List of Wheaton College (Illinois) alumni

This list of Wheaton College alumni includes notable individuals who studied as undergraduates or graduate students at Wheaton College (Illinois).

Academia

• Bart D. Ehrman, 1978 – Distinguished Professor of Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• John J. Tyson, 1969 – Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech and former president of the Society for Mathematical Biology
• C. Stephen Evans, BA philosophy, 1969 – University Professor of Philosophy and the Humanities at Baylor University
• Nathan O. Hatch, (summa cum laude) 1968 – former president of Wake Forest University and provost of University of Notre Dame
• Arthur F. Holmes – philosopher and professor at Wheaton College
• Douglas Jacobsen, BA philosophy, 1973 – scholar of global Christianity, Distinguished Professor at Messiah University
• Walter Kaiser Jr. – Old Testament scholar
• Robert A. Kraft – historian of early Judaism and Christianity at the University of Pennsylvania
• Merritt Maduke, BS chemistry (summa cum laude), 1989 – Associate Professor of Molecular & Cellular Physiology at Stanford University
• Gerald P. McKenny, BA philosophy, 1979 – Walter Professor of Theology at University of Notre Dame
• Niel B. Nielson, BA philosophy, 1976 – former president of Covenant College
• Mark Noll, BA English – professor of history at University of Notre Dame
• Phil Ryken, BA English literature and philosophy, 1988 – former pastor of Tenth Presbyterian Church and current president of Wheaton College
• Daniel W. Smith, BA literature
• John H. Walton – Old Testament scholar
• Marvin R. Wilson, BA history – Professor of Biblical Studies at Gordon College

Business

• Dwayne Andreas. former CEO of Archer Daniels Midland ADM
• Robert Van Kampen, 1960, founder of the investment banking firm Van Kampen
• Theodore W. Jones, Canadian-born American businessman, and politician; attended for three years
• Robert W. Lane, former CEO of John Deere
• C. William Pollard, former chairman and CEO of ServiceMaster
• Joe Drygas , VP of AT&T

Civil Rights

• C. Herbert Oliver, civil rights activist

Media, arts and entertainment

• Jim Abel – singer-songwriter
• Nuala Archer – Irish-American poet
• Scott Baker – journalist, editor in chief of The Blaze
• Wes Craven, writing and psychology – horror film director
• Piper Curda – singer and actress
• Ian Eskelin, BA Communications – singer-songwriter, All Star United
• Cathleen Falsani, 1992 – journalist; columnist for Chicago Sun-Times
• Colyn Fischer, Bachelor of Music Performance, 1999 – violinist
• Jason Harrod – singer-songwriter, Harrod and Funck
• Carol Huston – actress, Matlock
• Camille and Kennerly Kitt – twin harpists and actresses
• Margaret Landon, 1925 – author of the novel Anna and the King of Siam
• Elliot Leung – film composer – The Battle at Lake Changjin, the highest grossing non-English film of all time
• Kurt Lightner – artist
• Adam McCune, BA, 2006 – co-author of the novel The Rats of Hamelin
• Sylvia McNair, Bachelor of Music, 1978 – soprano
• John Nelson, Bachelor of Music, 1963, DMUS 1989 – conductor
• Jeffrey Nordling, BA, 1984 – actor
• Martin O'Donnell, Bachelor of Music, 1977 – composer, Halo video game series
• Kate Pierson – singer with the B-52s
• Kenneth Pobo - poet
• Walter Ratliff, MA Communications – journalist
• Luci Shaw, BA English Literature/New Testament Greek, magna cum laude, poet
• Mischa Willett - poet
• Robert H. Siegel, BA, 1961 – poet, novelist
• Wendy White, Bachelor of Music, 1975 – mezzo-soprano
• Douglas Yeo, Bachelor of Music, 1976 – bass trombonist
• Ken Klippenstein, Bachelor of Arts English Literature, 2010 – Journalist

Politics

• David J. Apol – Acting Director of U.S. Office of Government Ethics (2017–2018)
• Torrey C. Brown – Secretary, Maryland Department of Natural Resources
• Dan Coats – Director of National Intelligence (2017–2019), U.S. Senator (R-IN) (1989–1999, 2011–2017)
• Michael Gerson – senior advisor to President George W. Bush (2000–2006)
• Richard C. Halverson – chaplain, U.S. Senate (1981–1994)
• Dennis Hastert – U.S. Representative (R-IL) (1987–2007), former Speaker of the House
• Paul B. Henry – U.S. Representative (R-MI) (1985–1993)
• David Iglesias – U.S. Attorney, District of New Mexico (2001–2006)
• Jim McDermott – U.S. Representative (D-WA) (1989–2017)
• Abram B. Steele – New York State Assembly (1904–1906)
• Russell Vought – Director, Office of Management and Budget (2020–2021)
• Tim Walberg – U.S. Representative (R-MI) (2007–2009, 2011–present)
• Timothy Weeden – Wisconsin State Legislature (1987–1997)
• David Young – Nixon administration (1970–1973); co-founder of the Nixon Administration's White House Plumbers

Religion

• David Anders – later Catholic convert; author, radio host on EWTN, main contributor to "Called to Communion - Catholic and Reformed Dialogue" website
• Juanita Breckenridge Bates – Congregationalist minister
• Rob Bell – founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church and featured speaker in NOOMA films
• Paul-Gordon Chandler – Episcopal priest, author and interfaith advocate
• Edmund Clowney – theologian and president of Westminster Theological Seminary
• Mal Couch – founder and president of the Tyndale Theological Seminary
• William Lane Craig – apologist, professor of philosophy at Talbot School of Theology, author of The Kalam Cosmological Argument
• Chip Edgar – Anglican bishop of South Carolina
• Jim Elliot – martyred missionary
• Elisabeth Elliot – author, noted missionary; widow of Jim Elliot
• David Otis Fuller – author, pastor, founder of the "Which Bible?" Society, editor of the Baptist Bulletin
• Bill Gothard – minister and author, former president of the Institute in Basic Life Principles
• Billy Graham – evangelist
• Ruth Graham – author and poet, wife of Billy Graham
• Carl F. H. Henry – first editor-in-chief of the magazine Christianity Today
• Paul King Jewett – theologian and professor at Fuller Theological Seminary
• Daniel C. Juster – leader in the Messianic Judaism movement
• Harold Lindsell – former editor of the magazine Christianity Today
• Ed McCully – martyred missionary
• Josh McDowell – Evangelical Christian apologist and evangelist. Author or co-author of over 150 books.
• Alvera Mickelsen, 1942 – writer, journalism professor, advocate of Christian feminism and co-founder of Christians for Biblical Equality
• John Ortberg – pastor and author
• John Piper – pastor and author
• Stewart Ruch – Anglican bishop of the Upper Midwest
• Nate Saint – martyred missionary
• Steve Saint – author, missionary; son of Nate Saint
• Burton Smith – minister and community organizer
• Jon M. Sweeney – author, editor, book publisher
• Kenneth N. Taylor – paraphraser of The Living Bible and founder of Tyndale Publishers
• Frances E. Townsley – minister
• A. W. Tozer – minister and author
• John Walvoord – author and former president of Dallas Theological Seminary
• Gary Wilde – minister and author
• Philip Yancey – author and editor
• - Founder of , a youth ministry in Hong Kong and Taiwan

Science

• James S. Albus (1935–2011), B.S. 1957 – engineer at the National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Harold Alden (1890–1964), 1912 – astronomer
• Arthur J. Ammann, 1958 – pediatric immunologist; pioneer in understanding HIV transmission, helped develop pneumococcal vaccine
• Paul Werner Gast (1930–1973), 1952 – geochemist and geologist
• J. Laurence Kulp (1921–2006), 1942 – geochemist; pioneer in radiometric dating methods
• Ronald C. Phillips (1932–2005), 1954 – marine botanist; pioneer in seagrass science
• John Wesley Powell (1834–1902), – 19th-century geologist and explorer of the American West
• Dr. Taylor McKenzie - The first Navajo to graduate from a medical school. A surgeon and former Navajo Nation Vice President.

Sports

• Marshall Hollingsworth, 2015 – professional soccer player
• Pete Ittersagen, 2009 – NFL cornerback, Tennessee Titans
• Donnie Nelson, 1986 – General Manager, Dallas Mavericks
• Mel Peterson, 1960 – former NBA player
• Randy Pfund, 1974 – General Manager, Miami Heat
• Andy Studebaker, 2008 – NFL linebacker, Kansas City Chiefs

Other

• Todd Beamer, 1991 – passenger aboard United Airlines Flight 93
• Clinton F. Irwin – Justice of the Oklahoma Territorial Supreme Court (1899–1907)
• Raymond Joseph, 1960 – former Haitian Ambassador to the United States
• Trevor N. McFadden, 2001 – Judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
• Samuel H. Sedgwick, Justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court
• Edward Breathitte Sellers, 1866 – first Wheaton College graduate of color
• Timothy Stoen, 1960 – member of Peoples Temple; Jonestown defector
• Dave Theurer – game designer; created Missile Command and Tempest for Atari
• R. Timothy Ziemer – Navy admiral and global health expert

References