List of Wake Forest University people

Following is a list of notable alumni, faculty and staff of Wake Forest University, located in the American city of Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by expanding it with reliably sourced entries.

Presidents

1. Samuel Wait (1834–1845)
2. William Hooper (1845–1848)
3. John B. White (1848–1853)
4. Washington M. Wingate (acting 1854–1856, president 1856–1862, 1866–1879)
5. Thomas H. Pritchard (1879–1882)
6. Charles Taylor (1884–1905)
7. William L. Poteat (1905–1927)
8. Francis Pendleton Gaines (1927–1930)
9. Thurman D. Kitchin (1930–1950)
10. Harold W. Tribble (1950–1967)
11. James R. Scales (1967–1983)
12. Thomas K. Hearn, Jr. (1983–2005)
13. Nathan O. Hatch (2005–present)

Notable faculty

• Maya Angelou, English
• Anthony Atala, Urology (Chair)
• Rhoda Billings, Law (Emerita)
• Coy Cornelius Carpenter, M.D., dean of the School of Medicine of Wake Forest University from 1936–67 and vice president for health affairs 1963–67
• David Carroll, Physics, Director of the Center for Nanotechnology and Molecular Materials
• David Faber, Art and printmaking
• Melissa Harris-Perry, Presidential Chair Professor of Politics and International Affairs
• Dan Locklair, Music and Composer-in-Residence
• Allen Mandelbaum, English and Humanities
• Suzanne Reynolds, Law
• Sarah Watts, History

Notable alumni

Academia

• James Archibald Campbell, former president of Campbell College
• Leslie H. Campbell, former president of Campbell College
• Brant J. Hellwig, Dean of Washington and Lee University School of Law
• William Louis Poteat, educator; President of Wake Forest (1905–1927)

Arts and letters

Literature and poetry

• Stephen Amidon, author
• A.R. Ammons, poet and scholar
• Frances O'Roark Dowell, author
• L.M. Elliott, author, Under a War-Torn Sky
• Matt Gallagher, author

Journalism

• W.J. Cash, author and journalist
• Becky Garrison, religious satirist and columnist for The Wittenburg Door
• Emily Giffin, author of Something Borrowed
• Melissa Harris-Perry, political scientist and journalist
• Al Hunt, journalist

Music

• Lamar Stringfield, classical composer, flautist, symphony conductor and anthologist of American folk music.

Film and television

• Carol Barbee, television producer, writer
• Stephanie Birkitt, assistant to David Letterman on Late Show with David Letterman
• Marc Blucas, actor
• David Chase (attended), television writer, director, producer (The Sopranos)
• Joe Lawson, co-creator of GEICO Cavemen commercials and ABC's Cavemen TV series
• Carter MacIntyre, television actor (American Heiress, Undercovers)
• Lee Norris, film and television actor (Boy Meets World, The Torkelsons, One Tree Hill)
• Carroll O'Connor, actor (best known as Archie Bunker on the TV series All in the Family)
• Dave Willis, co-creator of the animated TV shows Aqua Teen Hunger Force and Squidbillies; writer and voice actor for animated TV show Space Ghost: Coast to Coast
• Arvind Swamy, Indian Tamil film actor

Visual art

• Justin Guariglia, artist and documentary photographer for the National Geographic Society

Other

• Eddie Timanus, USA Today sportswriter; Jeopardy! champion
• Ricky Van Veen, co-creator of the website CollegeHumor; entrepreneur

Politics, law, and government

U.S. Governors

• J. Melville Broughton, Governor of North Carolina (D) (1941–45) and U.S. Senator
• Charlie Crist, Governor of Florida (R) (2006–2010)
• Robert L. Ehrlich, Governor of Maryland (R) and former Congressman
• William W. Kitchin, Governor of North Carolina (D) (1909–13)

U.S. Senators and Congressmen

• Josiah W. Bailey, U.S. Senator (D-NC) (1931–46); co-author of the Conservative Manifesto criticizing the New Deal
• Richard Burr, U.S. Senator (R-NC)
• Donna Edwards, Democratic Representative of Maryland's 4th Congressional District
• David Funderburk, former Congressman (R-NC) (1995–97); U.S. Ambassador to Romania (1981–85)
• Kay Hagan, US Senator (D-NC)
• Jesse Helms, former U.S. Senator (R-NC) (1973–2003)
• Larry Kissell, US Congressman (D-NC)
• Alton A. Lennon, former U.S. Senator; Congressman (D-NC)
• Robert Burren Morgan, former U.S. Senator (D-NC) (1977–81)
• Furnifold M. Simmons, former U.S. Senator (D-NC) (1901–31)
• Charles H. Taylor, former Congressman (R-NC)

Diplomats

• James P. Cain, former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark
• Jeanette W. Hyde, former Ambassador to Barbados, Dominica, St. Lucia, Antigua, Grenada, St. Vincent, and St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla
• Graham Martin, former U.S. ambassador to Italy, Thailand, and South Vietnam

Federal officials

• Robert L. Wilkie, former Assistant Secretary of Defense; Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

Judges and attorneys

• Rhoda Billings, professor; former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court
• Rusty Duke, Judge
• Louise W. Flanagan, District Judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina
• Major B. Harding, attorney and former Chief Justice of the Florida Supreme Court
• Jerome Holmes, Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
• I. Beverly Lake, former Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court
• John C. Martin, Chief Judge of the North Carolina Court of Appeals
• Davis R. Ruark, former State's Attorney for Wicomico County, Maryland
• Emory M. Sneeden, former Judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• George L. Wainwright, Jr., former Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court

Mayors

• Knox H. White, Republican mayor of Greenville, South Carolina since 1995

Other

• C. Dan Barrett, Republican candidate for Governor of NC in 2004
• Philip E. Berger, Republican leader in the North Carolina State Senate
• Creigh Deeds, 2009 Democratic Party nominee for Governor of Virginia
• Mary Easley, former First Lady of North Carolina (2001–2009)
• Brigadier General Pat Foote (retired – US Army), first female to be given Brigade Command; first female instructor at the Army War College
• James Forrester, North Carolina State Senator
• Richard H. Moore, North Carolina Treasurer
• Eric Miller Reeves, North Carolina State Senator
• Alex Sink, former 2nd Chief Financial Officer of Florida (2007–2011); Democratic candidate for Governor of Florida in 2010

Science

• Phillip Griffiths, mathematician; professor at the Institute for Advanced Study

Religion

• Thomas Dixon, minister and author
• Samuel Johnson Howard, 8th Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Florida

Business

• Jabez A. Bostwick, founding partner of Standard Oil
• Gregory Brooks, entrepreneur and professional poker player
• D. Wayne Calloway, former CEO of PepsiCo
• Michael DeBatt, Gambino crime family mob associate
• Charlie Ergen, co-founder and CEO of Dish Network
• David Farr, CEO, Emerson Electric Company
• Zach Klein, co-founder of Vimeo
• Justin W. Lee, founder of the Gay Christian Network
• Joseph W. Luter III, chairman of Smithfield Foods, Inc.
• Warren Stephens, Chairman, President and CEO, Stephens Inc.
• G. Kennedy Thompson, Chairman, President and CEO, Wachovia Corp.

Medicine

• William Allan, genetics
• Anthony Atala, regenerative medicine and urology
• Ken Blum, neuropsychopharmacology and genetics
• Paul Bucy, neurology and neurosurgery
• Coy Cornelius Carpenter, dean
• Richard Cytowic, neurology
• James Forrester, politician
• Max Gomez, medical reporter
• Tinsley Randolph Harrison, internal medicine
• David L. Heymann, infectious disease
• Robert Lanza, regenerative medicine
• Thomas T. Mackie, preventative medicine and infectious disease
• Thomas Marshburn, astronaut
• Jerry Punch, ESPN commentator
• Leon S. Robertson, epidemiology

Sports

American football

• Jon Abbate, linebacker in NFL, CFL and UFL, central figure in The 5th Quarter, film on Wake's 2006 season
• Billy Ard, New York Giants
• Tommy Bohanon, NFL fullback for the New York Jets
• Ronnie Burgess, NFL defensive back
• Michael Campanaro, NFL Wide Receiver for the Baltimore Ravens
• Jim Clack, NFL guard
• Desmond Clark, NFL tight end
• Kenny Duckett, NFL wide receiver
• George Coghill, retired NFL defensive back for the Denver Broncos^[1]
• Aaron Curry, NFL linebacker
• Clark Gaines, NFL running back
• Bill George, NFL linebacker
• Chris Givens, NFL Wide Receiver for the Baltimore Ravens
• Kevin Johnson, defensive back for the Houston Texans
• Dave LaCrosse, NFL linebacker
• Ovie Mughelli, fullback for the Atlanta Falcons
• James "Quick" Parker, Canadian Football Hall of Fame
• Brian Piccolo, fullback for the Chicago Bears; died of embryonal cell carcinoma, portrayed by James Caan in the television movie Brian's Song
• Ryan Plackemeier, punter for the Seattle Seahawks
• Ricky Proehl, NFL wide receiver, Carolina Panthers wide receivers coach
• Jerry Punch, auto racing and college football commentator on ESPN
• Fred Robbins, NFL defensive tackle for the New York Giants
• Norm Snead, NFL quarterback; four-time Pro Bowler
• Kyle Wilber, NFL linebacker

Baseball

• Mike Buddie, Major League Baseball pitcher for the Yankees and Brewers, Associate Athletic Director at Wake Forest; appeared in 1999 film For Love of the Game starring Kevin Costner
• Dave Bush, former Major League Baseball pitcher, currently plays for the SK Wyverns of the Korean Baseball Organization^[2]
• Bill Herring, minor league baseball pitcher, player-manager and general manager
• Kevin Jarvis, former Major League Baseball pitcher, currently a scout for the San Diego Padres^[3]
• Mike McDougal, former Major League Baseball relief pitcher^[4]
• Cory Sullivan, Major League Baseball outfielder^[5]

Basketball

• Al-Farouq Aminu, small forward for the Dallas Mavericks NBA team^[6]
• Muggsy Bogues, shortest NBA player of all time, standing 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)^[7]
• Dave Budd, center for the New York Knicks^[8]
• Randolph Childress, former professional basketball player who last played in Italy for Cestistica San Severo^[9]
• Tim Duncan, forward-center for the San Antonio Spurs NBA team, three-time NBA MVP^[10]
• Josh Howard, forward-guard for the Washington Wizards NBA team^[11]
• James Johnson, small forward for the Toronto Raptors NBA team^[12]
• Rusty LaRue, former NBA player^[13]
• Paul Long, former NBA and ABA basketball player^[14]
• Billy Packer, CBS college basketball analyst
• Chris Paul, guard for the Los Angeles Clippers NBA team, 2005–2006 NBA Rookie of the Year^[15]
• Skip Prosser, Wake Forest men's basketball coach 2001-07
• Rodney Rogers, NBA player^[16]
• Darius Songaila, player for Washington Wizards, previously Sacramento Kings and Chicago Bulls^[17]
• Jeff Teague, point guard for the Atlanta Hawks NBA team^[18]
• Pat Williams, senior vice president of the Orlando Magic

Golf

• Billy Andrade, PGA Tour
• Bill Haas, PGA Tour
• Jay Haas, PGA Tour, Champions Tour
• Darren Clarke, European Tour
• Len Mattiace, PGA Tour
• Arnold Palmer, PGA Tour, Champions Tour, winner of seven major championships
• Webb Simpson, PGA Tour, winner of 2012 U.S. Open
• Curtis Strange, PGA Tour, Champions Tour, winner of the 1988 and 1989 U.S. Opens
• Lanny Wadkins, PGA Tour, Champions Tour, winner of 1977 PGA Championship
• Cheyenne Woods, Ladies European Tour

Olympians

• Andy Bloom, Olympic shot putter
• Michelle Kasold, field hockey, London 2012
• Brent LaRue, Olympic athlete (hurdler)

Soccer

• Brian Carroll, Major League Soccer, Philadelphia Union
• Steven Curfman, American soccer player who currently plays for CASL Elite
• Justin Moose, Major League Soccer, D.C. United
• Michael Parkhurst, 2005 Major League Soccer Rookie of the Year, New England Revolution
• Pat Phelan, Major League Soccer player for Toronto FC
• James Riley, Major League Soccer player for the New England Revolution
• Scott Sealy, Major League Soccer player for the Kansas City Wizards
• Wells Thompson, MLS player, Colorado Rapids

Tennis

• Jeff Landau, 1994 US Amateur Champion

See also

• List of people from Winston-Salem, North Carolina

References