List of Western Kentucky University people

This is a list of notable alumni and faculty of Western Kentucky University.

Academia

 * Herman Lee Donovan, former president of Eastern Kentucky University and the University of Kentucky
 * James R. Ramsey, former president of the University of Louisville
 * Michael G. Scales, president of Nyack College and Alliance Theological Seminary
 * Billy Wilson, president of Oral Roberts University

Business

 * Julian Goodman, former president of NBC
 * Brad Kelley, businessman and (as of 2012) fourth-largest private landowner in the U.S. (attended; never graduated)
 * Larry C. Renfro, CEO of Optum and executive vice president at UnitedHealth Group

Film and television

 * Matthew Alan, actor and producer
 * K.C. Armstrong, former assistant producer of The Howard Stern Show
 * John Carpenter, film director
 * Clint Ford, voice actor
 * Charmaine Hunt, one of 18 contestants on the fifth season of NBC's The Apprentice
 * Matt Long, actor (Jack McCallister on WB's Jack & Bobby)
 * Charles Napier, actor
 * Michael Rosenbaum, actor (Lex Luthor on WB's Smallville)
 * David Schramm, actor (Roy Biggins on NBC's Wings)
 * Jonah Scott, actor

History

 * Lowell H. Harrison, author, WKU university historian

Music

 * Michael Card, contemporary Christian music artist
 * Chris Carmichael, arranger, studio multi-instrumentalist
 * Tyler Childers, 2019 Grammy nominee, folk country singer
 * Stephen Cochran, country music singer/songwriter United States Marine and Former face of the US Veterans Affairs (VA) R&D Department (2009–14)
 * Steve Gorman, rock drummer, The Black Crowes
 * Larnelle Harris, gospel singer
 * The Hilltoppers, 1950s popular singing group composed of WKU students including Billy Vaughn
 * Chris Knight, country music singer/songwriter
 * Bill Lloyd, country/pop/rock musician and composer, half of Foster & Lloyd with Radney Foster
 * Mark Melloan, singer-songwriter, "High on a Hilltop" writer, and co-writer with Stephen Cochran
 * Nappy Roots, rap group best known for "Good Day"
 * Matthew Shultz, lead singer, guitarist for Cage the Elephant
 * Tony Smith, singer, guitarist for Sleeper Agent

Politics

 * Chad Aull, politician
 * Dwight D. Butler, member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
 * Beverly Chester-Burton (born 1963), politician
 * James Comer, U.S. Representative from Kentucky's 1st District
 * Cordell Hull, Secretary of State under FDR, Nobel Peace Prize winner
 * Derek Lewis, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
 * Brad Montell, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
 * William Natcher, U.S. Representative
 * Amy Neighbors, member of Kentucky House of Representatives
 * Edwin L. Norris, fifth governor of Montana
 * Rebecca Raymer, politician
 * Hal Rogers, U.S. Representative from Kentucky

Science

 * Harry Barkus Gray, chemist
 * Farley Norman, psychological scientist
 * Terrence W. Wilcutt, astronaut

Sports

 * Darel Carrier, three-time ABA All-Star with the Kentucky Colonels
 * Romeo Crennel, Houston Texans Assistant head coach & defense
 * Steve Crocker, former SCM 50 freestyle world record holder, 1996 WKU Athletic Hall of Fame inductee
 * Claire Donahue, swimmer, gold medalist, 2012 Summer Olympics
 * Brandon Doughty, former NFL player
 * Don Durham, former MLB player
 * Ken Edenfield, former MLB player
 * Jeremy Evans, NBA player with the Utah Jazz and 2012 slam dunk champion
 * Tellis Frank, former NBA player with the Miami Heat
 * Dee Gibson, former BAA and NPBL player
 * Clem Haskins, former NBA player with Phoenix Suns, former NCAA basketball coach at WKU and the University of Minnesota
 * Heath Haynes, former MLB player
 * Tyler Higbee, current NFL player with the Los Angeles Rams
 * Yolanda Hughes-Heying, IFBB professional bodybuilder
 * Jeremi Johnson, former NFL Player, Cincinnati Bengals
 * Crystal Kelly, former WNBA player, now women's basketball assistant coach at Bellarmine University
 * Duane Kuiper, MLB player, now San Francisco Giants broadcaster
 * Forrest Lamp, NFL player, Los Angeles Chargers
 * Courtney Lee, NBA player, New York Knicks guard
 * Virgil Livers, former NFL player, Chicago Bears
 * Jim McDaniels, former ABA and NBA player
 * Kenny Perry, professional golfer, PGA Tour and Champions Tour
 * Jeff Peterek, former MLB player
 * Doug Piatt, former MLB player
 * Hugh Poland, former MLB player
 * Bobby Rascoe, former ABA and NBA player
 * Don Ray, former NBA player
 * Rod Smart, XFL player known as "He Hate Me"
 * Greg Smith, former NBA player
 * Art Spoelstra, former NBA player
 * Steve Stemle, former MLB player
 * Libby Stout, former NWSL and professional soccer player, now women's soccer assistant coach at Southern Illinois University
 * Taywan Taylor, NFL player, Cleveland Browns
 * Chris Turner, former MLB player/catcher for the New York Yankees
 * Ken Waller, bodybuilder
 * Jim Weaver, former MLB pitcher
 * Mike White, NFL player, New York Jets
 * Bailey Zappe, American football quarterback in the NFL

Military

 * Damon W. Cooper, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and the first Chief of U.S. Naval Reserve
 * Jack Keane, General, United States Army
 * Larry G. Smith, retired U.S. Army Major General, former Commanding General of the United States Army Security Assistance Command

Others

 * Larry Elmore, fantasy artist
 * Duncan Hines, journalist, namesake of the bakery products company
 * Saeed Jones, poet, editor at BuzzFeed
 * Mitch McDeere, fictional protagonist in The Firm by John Grisham
 * Barry A. Vann, author, lecturer

Faculty

 * David Bell, writer
 * Robert Duvall, politician
 * Sylvia Kersenbaum, classical pianist
 * William L. Lane, New Testament theologian and professor of biblical studies
 * Garnie W. McGinty, Louisiana historian
 * Thomas Nicholson, drug policy expert