School of Medicine1961 graduateSarah Hackett StevensonFirst female delegate of the American Medical Association1850s studentChicago Women: Sarah StevensonPaula StewartStage, film and television actress1947

V

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationElizabeth Van Wie DavisAsian studies scholar and administrator at Nazarbayev University1977 graduateElizabeth VandiverClassicist and classics educator1976 graduate

W

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationDavid WeisburdCriminologist1970s studentDavid Hilton WheelerItalian translator and Northwestern University and Allegheny College president1850s facultyLilian WhitingAuthor and editor19th-century student Mary WingsWriter, artist, and musician1960s studentRoland WinstonExpert in nonimaging optics for solar energy1953 graduate

Y

Name Known for Relationship to Shimer College CitationCat YronwodeComic book publisher and folklorist1960s student

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