List of Texas Tech University alumni

File:Frazier Alumni Pavilion Front Wide 2.jpg

The Frazier Alumni Pavilion and Plaza

Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public, coeducational, research university located in Lubbock, Texas. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the sixth largest student body in the state of Texas. It is the only school in Texas to house an undergraduate institution, law school, and medical school at the same location. Initial enrollment in 1925 was 910 students; as of 2009, the university has 30,049 students from more than 110 countries, all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia. Since the university's first graduating class in 1927 of 26 students, Texas Tech has awarded more than 221,000 degrees, including 45,000 graduate and professional degrees to its alumni. The Texas Tech Alumni Association, with over 27,000 members, operates more than 120 chapters in cities throughout the United States and the world.

Throughout Texas Tech's history, alumni have played prominent roles in many different fields. Among the university's Distinguished Alumni is Demetrio B. Lakas, President of the Republic of Panama from 1969 to 1978. Three United States Governors, Daniel I. J. Thornton, Governor of Colorado from 1951 to 1955, John Burroughs, Governor of New Mexico from 1959 to 1961, and Preston Smith, Governor of Texas from 1968 to 1972, are graduates of the university. Three astronauts, including Rick Husband, the final commander of Space Shuttle Columbia and recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. U.S. Marine Corps Major and Medal of Honor recipient, George H. O'Brien, Jr., is a distinguished alumnus. Richard E. Cavazos is a two-time Distinguished Service Cross recipient and the first Hispanic and Mexican American to advance to the rank of four-star general in the U.S. Army. The school's influence on the business world is seen in such people as General Motors Chairman and CEO Edward Whitacre, Jr., Finisar CEO Jerry S. Rawls, Belo Corporation CEO Dunia A. Shive, and Wellpoint, Inc. president and CEO Angela Braly, ranked by Fortune magazine as the most powerful woman in business. Others among the university's alumni are folk rocker John Denver, country singer Pat Green, and actor George Eads. John Hinckley, Jr., who attempted to assassinate U.S. President Ronald Reagan in 1981, attended the university sporadically from 1973 to 1980.

Alumni

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• "—" indicates that class year is unknown.
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Arts and literature

Name Class Year Awards Notability References Mechelle Avey — Author Rachel Caine 1985 Author John Fincher — Artist Ruth Hurmence Green 1935 Author Grace Halsell — Writer Barry Spencer Hughes 1990 Architect, athlete Stephen Graham Jones — Author Anne Leaton — Author Ken Little 1970 Sculptor Jim Marrs — Author Casey McCallister 2004 Photographer Lawson McDowell 1972 Author Ruben Quesada — Poet Jodi Thomas — Author Robert Whitehill — Author

File:Stephen graham jones 8993.JPG Stephen Graham Jones Jim Marrs

Business

Name Class Year Awards Notability References Malouf Abraham, Sr. (did not graduate) Oil and natural gas businessman; Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Hemphill County, 1967-1971; brother of Malouf Abraham, Sr. Tom Abraham 1932 Businessman and philanthropist in Canadian, Texas; a founder of the Red Raiders Club and the Red Raiders Association of Parents Hussein Al Uzri 1985 Head of the Trade Bank of Iraq Scott Arkbuckle — CEO, Eljer Industries Angela Braly 1982 President and CEO, WellPoint, Inc. Blake Buchanan — Founder and president, Bahama Buck's J. Fred Bucy 1951 Former CEO, Texas Instruments R. Trent Campbell — Former CEO, Mosher Steel C.A. Cash 1935 Former president and CEO, Diamond Shamrock R.D. Cash — Former president and CEO, Questar Corporation Richard L. Clemmer — CEO, Agere Systems Ed Cunningham — Jabus T. "Jay" Davis 1973 Former Global Accounts Manager, Schlumberger Oilfield Services; current COO, Supreme Oilfield Services Phillip L. Frederickson — Executive VP, ConocoPhillips B.R. Griffin — CEO, Griffin Companies Jim Humphreys 1947 Former manager of Pitchfork Ranch, east of Lubbock Mark W. Jackson — President of EchoStar Technologies James Johnson — Chairman emeritus and former CEO, GTE Robert J. Lewis 1949 CEO, US Bank Cindi Love 1984 Robert Marting 1996 Fitness trainer Judy Odom — Founder and CEO, Software Spectrum R. Randall Onstead — Former CEO, Randall's Food Markets Robert Palmer — Former CEO, Digital Equipment Corporation Jerry S. Rawls — President and CEO, Finisar Corporation Dunia Shive — President and chief executive officer, Belo Corp. Edward Tian Shuoning — Former CEO, China Netcom; co-founder, AsiaInfo William Snyder — Former CEO, GEICO Jim Sowell — Founder and CEO, Jim Sowell Construction Company Bobby G. Stevenson — Chairman of the board and co-founder, Ciber, Inc. Charles "Tex" Thornton 1935 Founder and CEO, Litton Industries Edward R. Tinsley, III — Law school graduate; chairman, K-Bob's Steakhouse chain; New Mexico rancher; political activist Allan Tomlinson, Jr. — Former president, Valero J. Rex Vardeman — Founder, Harris Communications Gene Walker 1947 Rancher and businessman in Webb County Edward Whitacre, Jr. 1964 Chairman of General Motors; former chairman and CEO, AT&T Alan White — CEO, Plains Capital Corporation

Education

Name Class Year Awards Notability References W. J. Adkins 1938 (M.A.) Founding president of Laredo Community College in Laredo, Texas, 1947-1160 B W Aston 1962 (B.S.), 1964 (M.S.), 1972 (Ph.D) Historian Paul H. Carlson 1973 (Ph.D.) Historian of Texas and the American West Jo Carr 1947 United Methodist minister William N. Ellis — 19th President of Howard Payne University Margaret Formby 1950 Founder of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Sandra S. Harper 1974 President, Our Lady of the Lake College, LA Michael Hinojosa 1979 Superintendent of Dallas Independent School District (2005–2011, 2015–present), Cobb County School District (2011–2014) Walter B. Huffman 1967 (B.A.), 1968 (M.Ed.), 1977 (J.D.) Texas Tech University School of Law dean; former United States Army Judge Advocate General Billy Mac Jones — Fifth President of Southwest Texas State University; 8th President of Memphis State University Jeffry H. Larson 1980 Willard Hughes Rollings 1983 Historian of Native Americans David J. Schmidly 1966 (B.A), 1968 (M.S.) 20th president of the University of New Mexico; former Texas Tech University president; former Oklahoma State University president Barry B. Thompson — 10th Chancellor of the Texas A&M University System Ernest Wallace 1935 Historian

Walter B. Huffman File:David J Schmidley.jpg David J. Schmidly

Entertainment

Name Class Year Awards Notability References Bud Andrews (did not graduate) Radio DJ G. W. Bailey 1966 Actor Will Bigham 1998 Winner of the 2007 reality series On the Lot Todd Brunson (did not graduate) Professional poker player Jerry "Bo" Coleman — Radio broadcaster in Lubbock; currently at KDAV AM Barry Corbin 1964 Actor Dayna Devon (did not graduate) Journalist Colby Donaldson — Actor Aaron Durbin 2004 B.A. 2008 M.P.A. Comedian George Eads 1990 Actor Lane Elenburg — Big Brother 12 contestant Andy Fickman — Film director Clint Formby 1949 Radio broadcaster Johnny Hardwick — Comedian; voice actor Anne Hudson 1999 Radio and TV personality Brad Leland 1980 Actor Michael Morrison — Actor Joe Norman — Actor Keith Samples 1977 Writer, producer William Shockley — Actor Duane Simolke 1996 Actor Steve Tanner — Radio host Jack Tippit 1947 Cartoonist Ed Wilkes — Radio personality Tyler Willis 2002 (B.A.), 2004 (M.A.) Miss Texas USA, 2005

G.W. Bailey Todd Brunson File:Dayna Devon.jpg Dayna Devon George Eads

Government, law, and public policy

Name Class Year Awards Notability References Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari (did not graduate) Convicted of plotting bomb attack on USA Jodey Arrington 1994 (B.S.), 1997 (M.P.A.) Former Chief of Staff, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; current Chief of Staff, Texas Tech University System; Distinguished Alumni, MPA Program Valinda Bolton 1986 Texas State Representative, District 47 Bob Bullock 1955 Former Lieutenant Governor of Texas; former Texas Comptroller John Burroughs 1929 Former Governor of New Mexico Dustin Burrows 2004 Texas State Representative, District 83 (2014– ) Waggoner Carr 1940 Former Texas Attorney General Warlick Carr 1940 Attorney John Carter 1964 United States Representative, Texas District 31 Lauro Cavazos 1949 (B.S.), 1951 (M.S.) Former Texas Tech University president; former U.S. Secretary of Education Bill G. Chapman 1973 Advocate for the blind, author Tim Cole (did not graduate) First person in Texas to be posthumously acquitted of a crime based on DNA evidence; namesake of the Tim Cole Compensation Act of Texas Louis Conradt — Attorney Kilmer B. Corbin — Former Texas State Senator, District 28 Tom Craddick 1965 Texas State Representative, District 82 Samuel Ray Cummings 1967 United States District Court Judge, Northern District of Texas James G. Denton 1938 Associate Justice, Texas Supreme Court Robert L. Duncan 1976 Texas State Senator, District 28 Marshall Formby 1932 Former Texas State Senator, District 30 William Royal Furgeson, Jr. 1964 United States District Court Judge, Western District of Texas Ruben Garcia Jr. 1973 Former Executive Assistant Director, Federal Bureau of Investigation Millard Hall — Journalist and political consultant; served as press secretary to Texas Governor Preston Smith; instrumental in the creation of the Texas Film Commission Kent Hance 1965 Former United States Representative, Texas District 19; Texas Tech University System Chancellor Joseph P. Heflin 1993 (J.D.) Texas State Representative, District 85 from Crosbyton Harvey Hilderbran 1983 Texas State Representative, District 53 from Kerrville John Hinckley, Jr. (did not graduate) Attempted assassin of United States President Ronald Reagan Carl Isett 1987 Former Texas State Representative, District 84 Phil Johnson 1975 Texas Supreme Court Justice, Place 8 Delwin Jones 1949 Texas State Representative, District 83 Robert A. Junell 1969 Senior status United States District Court Judge, Western District of Texas Jim Keffer 1975 Texas State Representative from District 60 Demetrio B. Lakas 1963 Former President of the Republic of Panama Pete Laney 1965 Former Texas State Representative W. Mark Lanier 1984 Attorney Tom Martin 1970 Former Mayor of Lubbock, Texas Jim McReynolds 1987 (J.D.) Texas State Representative, District 12 Ron Miller 1982 Former Chief Information Officer, FEMA Joseph Moody — Texas State Representative, District 78 Tibor P. Nagy 1972 Former United States Ambassador to Ethiopia, Guinea Randy Neugebauer 1972 United States Representative, Texas District 19 Larry A. Olson 1972 Texas Department of Information Resources, executive director Randy Pendleton 1959 Texas State Representative, District 73 Charles Perry 1984 Texas State Senate, District 28 Edward Rappaport 1988 Deputy Director, National Hurricane Center Ron Reynolds Member of the Texas House of Representatives from Missouri City since 2011 Lionel Rivera 1979 Mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado Bill Sarpalius 1972 Former Texas State Senator, District 31; former United States Representative, Texas District 13 Clay Sell 1989 Former Deputy Secretary, United States Department of Energy Preston Smith 1934 Former Governor of Texas John T. Smithee 1976 (J.D.) Texas State Representative, District 86 from Amarillo Burt Solomons 1977 Texas State Representative, District 65 James C. Spencer 1930s Texas state representative from Henderson County, 1939-1941, 1947-1949; Bataan Death March survivor Paul Stanley 1985 Former Tennessee State Senator, District 31 Charles Stenholm 1961 (B.S.), 1962 (M.S.) Former United States Representative, Texas District 17 Phil Stephenson 1969 Member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 85 in Wharton and Certified Public Accountant David Swinford 1964 Former Texas State Representative, District 82 Karen Tandy 1974, 1977 Former Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration Elmer Tarbox 1939 Texas State Representative, District 76 Mac Thornberry 1980 United States Representative, Texas District 13 Dan Thornton 1932 Former Governor of Colorado Morris W. Turner 1954 Former Mayor of Lubbock, Texas T. John Ward 1964 United States District Court Judge, Eastern District of Texas Elizabeth Watson 1971 Former Chief of police, Houston Police Department Joseph M. Watt 1971 Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice, 9th District Jeff Wentworth 1972 (J.D.) Texas State Senator, District 25 John C. White 1946 Former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Cypert O. Whitfill — Maryland Circuit Court Justice, 3rd Circuit

File:John H Burroughs.jpg John Burroughs Lauro Cavazos File:Tim Cole.jpg Tim Cole Kent Hance John Hinckly, Jr. File:Demetrio B Lakas.jpg Demetrio Lakas File:Ron Miller Official Publicity Photo.jpg Ron Miller Randy Neugebauer File:Charlie Stenholm.jpg Charles Stenholm

Journalism and media

Name Class Year Awards Notability References Bidal Aguero — Hispanic newspaper publisher and political activist in Lubbock Jim Angle 1969 Fox News Chief Washington Correspondent Frank Bass 1985 1988 Pulitzer Prize, General News Reporting, Alabama Journal Dennis Copeland 1977 1985 Pulitzer Prize, Spot News Photography, The Register; 1993 Pulitzer Prize, Public Service Award, The Miami Herald Lane Crockett 1964 Journalist, entertainment writer and theater arts critic ref Michael J. Crook 1983 News editor, reporter, 1993 Pulitzer Prize, Public Service Award, The Miami Herald Charles E. Maple 1954 News editor and chamber of commerce official Emily Jones McCoy 1998 Fox Sports Net anchor and reporter Wyman Meinzer 1974 State photographer of Texas Robert Montemayor 1975 1978 George Polk Award, Local Reporting, Dallas Times Herald; 1984 Pulitzer Prize, Public Service Award, Los Angeles Times Curtis Parrish 2007 (J.D.) Radio Host / Jones AT&T Stadium Announcer Scott Pelley 1978 Journalist, Managing Editor for CBS Evening News Tod Robberson 1981 2010 Pulitzer Prize, Editorial Writing, Dallas Morning News Herbert Southworth — Journalist Dirk West 1954 Cartoonist, journalist

Scott Pelley File:Emily Jones.jpg Emily Jones

Military

Name Class Year Awards Notability References John D. Alexander 1982 Assistant Commander of Navy Personnel Command for Career Management (PERS-4) Ross Ayers 1933 Adjutant General for Texas Felix P. Ballenger 1934 Commanding Officer, National Naval Medical Center Charles Q. Brown Jr. 1984 Brigadier general in the United States Air Force Richard E. Cavazos 1951 First Hispanic 4-star General in the U.S. Army; Commander U.S. Army Forces Command (FORSCOM) Donald D. Chapman 1939 Retired United States Navy Rear Admiral Robert T. Clark 1970 Lieutenant General; Commander, 5th Army Fred E. Ellis 1967 Major General, Texas Air National Guard Walter Burl Huffman 1967 Assistant Judge Advocate General of the Army, The Pentagon Wendy M. Masiello 1980 One of the highest-ranking women in the United States Department of Defense George H. O'Brien, Jr. 1950 Major, USMCR, Medal of Honor recipient Leonard Wong — Professor of Military Strategy in the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College; author on military leadership

Richard E. Cavazos Wendy M. Masiello

Music

Name Class Year Awards Notability References Josh Abbott — Singer, songwriter Jay Boy Adams — Singer, songwriter, guitarist from Lubbock Don Allison — Singer, musician at Cactus Theater of Lubbock Jerry Allison — Drummer (Buddy Holly and The Crickets, Jerry Allison and The Crickets) Ponty Bone — Wade Bowen — Singer, songwriter John Denver 1961 Singer, actor Ralna English — Singer David Gaschen 1993 Broadway singer Rudy Gatlin — Singer Steve Gatlin — Singer Jimmy Dale Gilmore — Singer Susan Graham 1983 Singer Pat Green 1997 Singer Jack Huddle — Musician Virgil Johnson — Musician Bob Lapham — Musician Bob Livingston — Singer, songwriter Lloyd Maines — Music producer, musician and songwriter Natalie Maines (did not graduate) Singer, songwriter Mark David Manders — Singer, songwriter Cory Morrow 1992 Singer, songwriter Timothy Rhea — Director of bands at Texas A&M University Doug Smith — Kelly Ray Turner — Guitarist Lane Turner — Singer, songwriter

John Denver File:Susangraham.jpg Susan Graham Bob Livingston File:Natalie Maines in Austin, Texas.jpg Natalie Maines

Science, technology and medicine

Name Class Year Awards Notability References Joseph M. Acaba — Astronaut Charles Bassett 1960 Astronaut Shannon Burchett — Developer of the default probability models used in RiskRank rating system Pau-Choo Chung 1991 (Ph.D) Electrical Engineering Department Chair, National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan Felix Crawford — Dentist in Plainview, Texas;official of the American Dental Association Mica Endsley 1982 First female and current Chief Scientist of the U.S. Air Force Grandmaster Ratte' — Hacker; co-founder of Cult of the Dead Cow Ashawna Hailey — Computer scientist, creator of HSPICE Rick Husband 1980 Former astronaut Norman Igo 1943 Civil engineer; former Texas Tech University Director of Construction Paul Lockhart 1978 Astronaut Benjamin F. Logan — Ke-Shew Lu 1973 (M.S., Ph.D) Electronic engineer; CEO of DIOD, a Nasdaq company Timothy P. Marshall 1980, 1983 (M.S.) Civil engineer and meteorologist; damage analysis expert Francis Muguet 1992 (Ph.D.) Chemist, information freedom advocate James Powell 1961 (M.S.) Explorer; The Explorers Club flag carrier Arati Prabhakar 1979 (B.S) Director of DARPA; first female director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology Erik N. Rasmussen 1982 (M.S.) Atmospheric scientist, tornadogenesis expert Nick Tredennick 1968 (B.S.), 1970 (M.S.) Electrical engineer Steven L. West 2000 Disability researcher Joe Ben Wheat (did not graduate) Archaeologist Kin-Lu Wong 1986 (M.S., Ph.D) Scientist; expert in the field of mobile antenna design Terry Yates 1978 Biologist

File:Joseph Acaba v2.jpg Joseph Acaba Charles Bassett Rick Husband

Honorary

Name Class Year Awards Notability References John W. Carpenter 1940 Former Texas Tech Board of Regents member Amon G. Carter 1930 Former Texas Tech Board of Regents member Tom C. Clark 1947 United States Supreme Court Justice and United States Attorney General Glenna Goodacre — Sculptor Fred Gurley 1953 President of Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Kent Hance 2005 Former United States Representative, Texas District 19; Texas Tech University System Chancellor Clifford B. Jones 1940 Third president of Texas Tech University Susan Polgar 2007 Former World Chess Champion Ernest O. Thompson 1944 Former Texas Tech Board of Regents member, Texas Railroad Commissioner Daniel I.J. Thornton 1953 Former Colorado governor Dossie M. Wiggins 1953 Fifth president of Texas Tech University William M. Wyburn 1948 Fourth president of Texas Tech University

Tom C. Clark File:Susan Polgar 6.jpg Susan Polgar

Sports

Main article: List of Texas Tech University alumni (sports)

Texas Tech University alumni have also made contributions to field of sports. Former Red Raiders have gone on to compete in the Canadian Football League (CFL), Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball League (NBA), National Football League (NFL), PGA Tour, and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Approximately 94 alumni have been selected to the MLB Draft, 19 alumni have been selected in the NBA Draft, 149 alumni have been selected in the NFL Draft, and 9 alumni have been selected in the WNBA Draft. Texas Tech alumni have also gone on to coach collegiate and professional teams.