Being an alumnus of Eastern Illinois University makes one part of quite an impressive group. An EIU education has sparked a multitude of illustrious careers in a number of fields, and the achievements of each and every student — along with those of the remarkable individuals on this page — have helped this university leave its mark on the region, state, country, and even the world.
Arts, Entertainment, Literature
Burl Ives ex '31
- Singer/actor
- Academy Award for best supporting actor, The Big Country, 1958
Craig Titley '89
- Writer/producer
- The Cape (writer/producer)
- Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (screenplay)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (writer)
Jan Spivey Gilchrist '73
- Award-winning book illustrator
Jerry Van Dyke ex '55
- Actor/entertainer
Joan Allen ex '78
- Tony and SAG award recipient
- Three-time Academy Award nominee
John Malkovich ex '75
- Actor/director/producer
- Two-time Academy Award nominee
Luke Ryan '01
- Vice president of theatrical production, MGM motion picture group
- Former vice president, MTV Films
- Executive producer, Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle
Matthew Polenzani '91
- Internationally acclaimed tenor
- Richard Tucker Award, 2004
- Metropolitan Opera's Beverly Sills Artist Award, 2009
Randy Arney '78
- Actor
- Artistic director, Geffen Playhouse
- Former artistic director, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Business
Bob Jachino '59
- President and CEO, Thomson Information-Publishing Group (retired)
Daryll Fletcher '75, '76
- Vice president of quantitative research and analytics, Allstate Insurance Company (retired)
Don Gher '73
- Founder and managing director, Coldstream Capital Management (retired)
Ed Escalante '74
- Vice president and general manager, McKesson Pharmaceutical
- Former market president, Alliant Foodservice
Howard Kamerer '90, '91
- President and CEO, WOW Logistics
- Former President and CEO, Startec Global Communications
- Former COO and President, Allied Telesyn US and European Operations
Jack Dadam '65
- Retired co-CEO, Red Bull
- Responsible for bringing Red Bull to the United States
Jim Evans '68
- Former CEO, Jenny Craig
- Former CEO and board chairman, Best Western International
- Former senior vice president sales & marketing and operations, Hyatt
Jimmy Liautaud ex '88
- Founder and chairman of the board, Jimmy John's restaurants
John L. Heath '58
- Former president, CEO and chairman of the board, Heath Candy Company
Mark Grier '74, '75
- Chief financial officer, chairman and director, Prudential
- Former executive vice president, Chase Manhattan Bank
Paul Hopkins '78
- Chairman of the board and regional chairman of the Americas, Farmers Insurance
- Chairman of the board, Zurich Holding Company of America (Zurich Insurance)
Robert Manion '66
- Chief financial officer, Global Enterprise Group, Accenture (retired)
Robert A. Ingram '65
- Chairman, Elan Corporation
- Former CEO, Glaxo Wellcome
- Former vice chairman of pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline
Stephen Gosselin '79
- Vice president, customer services support division, Caterpillar Inc.
- Former vice president, North American Commercial Division, Caterpillar Inc.
- Former president, Solar Turbines
William Robinson '76
- Senior vice president and general manager, Pepsi Bottling Group (retired)
Yvette Moyo Gillard '74
- President, Real Men Cook/MOBE
- Executive director and co-founder, Real Men Charities, Inc.
Education
Al Bowman '76
- President, Illinois State University
Author Hughes '51
- President emeritus, University of San Diego
Barbara McLaughlin '71
- Disney American Teacher Award recipient
C. Nelson Grote '50
- President emeritus, Morehead State University
Gwendolyn Jordan Dungy '65, '67
- Executive director, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
H. Ray Hoops '62
- President emeritus, University of Southern Indiana
Joe Fatheree '89, '05
- Recipient, National Teacher of the Year, NEA Award for Teaching Excellence
- Illinois Teacher of the Year
John H. Keiser '58
- President emeritus, Missouri State University
Lou Hencken '66, '67
- President emeritus, Eastern Illinois University
Marvin E. Edwards '67
- Former superintendent of schools in Dallas, Texas; Topeka, Kansas; and Elgin, Illinois
Roseann Drew '70
- Founder and president, The Sunshine House
- Sixth-largest daycare provider in the United States
Tim McCollum '73, '77
- U.S. Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching
- Finalist, National Teacher of the Year/NEA Award for Teaching Excellence
- Illinois Teacher of the Year
Health/Science
Claibourne I. Dungy, M.D. '62
- Director, general pediatrics and adolescent medicine, University of Iowa Hospitals (retired)
Gordon Grado, M.D. '74
- Founder and medical director, Southwest Oncology Centers
- Noted cancer researcher
James Allen '79
- Former lead engineer, International Space Station payload and integration engineering groups
- Recipient of multiple achievement awards from the Boeing Company and NASA
Nancy Elwess '76
- National Association of Biology Teachers college professor of the year award recipient
- U.S. Presidential Award for Excellent in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring
- Board of directors, Mayo Clinic Alumni Association
Robert Millis '63
- Director, Lowell Observatory (retired)
- Noted researcher and astronomer
Ron Davis '64
- Director, Stanford Genome Technology Center, Stanford University
- Professor, biochemistry and genetics, Stanford University
- Member National Academy of Sciences
Sharon LeDuc '65
- Deputy director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center
News, Media
Karen Meyer '76
- President, Karen L. Meyer and Associates
- Feature reporter, ABC 7 Chicago
- Two-time recipient: "One of the 100 Women Who Are Making a Difference in Chicago"
Larry Smith ex '91
- Founder, JayeliTV
- Former CNN sports anchor
Ray D'Alessio '91
- Sports anchor, WAVE Louisville
- Former CNN sports anchor
Ted Gregory '81
- Writer, Chicago Tribune
- Pulitzer Prize recipient for investigative reporting
Todd Connor '87
- Anchor, WRTV Indianapolis
- Former anchor/correspondent, FOX News
- Former anchor/correspondent, ABC News
Public Service
Capt. Charles Hall ex '42
- Tuskegee Airman
- First African-American pilot in the U.S. armed forces to shoot down an enemy aircraft
Jim Edgar '68
- Former Illinois governor
- Former Illinois secretary of state
Major Carlos Ogden ex '40
- WWII Medal of Honor recipient
- Former director, California Selective Service
Sue Payton '72
- Assistant secretary of the Air Force (retired)
- Former deputy under secretary of defense
- Former aerospace industry executive
Vicki Freimuth '66
- Director, Southern Center for Communication, Health and Poverty
- Former associate director for communication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sports
Brad Childress '88
- Head Coach, Alliance Atlanta (Alliance of American Football)
- Former head coach, Minnesota Vikings
- Former offensive coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs
Dan Steele '92
- 2002 U.S. Olympian, bronze medal, bobsled
- U.S. Olympic trial qualifier, decathlon
- 1992 NCAA Division I 400M hurdle champion
Darrin Steele '92
- CEO, U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
- U.S. Olympian, bobsled
- U.S. Olympic trial qualifier, decathlon
Jimmy Garoppolo ex '13
- Quarterback, San Francisco 49ers
- Member of two Super Bowl championship teams
- Second-Round Selection, 2014 NFL Draft (New England Patriots)
John Craft '69, '74
- 1972 U.S. Olympian - 5th Place, Triple Jump
- Former American record holder in the triple jump
Joni Comstock '79
- NCAA senior vice president for championships
- Board of directors, National Association of Collegiate Women's Athletics Administrators
Kevin Duckworth '86
- Former NBA all-star
- Former NBA center: Trail Blazers, Bullets, Bucks, Clippers, Spurs
Kevin Seitzer '85
- Atlanta Braves hitting coach
- Former MLB all-star third baseman: Royals, Brewers, Indians
- Runner-up, 1987 American League Rookie of the Year
Marty Pattin '66
- Former MLB all-star
- Pitcher: Royals, Red Sox, Pilots, Brewers, Angels
Matt Hughes ex '96
- Former UFC welterweight champion
Mike Heimerdinger '75
- Former offensive coordinator, Tennessee Titans, Denver Broncos, New York Jets
Mike Shanahan '74, '75
- Two-time Super Bowl winner
- Former head coach, Los Angeles Raiders, Denver Broncos, Washington Redskins
Schellas Hyndman '73
- Head coach, FC Dallas, 2010 MLS champions
- Former head soccer coach, Southern Methodist University and EIU
Sean Payton '87
- Head coach, Denver Broncos
- Former head coach, New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions; 2006 NFL Coach of the Year
- Former offensive coordinator, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants
Tim Bogar '87
- First Base Coach, Washington Nationals
- Former MLB manager
- Former MLB infielder: Astros, Mets, Dodgers
Tony Romo ex '03
- Pro Bowl quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
- Lead Football Analyst, CBS Sports