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.

Nobel laureates

 * Norman Borlaug, Nobel Peace Prize, 1970, recipient for "Green Revolution", honorary doctorate recipient from WSU
 * Irwin Rose, 1948, 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner for research in immune defense and proteins; discoveries may lead to 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 WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2005
 * Mario Vargas Llosa, recipient of 2010 Nobel Prize in literature, visiting faculty, 1968–69

Academe

 * Judith A. Bense, academic; president of University of West Florida
 * Howard Bowen, 1929 B.A. economics, 1933 M.A. economics, former president of Claremont University Center, University of Iowa, Grinnell College and American Association of Higher Education; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1965
 * David Comer, consultant in field of circuit design for IBM, Intel, Lawrence Livermore National Labs, and Mobility Systems Inc.
 * Gordon G. Gallup, psychologist at University at Albany's Psychology Department in biopsychology program
 * Weldon Gibson, 1938 B.A. business administration, executive vice president of Stanford Research Institute; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979
 * Henry Heald, 1923 B.S. civil engineering, president of Ford Foundation, New York University, Illinois Institute of Technology, and American Society for Engineering Education; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1962
 * W. Hudson Kensel, historian of American West
 * David Miller, Seattle architect; co-founder of Miller/Hull Partnership; architecture professor at University of Washington; chair of UW Department of Architecture 2007–15
 * George B. Thomas, former professor of mathematics at MIT; best known for being author of widely used calculus textbook
 * Jon Wefald, former president of Kansas State University

Animal husbandry

 * Helen Elaine Freeman, conservationist and endangered species advocate; specialized in saving snow leopards
 * Ivan Peterson, 1942 D.V.M., member of Alpha Tau Omega; president of Sphinx Club and of Crimson Court; veterinarian in California; worked with television series Lassie; friend to Jane Goodall and helped sponsor her chimpanzee research; died in 1967

The arts, literature and media

 * Sherman Alexie, 1994 B.A. American studies, author and filmmaker; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2003
 * Rudy Autio, sculptor, best known for figurative ceramic vessels
 * Cindy Brunson, 1996 B.A. communications/broadcasting, ESPN anchor, Pac-12 Networks commentator
 * Ana Cabrera, 2004 B.A. communications, CNN reporter and anchor
 * Betty Feves, artist
 * Deborah Gardner, Peace Corps volunteer murdered in Tonga in 1976; subject of American Taboo by Philip Weiss
 * Art Gilmore, 1931, voice actor and announcer
 * Keith Jackson, 1954 B.A. sports communications, ABC-TV sports commentator; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1978
 * Edward Kienholz, pop art installation artist
 * Grace Kim, cofounder of Schemata Workshop architecture firm in Seattle; cohousing expert; author of The Survival Guide to Architectural Internship and Career Development; commissioner of the Seattle Planning Commission.
 * Gary Larson, 1972 B.A. communications, Far Side cartoonist; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1990
 * Blake Lewis, American Idol Season 6 runner-up
 * Dolph Lundgren, Swedish actor, studied chemical engineering for a year at Washington State
 * Scott MacDonald, television actor
 * Patrick F. McManus, outdoor humor writer; studied at Washington State College before it became Washington State University
 * Edward R. Murrow, 1930 B.A. speech, journalist for CBS; "father of television news broadcasting"; WWII radio correspondent; Hear It Now radio program host; See It Now television program host; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1963
 * Krist Novoselic, 2016 B.S. social sciences, founding member and bassist for grunge band Nirvana
 * Barry Serafin, 1986 B.A. humanities, ABC News correspondent; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1991
 * D. C. Simpson, creator of webcomic Ozy and Millie and political cartoon I Drew This
 * Clyfford Still, 1935 MFA, abstract expressionist painter,
 * Frances Yeend, lyric soprano opera singer

Business

 * Paul Allen, 1977 (1973–75), co-founder of Microsoft; owner of Vulcan Enterprises, Seattle Seahawks and Portland Trail Blazers; philanthropist; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1999
 * Clint Cole, co-founder of Heartstream, creator of first automatic external defibrillator (AED) for commercial use; co-founder of Digilent, a Pullman electronics manufacturer
 * Nick Huzar, 1999 B.A. MIS. CEO of OfferUp
 * Jamie Kern Lima, 1999 B.A. business administration, co-founder of IT Cosmetics
 * Robert L. Phillips, 1976 B.A. economics and B.A. mathematics author, entrepreneur and professor
 * Mark Suwyn, 1967 Ph.D. inorganic chemistry, CEO of NewPage Corp.; former chair and CEO of Louisiana-Pacific Corp., 1996–2004; former executive at International Paper and E.I. DuPont; member and former chair of WSU Foundation Board of Trustees
 * Greg Pender, 2009 B.A. marketing. Former CEO of Channel Control Merchants, Chief of Staff at Nordstrom Rack. Board member, consultant and advisor

Government, law and politics

 * Svend Auken, 1962, Danish politician, Minister of Environmental Affairs 1993–2001
 * John C. Early, American colonial administrator in the Philippines
 * John Folger, 1914 B.S. horticulture, 1917 M.S. horticulture, US Ambassador to Belgium 1957–59; member of board of governors of New York Stock Exchange;  president of Investment Bankers Association of America; chaired GOP National Finance Committee; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1963
 * Walt Horan, politician; Republican member of United States House of Representatives for ten terms
 * Mike Lowry, 1962 B.A. general studies, former Governor of Washington
 * Jim Moeller, politician from Washington, serves in Washington State House of Representatives representing 49th Legislative District
 * Sid Morrison, 1954 B.S. horticulture, US Congressman, 1981–93, Washington's 4th District
 * Patty Murray, 1972 B.A. physical education, US Senator representing Washington
 * Marshall Neill, 1936 B.A. political science, Federal district court judge; Washington State Supreme Court judge; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1979
 * George Nethercutt, 1967 B.A. English, US Congressman, 1995–2005
 * Sam Reed, 2000–2013 Washington Secretary of State
 * Robert A. Roe, Democrat representing New Jersey in US House of Representatives for over 23 years

Humanities

 * Gary J. Coleman, general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Anthony Curcio, 2004 social sciences, author and youth speaker; athlete; became notorious criminal known as D.B. Tuber after masterminding armored car robbery; has since devoted life to educating youth on drug addiction
 * Timothy Leary, 1946 M.S. psychology
 * Laurence Peter, 1963 Ed.D., co-author of 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 WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980
 * William Julius Wilson, 1966 Ph.D. sociology, wrote The Truly Disadvantaged: The Inner City, the Underclass and Public Policy and The Declining Significance of Race; one of nine people to receive National Medal of Science; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1988

Military

 * James Fleming, colonel in US Air Force; helicopter pilot; Medal of Honor recipient for life-saving actions at Duc Co, South Vietnam in 1968
 * Charles Ross Greening, 1936 B.S. Fine Arts, colonel in US Air Force; captained the Hari Kari-er in the Doolittle Raid of Japan
 * Robert Higgins, 1957 B.S. pharmacy, navy rear admiral, deputy surgeon general, and Medical Corps chief; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2002
 * Dale Noyd, decorated captain and fighter pilot in US Air Force who gained worldwide attention when he became conscientious objector to protest Vietnam War
 * Sigmund R. Petersen, 1961 B.S. in civil engineering, rear admiral in National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps (NOAA Corps); fourth director of NOAA Corps (1990–1995)
 * Ronald J. Shurer II, 2001 B.A. Business Administration, Staff Sergeant and US Army Special Forces Medic; recipient of the Medal of Honor for actions in the Battle of Shok Valley, 2008 in Afghanistan

Science, space and technology

 * John Abelson, 1960 B.S. physics, co-founder and president of Agouron Pharmaceuticals; through rational drug design developed Viracept, leading drug used for controlling HIV infections, which cut 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. chemistry, developed blood test for Rh disease; wife of Philip Abelson; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1989
 * Philip Abelson, 1933 B.S. chemistry, 1935 M.S. physics, "father of the nuclear-fueled submarine"; Manhattan Project participant; editor of Science; husband of Neva Abelson; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1962
 * Gary L. Bennett, scientist and engineer, specializing in aerospace and energy
 * Jacob Bigeleisen, 1941 M.S. chemistry, founder of modern school of isotope chemistry; Manhattan Project participant; researcher at Brookhaven National Laboratory; vice president for research, dean of Graduate Studies and chemistry professor at State University of New York at Stony Brook; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983
 * William A. Bugge, 1922 B.S. civil engineering, Washington director of highways 1949–63; project director for design and construction of Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) System in San Francisco; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1980
 * Clint Cole, co-founder of Heartstream, creator of first automatic external defibrillator (AED) for commercial use; co-founder of Digilent, a Pullman electronics manufacturer
 * John Fabian, 1962 B.S. mechanical engineering, NASA astronaut; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983
 * Hary Gunarto, 1988 Ph.D. electrical & computer engineering, Professor Emeritus of Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University, Japan
 * Sharon Hillier, 1982 Ph.D. Bacteriology and Public Health, faculty member of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
 * Charles Glen King, 1918 B.S. chemistry, leading authority on Vitamin C; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1964
 * Simon S. Lam, 1969 B.S. electrical engineering, 2004 ACM SIGCOMM Award winner; member of National Academy of Engineering
 * Krist Novoselic, 2016 B.S social science; former bassist from punk rock band Nirvana & Sweet 75; FAA licensed Pilot
 * Wajih Owais, Jordanian professor and researcher; chairman of board of directors of King Abdullah University Hospital;t President of Jordan University of Science and Technology
 * Martin Pall, professor emeritus of biochemistry and basic medical sciences, specializing in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and multiple chemical sensitivity
 * Irwin Rose, 1948, 2004 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner for research in immune defense and proteins; discoveries may lead to 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 WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2005
 * Karl Sax, 1916 B.S. horticulture, radiation biologist and geneticist; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1966
 * Edmund Schweitzer, 1977 Ph.D. electrical engineering, founder of Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories
 * Melissa Skala, 2002 B.S., cancer researcher and Professor of Biomedical Engineering at the Morgridge Institute for Research
 * Orville Vogel, 1939 Ph.D. agronomy, wheat breeder whose findings sparked "Green Revolution"; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1977
 * Allan Wilson, 1957 M.S. zoology, evolutionist; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1990

Sports and athletics

 * Hamza Abdullah, former NFL safety for Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, and Arizona Cardinals
 * Husain Abdullah, former National Football League (NFL) strong safety for Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs
 * Frank Akins, former NFL running back for Washington Redskins
 * Mike Akiu, football player
 * Josh Akognon, member of the Nigeria national basketball team
 * Calvin Armstrong, CFL offensive tackle for Edmonton Eskimos
 * Dominique Arnold, 1996, track & field NCAA champion; American record holder in 110m high hurdles (12.90)
 * Rick Austin, former Major League Baseball pitcher for Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers
 * Byron Bailey, former NFL running back for Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers
 * LaVar Ball, former basketball and football player
 * Ed Barker, former NFL wide receiver for Pittsburgh Steelers and Washington Redskins
 * Norton Barnhill, former National Basketball Association (NBA) guard for Seattle SuperSonics
 * Kyle Basler, NFL punter for Cleveland Browns
 * Aron Baynes, NBA center for San Antonio Spurs; 2014 NBA champion
 * Pat Beach, former NFL tight end
 * Todd Belitz, former MLB pitcher
 * Leon Bender, drafted by Oakland Raiders in 1998, but died before playing an NFL game
 * Troy Bienemann, NFL tight end for Arizona Cardinals
 * Gale Bishop, former player for Philadelphia Warriors in BAA
 * Drew Bledsoe, 1993 B.A. educ., NFL quarterback with Dallas Cowboys, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills; top pick of 1993 NFL Draft
 * Dorian Boose, former NFL defensive end for New York Jets and Washington Redskins
 * Ed Bouchee, former MLB first baseman for Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and New York Mets
 * Adam Braidwood, first overall by Edmonton Eskimos in 2006 Canadian College Draft
 * Bob Bratkowski, current offensive coordinator for NFL's Cincinnati Bengals
 * Bobo Brayton, 1950 B.A. physical education, 1959 M.S. physical education, former WSU baseball coach
 * Ed Brett, former NFL defensive end
 * Alex Brink, NFL quarterback for Houston Texans
 * Steve Broussard, NFL running back and WSU assistant football coach
 * Mkristo Bruce, NFL defensive end for Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Deone Bucannon, NFL inside linebacker for Arizona Cardinals
 * Michael Bumpus, wide receiver with Seattle Seahawks
 * Joe Burks, former NFL center
 * Greg Burns, defensive backs coach for Kansas State University
 * Lewis Bush, former linebacker for San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs
 * Hugh Campbell, former head coach of Houston Oilers
 * Ron Cey, MLB third baseman, six-time All-Star; graduate of Mount Tahoma High School in Tacoma
 * Cliff Chambers, former MLB pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates, and St. Louis Cardinals
 * John Chaplin, 1963 B.A. geography, WSU track & field coach, 2000 US Olympic coach
 * Gail Cogdill, NFL wide receiver, 3X Pro Bowl participant and 1960 NFL Rookie of the Year
 * Erik Coleman, defensive back for Atlanta Falcons
 * Don Collins, NBA player for Atlanta Hawks
 * Jed Collins, NFL fullback; signed with Philadelphia Eagles in 2008
 * Gene Conley, MLB All-Star and NBA player; first person to win championship in both sports
 * Joe Danelo, former NFL placekicker
 * Devard Darling, NFL wide receiver for Baltimore Ravens
 * James Darling, NFL middle linebacker for Arizona Cardinals
 * Jason David, NFL cornerback for New Orleans Saints
 * Steve Dildine, linebacker for San Francisco 49ers
 * James Donaldson, former NBA center
 * Dan Doornink, former running back for New York Giants and Seattle Seahawks; practicing MD of internal medicine
 * Chad Eaton, former NFL defensive tackle and recipient of Morris Trophy
 * Dave Edler, former MLB third baseman for Seattle Mariners
 * Turk Edwards, former offensive tackle for Washington Redskins, member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
 * Craig Ehlo, former NBA player for Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks
 * Garner Ekstran, former CFL defensive end for Saskatchewan Roughriders, winner of 1966 Grey Cup
 * Jack Elway, football head coach at Stanford and San Jose State, father of Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway
 * Dick Farman, former offensive lineman and Pro Bowl selection for Washington Redskins
 * Mark Fields, former linebacker and Pro Bowl selection for New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers
 * Danielle Fisher, at 20, youngest person to summit tallest mountain on each continent (2005)
 * Isaac Fontaine, former NBA guard for Memphis Grizzlies
 * Eric Frampton, NFL safety for Oakland Raiders, Minnesota Vikings
 * Rodrigo de la Fuente, Spanish basketball player, formerly with FC Barcelona
 * Aaron Garcia, quarterback for New York Dragons of the Arena Football League
 * Jason Gesser, quarterback for Utah Blaze of Arena Football League
 * Steve Gleason, 1998 Pac-10 defensive MVP and special teams captain of New Orleans Saints; Congressional Gold Medal recipient
 * Phil Glover, linebacker for Tampa Bay Storm
 * Ed Goddard, former All-American quarterback and NFL player
 * Kenny Graham, former AFL All-Star safety for San Diego Chargers
 * Dan Grayson, American gridiron football player
 * Brad Greenberg, current head men's basketball coach at Radford University
 * Ken Greene, former NFL safety for St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Chargers
 * Jason Hanson, 1993 B.S., Zoo., longtime NFL placekicker for Detroit Lions
 * Glenn Harper, former CFL punter and winner of Grey Cup
 * Charles Harris, offensive lineman for Tennessee Titans
 * Tony Harris (1970–2007), pro basketball player
 * Jerome Harrison, former NCAA All-American and running back for Cleveland Browns
 * James Hasty, former Pro Bowl cornerback for Kansas City Chiefs
 * Scott Hatteberg, former MLB first baseman for Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds
 * Chris Hayes, former defensive back and Super Bowl XXXI champion for Green Bay Packers
 * Mel Hein, 1931 B.S. physical education, All-American in 1930; eight-time All-Pro with New York Giants; received WSU Regents' Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1983; member of Pro Football Hall of Fame
 * Mark Hendrickson, former NBA player and MLB pitcher for Los Angeles Dodgers
 * Jason Hill, NFL wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers
 * Alex Hoffman-Ellis, football linebacker
 * Jerry Houghton, former NFL offensive tackle
 * Don Hover, former linebacker for Washington Redskins
 * Erik Howard, former defensive tackle and member of two Super Bowl championship teams
 * George Hurley, former offensive guard for Washington Redskins
 * Ike Iroegbu (born 1995), American-born Nigerian basketball player for Hapoel Galil Elyon of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Bernard Jackson, former NFL defensive back
 * Chris Jackson, wide receiver for AFL's Philadelphia Soul
 * Tim Jankovich, men's basketball head coach at Illinois State University
 * Eldon Jenne, former Olympic track and field athlete; head football and basketball coach at Pacific University
 * Brian Kelly, former wide receiver and member of Canadian Football Hall of Fame
 * Allan Kennedy, former NFL offensive tackle
 * Samson Kimobwa, retired distance runner from Kenya
 * Mike Kinkade, 2000 Olympic baseball gold medalist; played in Chicago Cubs organization
 * Peter Koech, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, 3,000m steeplechase
 * Julius Korir, 1984 Olympic steeplechase champion
 * Bernard Lagat, 2000, two-time Olympic track & field medalist in 1500m
 * Ryan Leaf, 1999 (1995–98), former NFL quarterback with San Diego Chargers; taken second in 1998 NFL Draft
 * Ron Lewis, former offensive guard for Washington Redskins
 * Keith Lincoln, former NFL running back; record 206 yards rushing in 1964 American Football League Championship Game for San Diego Chargers, two-time Pro Bowl MVP
 * Rian Lindell, kicker for the Buffalo Bills, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Seattle Seahawks
 * Gerry Lindgren, won 11 NCAA track & field distance running championships
 * Chad Little, former NASCAR driver
 * Don Long, MLB hitting coach for Pittsburgh Pirates, Cincinnati Reds
 * Rien Long, 2003, only WSU player to win Outland Trophy, NFL defensive tackle for Tennessee Titans
 * Dan Lynch, former first-team AP All-American football lineman, 1984
 * John Marshall, defensive coordinator for Seattle Seahawks
 * Rueben Mayes, former NFL running back with New Orleans Saints
 * Rob Meier, former NFL defensive end for Jacksonville Jaguars
 * Keith Millard, former NFL defensive lineman
 * Gardner Minshew, NFL quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Philadelphia Eagles, and Indianapolis Colts
 * Singor Mobley, former NFL safety for Dallas Cowboys
 * Tom Niedenfuer, former MLB relief pitcher for Los Angeles Dodgers
 * Laurie Niemi, former Pro Bowl offensive lineman for Washington Redskins
 * Paul Noce, former MLB shortstop for Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds
 * John Olerud, former MLB first baseman for Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners
 * Karl Paymah, NFL cornerback for Denver Broncos
 * Scott Pelluer, former NFL linebacker for New Orleans Saints
 * Brian Quinnett, former NBA player for New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks
 * Pete Rademacher, Olympic gold medalist for boxing in 1956
 * George Raveling, one of winningest coaches in WSU history, member of College Basketball Hall of Fame
 * Taylor Rochestie (born 1985) American-Montenegrin player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israel Basketball Premier League
 * Lisa Roman, Canadian Olympic gold medalist for rowing in summer 2020, member of the WSU Hall of Fame
 * Henry Rono, former track & field world record holder in 10,000m, 5,000m, 3,000m, and 3,000m steeplechase
 * Timm Rosenbach, former NFL player with Phoenix Cardinals; quarterbacks coach for WSU 2003–07
 * Rob Ryan, former MLB outfielder for Arizona Diamondbacks and Oakland Athletics
 * Mark Rypien, former NFL quarterback, Super Bowl XXVI MVP with Washington Redskins
 * Herb Schmalenberger, former college football coach at UC Davis
 * Aaron Sele, former Major League Baseball pitcher
 * Doug Sisk, former MLB relief pitcher
 * Howie Slater, former NFL fullback
 * Jonathan McKenzi Smith, NFL running back for Kansas City Chiefs
 * Raonall Smith, former NFL outside linebacker for St. Louis Rams
 * Jack Spring, former MLB relief pitcher
 * Wes Stock, former MLB pitcher for Baltimore Orioles
 * Wayne Sutton, former head football coach at Louisiana State University
 * Harland Svare, former NFL player for the Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants; former head coach of the Rams and San Diego Chargers; former general manager of the Chargers
 * Jack Thompson, 1984 Bus. Adm., former NFL quarterback known as "Throwin' Samoan"
 * Klay Thompson, four-time NBA champion Golden State Warriors shooting guard
 * Lamont Thompson, former All-American and NFL safety for Tennessee Titans
 * Robbie Tobeck, former Pro Bowl center for Seattle Seahawks
 * Marcus Trufant, 2003, first-round pick in 2003 NFL Draft; All-Pro cornerback for Seattle Seahawks
 * Mike Utley, former offensive lineman for Detroit Lions; became paralyzed during a game against Los Angeles Rams in 1991
 * Jeff Varem, pro basketball player
 * Ed Viesturs, 1987 D.V.M., one of 12 people in world and only American to climb 14 tallest mountains; unaided by supplemental oxygen
 * Ian Waltz, eight-time NCAA All-American for discus and shot put, 2004 US Olympian for discus
 * Ashley Walyuchow, 1994, athletic director University of Houston-Victoria; Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year
 * Duke Washington, former running back for Philadelphia Eagles
 * Kyle Weaver, pro basketball player
 * Mike Wilson, former NFL wide receiver for San Francisco 49ers
 * Cory Withrow, NFL center for San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings
 * Paul Wulff, former NCAA All-American and WSU football head coach

Notable faculty

 * Olusola Adesope, Boeing Distinguished Professor of STEM Education
 * James Asay, Institute of Shock Physics researcher; member of the 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
 * Brett Atwood, print and online journalist; co-founder of Rolling Stone Radio; former managing editor at Amazon.com, RealNetworks and Billboard magazine
 * Buck Bailey, WSU baseball coach
 * Josephine Thorndike Berry, head of the Department of Home Economics, State College of Washington
 * 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 of the National Academy of Engineering
 * Susmita Bose, Indian-American scientist and Herman and Brita Lindholm Endowed Chair Professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering at Washington State University
 * Asif J. Chaudhry, Vice President of International Programs, United States Ambassador to Moldova 2008–2011, also WSU Ag Econ PhD graduate 1988
 * Walter Clore, horticulture researcher; "father of the Washington wine industry"
 * Clint Cole, co-founder of Heartstream, creator of the first automatic external defibrillator (AED) for commercial use; co-founder of Digilent, a local Pullman electronics manufacturer
 * R. James Cook, plant pathologist, cropping systems and biotechnology researcher; led first field test of a genetically modified organism in the Pacific Northwest; member of the National Academy of Sciences
 * Alfred W. Crosby, professor of history 1966–1977; coined the term "Columbian exchange" in his 1972 book of the same name; considered a founder of the field of environmental history
 * Rodney Croteau, leader in biosynthesis of cancer-fighting Taxol; expert on terpenoids; member of the National Academy of Sciences
 * J. Thomas Dickinson, physicist, known for work in fracture, tribology and laser interactions with materials; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
 * William Henry Dietz ("Lone Star Dietz"), WSU football coach; won first annual Rose Bowl; professional football coach
 * Don A. Dillman, sociologist; Regents Professor; Foley Distinguished Professor of Government and Public Policy; major contributor to modern survey methods; past president of the American Association of Public Opinion Research; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
 * Gabriel Fielding, author in residence and professor of English.
 * Elson S. Floyd, professor of Higher Education Administration; president of Washington State University
 * Roald H. Fryxell, WSU professor of geoarchaeology in the Department of Anthropology; namesake of the Fryxell crater on the Moon
 * Norman S. Golding, food scientist, inventor of Cougar Gold cheese
 * Jeffrey Gramlich, professor of accounting
 * Yogendra Gupta, physicist, director of WSU Institute for Shock Physics; Fellow of the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science
 * John Hirth, mechanical and materials engineer; characterized and modeled the behavior of materials at atomic and microstructural levels, including thin film formation useful to the semiconductor industry; member of the National Academy of Engineering
 * Alexander Kuo, humanities and creative writing professor; author; writer-in-residence
 * Mark G. Kuzyk, physicist, discoverer of the Kuzyk limit and the Kuzyk quantum gap
 * Kelvin Lynn, materials scientist, renowned for "positron annihilation" research; Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science
 * John M. Madsen, former dean and general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
 * Armand Mauss, former professor of sociology and religious studies; frequently published works relating to Mormonism
 * Amy Mazur, Claudius O. and Mary W. Johnson Distinguished Professor in Political Science
 * Frances K. McSweeney, psychologist known for work on behavior and reinforcement, with findings on short-term changes in reinforcer effectiveness; WSU Meyer Distinguished Professor of Psychology; Fellow of the Association for Behavior Analysis
 * Sue Peabody, Meyer Distinguished Professor of history
 * Charles Pezeshki (Dr. Chuck), WSU professor of mechanical and materials engineering, 1998–present; past chair of the University Faculty Senate; founder and director of the Industrial Design Clinic
 * Bhakta B. Rath, assistant professor of metallurgy and material Science; material physicist; head of the Materials Science and Component Technology of the United States Naval Research Laboratory
 * V. Lane Rawlins, professor of economics and WSU president emeritus
 * Cecilia Richards, mechanical engineer, known for her work on small-scale heat engines and on microelectromechanical systems
 * 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 of the National Academy of Sciences
 * Michael Skinner, molecular and reproduction biologist; made discoveries in epigenetics including reduction in male fertility for four generations; his findings appeared in Discover magazine's "100 top science stories of 2005"
 * Samuel H. Smith, WSU President Emeritus; former NATO post-doctoral fellow
 * William Jasper Spillman, WSU professor of agriculture; wheat breeder; independently rediscovered Mendel's Law of Heredity; "father of agricultural economics
 * Clyfford Still, abstract expressionist painter, Clyfford Still Museum, Denver
 * Matthew Avery Sutton, WSU Professor of History; scholar of American evangelism
 * Mario Vargas Llosa, recipient of 2010 Nobel Prize in literature, Visiting Faculty, 1968-69
 * Orville Vogel, WSU and USDA wheat breeder; developer of semi-dwarf wheat varieties that fueled the Green Revolution; recipient of the National Medal of Science
 * Diter von Wettstein, plant geneticist; internationally recognized for genetically modifying barley for brewing processes and disease resistance; National Academy of Sciences foreign associate; member of the Royal Danish Academy of Sciences
 * Allen I. White, WSU professor of pharmacy faculty 1940–1960; dean of the WSU College of Pharmacy 1960–1979; pioneered off-campus training for the college

Notable regents

 * Frances Penrose Owen, first woman on the WSU Board of Regents, serving 1957–1975