List of Washington State University people

The Washington State University Alumni Association defines an alumnus as anyone who was a student at WSU and is no longer attending. This page lists accomplished alumni and faculty members of WSU.

Notable alumni

Academia

• Howard Bowen, 1929 B.A. Econ, '33 M.A. Econ., former president of Claremont University Center, the University of Iowa, Grinnell College, and the American Association of Higher Education. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1965.
• Mary E. Turner DeGarmo, 1926 B.A. Educ., developed the first and only detailed, comprehensive teaching text on transcribing musical compositions into Braille for blind musicians, a volume used worldwide. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1988.
• Weldon Gibson, 1938 B.A. Bus. Adm., executive vice president of Stanford Research Institute. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979.
• Henry Heald, 1923 B.S. Civil Engr., President of the Ford Foundation, New York University, Illinois Institute of Technology, & American Society for Engineering Education. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1962.
• Matsuyo Omori Yamamoto '37 B.A. Home Ec., served as the first chief of the Rural Home-living Improvement Section of Japan’s Ag. Extension; chief of the Education and Training Section, Home Economics Branch, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1967.

Animal Husbandry

• Leo Bustad, 1941 B.S. Ag., ’48 M.S. Ag., ’49 D.V.M., Dean of the WSU College of Veterinary Medicine from 1973-83, Pioneer in the international human-companion animal bond movement. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1984.
• John Gorham, 1946 B.S. Vet. Sci., '46 D.V.M., '47 M.S. Vet. Sci., Researcher in slow virus diseases, fur animal diseases, & animal models of human genetic diseases. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1993.
• Jack Gorski, 1956 M.S. Ani. Sci., 1958 Ph.D. Ani. Sci., discovered the estrogen receptor. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999.
• Charles Schroeder, 1929 D.V.M., Director of the San Diego Zoo for 19 years. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979.

The Arts, Literature & Media

• Sherman Alexie, 1994 B.A. Am. St., author & film maker. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003.
• Keith Jackson, 1954 B.A. Sp. Comm., ABC-TV sports commentator. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1978.
• Gary Larson, 1972 B.A. Comm., "Far Side" cartoonist. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1990.
• Edward R. Murrow, 1930 B.A. Speech, Father of Television News Broadcasting, WWII Radio Correspondent, Hear It Now radio program host, See It Now television program host. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1963.
• Barry Serafin, 1986 B.A. Hum., ABC news correspondent. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1991.
• Mary Turner DeGarmo, '26 B.A. Educ., pioneer in working with music & Braille.

Business

• Paul Allen, x'1977 (1973-75), co-founder of Microsoft, owner of Vulcan Enterprises, owner of the Seattle Seahawks & Portland Trailblazers, and philanthropist. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999.
• Scott E. Carson, B.A. Bus. Adm., vice president for sales at Boeing Commercial Airlines.
• Robert Stevenson, 1929 B.A. Econ., CEO, president, & board chairman of Allis-Chalmers; trustee of Carroll College; board chairman of the Medical College of Wisconsin; director of Northwest Mutual Life Insurance Company, Marshall & Ilsey Bank, and Universal Oil Products Company. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983.

Government, Law & Politics

• John Folger, 1914 B.S. Hort., '17 M.S. Hort., U.S. Ambassador to Belgium 1957-59, member of the Board of Governors of the New York Stock Exchange, & president of the Investment Bankers Association of America, and chaired the GOP National Finance Committee. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1963.
• Michael Lowry, 1962 B.A. Gen. St., Former Governor of Washington.
• Patty Murray, 1972 B.A. Rec., U.S. Senator representing Washington.
• Marshall Neill, 1936 B.A. Pol. Sci., Fed district court judge, Washington State Supreme Court judge. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979.
• George Nethercutt, 1967 B.A. Engl., U.S. Congressman from 1995-2005.

Humanities

• James Blackwell, 1959 Ph.D. Soc., national study ranked him fifth among black sociologists, living & dead, who made the most significant contribution to the field. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002.
• Timothy Leary, 1946 M.S. Psych.
• Laurence Peter, 1963 Ed.D., co-author the international best seller, "The Peter Principle: Why Things Go Wrong," & author of three sequels, "The Peter Prescription", "The Peter Plan," and "The Peter Pyramid." Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980.
• William Julius Wilson, 1966 Ph.D. Soc., wrote "The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass and Public Policy" and "The Declining Significance of Race"; one of nine people to receive the National Medal of Science for creativity, resolve & innovation. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1988.

Military

• Robert Higgins, 1957 B.S. Pharm., Navy Rear Admiral, Deputy Surgeon General, & Medical Corps chief. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002.
• Robert Russ, 1955 B.A. Bus. Adm., Four-star general in U.S. Air Force. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1992.

Science, Space & Technology

• John Abelson, 1960 B.S. Physics, Co-founder & president of Agouron Pharmaceuticals; through rational drug design developed Viracept, the leading drug used for controlling HIV infections, which cut the death rate in half among AIDS patients in the mid-1990s. Nephew of Philip Abelson and Neva Abelson. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2004.
• Neva Abelson, 1934 B.S. Chem., Developed the blood test for the Rh disease. Wife of Philip Abelson. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1989.
• Philip Abelson, 1933 B.S. Chem., '35 M.S. Physics, Father of nuclear-fueled submarine; Manhattan Project participant; Editor of Science Magazine. Husband of Neva Abelson. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1962.
• Jacob Bigeleisen 1941 M.S. Chem., founder of the modern school of isotope chemistry; Manhattan Project participant; researcher at Brookhaven National Laboratory; vice president for research, dean of Graduate Studies and a leading chemistry professor at State University of New York at Stony Brook. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983.
• William A. Bugge, 1922 B.S. Civil Engr., Washington director of highways from 1949-63, project director for design & construction of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) System in San Francisco. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980.
• John Fabian, 1962 B.S. Mech. Engr., NASA astronaut. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983.
• Charles Glen King, 1918 B.S. Chem., leading authority on Vitamin C. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1964.
• Simon S. Lam, 1969 B.S. Elec. Engr., 2004 ACM SIGCOMM Award winner.
• Irwin Rose, x'48, 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner for his research in immune defense and proteins; discoveries may lead to the development of drugs to combat Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease, cystic fibrosis, and cervical cancer. First year of undergraduate study was at WSU. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2005.
• Edmund Schweitzer, 1977 Ph.D. Elec. Engr., founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories.
• Karl Sax, 1916 B.S. Hort., Radiation biologist and geneticist. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1966.
• Orville Vogel, 1939 Ph.D. Agronomy, Wheat breeder whose findings sparked the "Green Revolution". Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1977.
• Allan Wilson, 1957 M.S. Zoo., Evolutionist. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1990.

Sports & Athletics

• Drew Bledsoe, 1993 B.A. Educ. NFL quarterback with the Dallas Cowboys.
• Bobo Brayton, 1950 B.A. Phys. Ed., '59 M.S. Phys. Ed., former WSU Baseball Coach.
• John Chaplin, 1963 B.A. Geography, WSU Track & Field Coach, 2000 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Coach.
• Danielle Fisher, expected 2007, at the age of 20, youngest person in the world to summit the tallest mountain on each continent (on June 2, 2005).
• Jason Hanson, 1993 B.S. Zoo., NFL Place Kicker.
• Craig Ehlo Former NBA Player.
• Mel Hein, 1931 B.S. Phys. Ed., All-American football player in 1930; 8-time all-pro with New York Giants. Received the WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983.
• Bernard Lagat, '00, Two-time Olympic track & field medallist in the 1500m.
• Ryan Leaf, x'99 (1995-98), former NFL quarterback with the San Diego Chargers.
• Keith Lincoln, 1961 B.A. Educ., '64 B.S. Phys. Ed., WSU football running back & kicker; record 206 yards rushing in the 1964 American Football League Championship game for the San Diego Chargers, two time Pro Bowl MVP.
• Gerry Lindgren, won 11 NCAA Track & Field distance running championships.
• Chad Little, Former NASCAR driver.
• Rien Long, 2003, only WSU player to win the Outland Trophy, current defensive tackle for the Tennessee Titans.
• Rueben Mayes, former NFL running back with the New Orleans Saints.
• John Olerud, former MLB first baseman for the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners.
• Henry Rono, former track & field world record holder in the 10,000m, 5,000m, 3,000m, and 3,000m steeplechase.
• Mark Rypien, former NFL quarterback, Super Bowl XXVI MVP with the Washington Redskins.
• Aaron Sele, Major League Baseball pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
• Wes Stock, former MLB pitcher.
• Jack Thompson, the "Throwin' Samoan," '84 Bus. Adm., former NFL quarterback.
• Marcus Trufant, 2003, NFL cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks.
• Ed Viesturs, 1987 D.V.M., one of 12 people in the world and the only American to climb the 14 tallest mountains in the world; Viesturs completed the task unaided by supplemental oxygen.

Notable Faculty

• James Asay, Institute of Shock Physics researcher. Member, National Academy of Engineering.
• LeRoy Ashby, Regents Professor of History, twice Washington Professor of the Year, author of "With Amusement for All: A History of American Popular Culture Since 1830."
• Buck Bailey, WSU baseball coach.
• V.N. Bhatia, former WSU Honors Program director, Knight of Denmark, Dannebrog Order.
• Anjan Bose, electrical engineering professor and former dean, developed training simulators and computational tools for reliable power-system operation. Member, National Academy of Engineering.
• Walter Clore, horticulture researcher, Father of Washington Wine Industry.
• R. James Cook, plant pathologist, cropping systems and biotechnology researcher, led first field test of a genetically modified organism in the Pacific Northwest. Member, National Academy of Sciences.
• Rodney Croteau, leader in biosynthesis of cancer-fighting Taxol, expert on terpenoids. Member, National Academy of Sciences.
• William Henry Dietz ("Lone Star Dietz"), WSU football coach, won First Annual Rose Bowl, professional football coach.
• Roald H. Fryxell, WSU professor of geology. The Fryxell crater on the Moon was named after him.
• Norman S. Golding, food scientist, inventor of Cougar Gold cheese.
• John Hirth, mechanical and materials engineer who characterized and modeled the behavior of materials at atomic and microstructural levels, including thin film formation useful to the semiconductor industry. Member, National Academy of Engineering.
• Kelvin Lynn, materials scientist, renowned for "positron annihilation" research. Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• Frances K. McSweeney, psychologist known for work on behavior and reinforcement, with findings on short-term changes in reinforcer effectiveness. Was WSU Meyer Distinguished Professor of Psychology. Fellow, Association for Behavior Analysis.
• Clarence A. "Bud" Ryan Jr., isolated and synthesized systemin, first polypeptide hormone found in plants, and discovered that plants produce natural insecticides in response to pest attacks. Member, National Academy of Sciences.
• Michael Skinner, molecular and reproduction biologist with discoveries in epigenetics including reduction in male fertility for four generations. Findings on "Discover" magazine's "100 top science stories of 2005."
• Samuel H. Smith, WSU President Emeritus; former NATO post-doctoral fellow.
• William J. Spillman, WSU professor of agriculture, wheat breeder, independently rediscovered Mendel's Law of Heredity, Father of Agricultural Economics.
• Orville Vogel, WSU and USDA wheat breeder, developer of semi-dwarf wheat varieties that fueled the Green Revolution. Recipient, National Medal of Science.
• Diter vonWettstein, plant geneticist, internationally recognized for genetically modifying barley for brewing processes and disease resistance. National Academy of Sciences foreign associate. Member, Royal Danish Academy of Sciences.