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
Joan Allen ex '78
- Tony and SAG award recipient
- Three-time Academy Award nominee
Jan Spivey Gilchrist '73
- Award-winning book illustrator
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
Jerry Van Dyke ex '55
- Actor/Entertainer
Randy Arney '78
- Actor
- Artistic director, Geffen Playhouse
- Former artistic director, Steppenwolf Theatre Company
Burl Ives ex '31
- Singer/Actor
- Academy Award for best supporting actor, The Big Country, 1958
Matthew Polenzani ‘91
- Internationally acclaimed tenor
- Richard Tucker Award, 2004
- Metropolitan Opera’s Beverly Sills Artist Award, 2009
Craig Titley '89
- Writer/Producer
- The Cape (writer/producer)
- Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief (screenplay)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars (writer)
Business
Jack Dadam '65
- Retired co-CEO, Red Bull
- Responsible for bringing Red Bull to the United States
Jim Evans ’68
- Former chief executive officer, Jenny Craig
- Former chief executive officer and board chairman, Best Western International
- Former Senior Vice President Sales & Marketing and Operations, Hyatt
Daryll Fletcher '75, '76
- Vice president of quantitative research and analytics, Allstate Insurance Company, retired
Stephen Gosselin '79
- Vice president, customer services support division, Caterpillar Inc.
- Former vice president, North American Commercial Division, Caterpillar Inc.
- Former president, Solar Turbines
Mark Grier ’74, ’75
- Chief financial officer, vice 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)
Bob Jachino '59
- President and chief executive officer, Thomson Information-Publishing Group, retired
Robert Manion ’66
- Chief financial officer, Global Enterprise Group, Accenture, retired
Ed Escalante '74
- Vice president and general manager, McKesson Pharmaceutical
- Former market president, Alliant Foodservice
Yvette Moyo Gillard '74
- President at Real Men Cook/MOBE
- Executive director and co-founder, Real Men Charities, Inc.
Don Gher ’73
- Founder and managing director, Coldstream Capital Management, retired
John L. Heath '58
- Former president, CEO and chairman of the board, Heath Candy Company
Robert A. Ingram '65
- Chairman, Elan Corporation
- Former chief executive officer, Glaxo Wellcome
- Former vice chairman of pharmaceuticals, at GlaxoSmithKline
Jimmy Liautaud ex '88
- Founder and chairman of the board, Jimmy John’s restaurants
William Robinson '76
- Senior vice president and general manager, Pepsi Bottling Group, retired
Education
Al Bowman '76
- President, Illinois State University
Gwendolyn Jordan Dungy '65,'67
- Executive director, National Association of Student Personnel Administrators
Joe Fatheree ’89, ‘05
- Recipient, National Teacher of the Year, NEA Award for Teaching Excellence
- Illinois Teacher of the Year
Lou Hencken ’66, ’67
- President Emeritus, Eastern Illinois University
Author Hughes '51
- President Emeritus, University of San Diego
Tim McCollum ’73, ’77
- Recipient, Horace Mann Award for Teaching Excellence
- Finalist, National Teacher of the Year, NEA Award for Teaching Excellence
- Illinois Teacher of the Year
Roseann Drew '70
- Founder and President, The Sunshine House
- Sixth-largest daycare provider in the United States
Marvin E. Edwards '67
- Former superintendent of schools in Dallas, Texas; Topeka, Kansas; and Elgin, Illinois
C. Nelson Grote ‘50
- President Emeritus, Morehead State University
H. Ray Hoops ’62
- President Emeritus, University of Southern Indiana
John H. Keiser '58
- President Emeritus, Missouri State University
Barbara McLaughlin ’71
- Disney American Teacher Award recipient
Health/Science
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
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
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
Nancy Elwess ’76
- National Association of Biology Teachers college professor of the year award recipient
- US Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring
- Board of directors, Mayo Clinic Alumni Association
Sharon LeDuc '65
- Deputy director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Climatic Data Center
News, Media
Todd Connor ‘87
- Anchor, WRTV Indianapolis
- Former anchor/correspondent, FOX News
- Former anchor/correspondent, ABC News
Ted Gregory '81
- Writer, Chicago Tribune
- Pulitzer Prize recipient for investigative reporting
Larry Smith ex '91
- Founder, JayeliTV
- Former CNN sports anchor
Ray D’Alessio ’91
- Sports Anchor, WAVE Louisville
- Former CNN sports anchor
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"
Public Service
Jim Edgar '68
- Former Illinois Governor
- Former Secretary of State
Capt. Charles Hall ex ‘42
- Tuskegee Airman
- First African-American pilot in the US armed forces to shoot down an enemy aircraft
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 & Poverty
- Former associate director for communication, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Major Carlos Ogden ex '40
- WWII Medal of Honor recipient
- Former director, California Selective Service
Sports
Tim Bogar ’87
- MLB Coach
- Former MLB infielder, Astros, Mets, Dodgers
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 and Spurs
Matt Hughes ex ’96
- UFC welterweight champion
Marty Pattin ’66
- Former MLB All-Star
- Pitcher, Royals, Red Sox, Pilots, Brewers, Angels
Tony Romo ex’03
- Pro Bowl quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
Mike Shanahan '74 '75
- Head Coach, Washington Redskins
- Two-Time Super Bowl Winner
- Former head coach, Los Angeles Raiders and Denver Broncos
Darrin Steele ’92
- Chief executive officer, US Bobsled and Skeleton Federation
- US Olympian, bobsled
- US Olympic trial qualifier, decathlon
Brad Childress ’88
- Offensive Coordinator, Cleveland Browns
- Former head coach, Minnesota Vikings
- Former offensive coordinator, Philadelphia Eagles
John Craft ’69, ’74
- 1972 US Olympian, 5th triple jump
- Former American record holder in the triple jump
Mike Heimerdinger ’75
- Former offensive coordinator, Tennessee Titans
- Former offensive coordinator, Denver Broncos and New York Jets
Schellas Hyndman ’73
- Head coach, FC Dallas, 2010 MLS champions
- Former head soccer coach, Southern Methodist University and EIU
Sean Payton ’87
- Head Coach, New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl XLIV champions
- 2006 NFL Coach of the Year
- Former offensive coordinator, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants
Kevin Seitzer ’85
- MLB Hitting Coach
- Former MLB All-Star third baseman, Royals, Brewers, Indians
- Runner-up, 1987 American League Rookie of the Year
Dan Steele ‘92
- 2002 US Olympian, bronze medal, bobsled
- US Olympic trial qualifier, decathlon
- 1992 NCAA Division I 400M hurdle champion
