- Alvin Goldfarb
Alvin "Al" Goldfarb is the tenth president of Western Illinois University. Prior to his current position from 1977 to 2002 he was on the faculty of the department of theatre at Illinois State University in Bloomington, where he was also chairman of the theatre department, dean of fine arts from 1988 to 1998, and provost and vice president for academic affairs from 1998. He earned a Ph.D. in theater history from the City University of New York.
- William James
William James (born William James Peterson, Jr. June 15, 1979 in Uniontown, Pennsylvania) is an American football cornerback for the Philadelphia Eagles. He was selected with the 16th pick of the third round of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Western Illinois University by the New York Giants. Peterson attended the University of Michigan for two years, one of them with the school's 1997 national championship team, …
- Derek Thomas
Derek Thomas is the head men's basketball coach at Western Illinois University. He is the son of former Kansas City Chiefs defensive back and current Atlanta Falcons defensive backs coach Emmitt Thomas.
- Lee Calhoun
Lee Quincy Calhoun (February 23 1933 - June 22 1989) was an American athlete, a double winner of 110 m hurdles at the Olympic Games. Born in Laurel, Mississippi, Lee Calhoun, representing North Carolina Central University, won the NCAA 120 yd hurdles in 1956 and 1957. He also won the AAU championships in 110 m hurdles in 1956 and 1959 and in 120 yd hurdles in 1957.
- John Mahoney
John Mahoney (born June 20, 1940) is an English actor known for playing the retired police officer father, Martin "Marty" Crane, of Kelsey Grammer's character, Dr. Frasier Crane, in the popular American TV series "Frasier" (NBC, 1993-2004).
- Michael Boatman
Michael Boatman (born October 25 1964 in Colorado Springs, Colorado, raised in Chicago) is an American actor and occasional horror writer. Boatman made his acting debut, playing Motown in the 1987 feature film "Hamburger Hill". Following the filming of Hamburger Hill, Boatman, a graduate of Western Illinois University, spent 18 months honing his acting skills off-Broadway in New York.
- Rodney Harrison
Rodney Scott Harrison (born December 15, 1972 in Markham, Illinois) is an American football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League.
- Russ Michna
Russell Walter Michna (born February 3, 1981 in Elk Grove Village, Illinois) is an American football quarterback for the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the St. Louis Rams of the NFL out of Western Illinois University. While he never made the Rams active roster, he did spend time on their practice squad, as well as playing two seasons as a backup for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.
- George R. Harker
Dr. George R. Harker (A.K.A. Dr. Leisure) is an author and self-styled "cyberSpace philosopher". He holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Philosophy from Ohio State University, and a Ph.D. from Texas A & M University, and has taught for 21 years at Western Illinois University. He has written many articles concerning the naturist movement, and contributed to the book "Recreational Nudity and the Law" by Gordon Gill.
- Brian Vangorder
Brian VanGorder was born April 17, 1959 in Jackson, Michigan. He began his football coaching career as a high school coach in 1981 and joined the college ranks in 1989 at Grand Valley State University. He became head football coach at his alma mater, Wayne State University in 1992. After leaving Wayne State University in 1994, he coached at University of Central Florida, …
- Bruce Walters
Bruce Walters (born November 29, 1954 in Davenport, Iowa), is an artist who has exhibitioned digital artworks, graphite drawings and paintings primarily in the American Midwest. He received his MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and BA from the University of Iowa. He is an Associate Professor of Art at Western Illinois University. Walters' artwork has been included in more than one hundred solo, invitational, and competitive exhibitions.
- Robert Nardelli
Robert L. Nardelli (born May 17, 1948, in Old Forge, Pennsylvania) is the former Chairman, President, and CEO of The Home Depot, serving from December 2000 to January 2007. Prior to that, he was one of the top four executives at General Electric. Nardelli received his Bachelor of Science in business from Western Illinois University and earned an MBA from University of Louisville. He joined General Electric in 1971 as an entry-level manufacturing engineer.
- Mike Scifres
Mike Scifres (born October 8, 1980 in Metairie, Louisiana) is a punter for the San Diego Chargers. He was selected with the 14th pick of the fifth round of the 2003 NFL Draft out of Western Illinois University. He has twice been an alternate for the Pro Bowl, most recently as a 1st Alternate for the 2007 Pro Bowl ahead of Shane Lechler. He is also the highest paid punter in the NFL.
- Aaron Stecker
Aaron Stecker (born November 13, 1975 in Green Bay, Wisconsin) is an American football running back who plays for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He attended Western Illinois University. Prior to playing for the Saints, he played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as well as the Scottish Claymores of NFL Europe.
- Mary Matalin
Mary Joe Matalin (born September 19, 1953) is an American political strategist and consultant. She is known for her work with the Republican Party. She was an assistant to President George W. Bush and counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney until 2003. In April 2004, she published the book "Letters to My Daughters". In March of 2005, Matalin was chosen to run a new conservative publishing imprint at Simon & Schuster.
- Tom Smith
Tom Smith was the head men's basketball coach at Valparaiso University from 1980 until 1988. During his leadership, the Crusaders joined the AMCU in 1982. The 1983-1984 was the first in Crusader history to appear in a conference tournament, losing to Western Illinois. His career record with the Crusaders was 83-158.
- Lou Saban
Louis Henry Saban (born October 13, 1921), a legendary coach in the American Football League, played college football at Indiana University where he was named All-Big Ten as a quarterback one year and All-Big Ten as a fullback in another. He began his pro career with the Cleveland Browns of the All-America Football Conference (AAFC). He was the team captain as the Browns dominated the AAFC in all four years of the league's existence.
- Rich Seubert
Rich Seubert (born March 30, 1979 in Rozellville, Wisconsin) is a National Football League guard for the New York Giants. He was signed as an undrafted free agent out of Western Illinois University. Lives in Wayne, New Jersey. Best town ever!!
- Don Beebe
Don Lee Beebe (born December 18, 1964 in Aurora, Illinois) is a former American football wide receiver who played for the Buffalo Bills (1989-1994), Carolina Panthers (1995) and the Green Bay Packers (1996-1997) of the NFL. He was drafted by the Bills out of Chadron State College (after transferring from Western Illinois University) in the third round (82nd pick overall) of the 1989 NFL Draft.
- Christopher Hall
Christopher Hall is an American singer. He was a member of Die Warzau, Stabbing Westward and, more recently, of The Dreaming. He is from Peoria, Illinois and went to Western Illinois University.
- Rick Short
Richard Ryan Short (born December 6, 1972, in Elgin, Illinois) was a Major League Baseball infielder who bats and throws right-handed. He is an alumnus of Western Illinois University. He currently plays for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles of the Japanese Pacific League. Short was drafted in 1994 by the Baltimore Orioles in the 33rd round. He played eleven seasons in the minors and one in Japan before playing his first game in the major leagues.
- Mike Wagner
Michael Robert Wagner (born June 22, 1949 in Waukegan, Illinois) is a former American football player. He played at safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League from 1971 to 1980. Wagner was a member of the famed Steel Curtain defense, appeared in two Pro Bowls--in 1975 and 1976--and played in four Super Bowls. Mike Wagner played in four Super Bowls for the Pittsburgh Steelers. As a 13th round draft pick from a Western Illinois University, …
- Gene Lamont
Gene William Lamont (born December 25, 1946 in Rockford, Illinois) is a former catcher and manager in Major League Baseball who managed the Chicago White Sox (1992-1995) and Pittsburgh Pirates (1997-2000). He batted as a switch-hitter (mostly left) but threw right-handed during his playing career. Currently, Lamont is 3rd base coach for the Detroit Tigers. Lamont was a Chicago Cubs fan all his life, growing up in Kirkland, Illinois and attending Western Illinois University.
- Kirk W. Dillard
Kirk W. Dillard (born June 1, 1955), American politician, He is a Republican Illinois State Senator serving the 24th district, and a former Chairman of the DuPage Republican Party. He is a lifelong resident of DuPage County and currently resides in Hinsdale, Illinois. Dillard was the Chief of Staff to former Governor Jim Edgar, starting in 1991, for Edgar's first term. He also served as the Director of Legislative Affairs to former Governor James R. Thompson.
- David L. Chicoine
David L. Chicoine is the President of South Dakota State University, a position he had held since January 1, 2007. Dr. Chicoine and his wife, Marcia, are both alumni of South Dakota State University, where David received his B.S. He also holds an M.S. from the University of Delaware, an M.A. from Western Illinois University, and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois. Prior to becoming President, Dr.
- Frisman Jackson
Frisman Jackson (born June 12, 1979 in Chicago, Illinois) is a wide receiver for the New York Jets NFL football team.
- Red Miller
Robert "Red" Miller was a professional football coach with the Denver Broncos. Miller was an assistant coach with Lou Saban at Western Illinois University in the late 1950s, joining Saban with the AFL's Boston Patriots in 1960. He became head coach of the Broncos on February 1, 1977, replacing John Ralston. He took the team to Super Bowl XII against the Dallas Cowboys, but lost.
- Joe Murphy
Joe Murphy (July 10, 1972 - April 1, 2007) was an American book reviewer, XM Radio Personality, and podcaster. His other profession was that of a speech pathologist and audiologist, having received his MA from Western Illinois University. He started out on the Dragon Page Cover to Cover podcast as a book reviewer. His comments were so concise and pithy that he quickly became a fan favorite.
- Booker Edgerson
Booker Edgerson (born July 5, 1939 in Baxter, Arkansas) was an American college and professional football player. This graduate of Western Illinois University was a cornerstone of the American Football League Buffalo Bills' defense in the mid-1960s, at left cornerback. A four-year letterman (football, baseball, wrestling, track & field); in 1959 and 1960, he led the WIU football team to the only consecutive undefeated seasons in school history, …
- David Bowens
David Walter Bowens (born July 3, 1977 in Denver, Colorado) is an American football defensive end and Linebacker for the New York Jets. He most recently played for the Miami Dolphins, and collegiately at Western Illinois and the University of Michigan.
- Harold Levin
Harold Levin (13 March 1956) is an American violist, composer, and conductor. An Interlochen Arts graduate, Levin holds a BS from Ball State University, a MM from the University of Cincinnati, and a DMA from Rutgers University. He has been a violist with the Louisville Orchestra and has taught at the University of Nebraska, where he directed the Lincoln Youth Symphony Orchestra.
- Kenneth L. Dixon
Kenneth Lee "Ken" Dixon (April 3, 1915 - June 29, 1986), was a prominent journalist who reported, edited, and penned columns for seven newspapers, including two in Louisiana -- Lake Charles and Baton Rouge. He was also a war correspondent during World War II. Dixon was born in McDonough County, Illinois, near the small town of Colchester to Roy Lee Dixon and the former Martha R. Mourning.
- Emmitt Thomas
Emmitt Thomas is an American former college and professional football player born June 3, 1943, who played for the American Football League's Kansas City Chiefs from 1966 to 1969, and then for the Chiefs in the NFL from 1970 to 1978. He owns the Chiefs all-time interception record with 58, which places him ninth on pro football's all-time list. He made the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent from Bishop College in Dallas.
- Susan Peters
Susan Peters (born September 27) is a main anchor on KAKE-TV, the ABC affiliate in Wichita, Kansas. Susan graduated from Western Illinois University with a B.A. in Communications.
- Ray Hanson
Ray "Rock" Hanson (deceased 1982), former United States Marine Colonel and veteran of World War I and World War II, was best known as the football coach at Western Illinois State Teachers College (now Western Illinois University) in Macomb, Illinois, USA from 1926 to 1964. Hanson officially began his coaching career at Western after studying under Knute Rockne (hence the nickname "Rock").
- Leroy Jackson
Leroy Jackson (born December 8, 1939 in Chicago Heights, Illinois) was an American football running back in the NFL for the Washington Redskins. He played college football for Western Illinois University.
- Scott Spence
Scott Spence is the artistic director of the Beck Center in Lakewood, Ohio.
- James O'Toole
James P. O'Toole (born April 2, 1958) is an American politician. O'Toole is a Democrat. O'Toole represented portions of St. Louis City and Shrewsbury (District 68) in the Missouri House of Representatives from 1992 to 2002. District 68 moved to Barry and Stone Counties in southwestern Missouri as a result of redistricting in 2002. O'Toole is a small business owner and a member of the politically influential Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 562 labor union.
- Larry Garron
Larry Garron was an American college and professional football player. A fullback, he played college football at Western Illinois University, and played professionally in the American Football League for the Boston Patriots from 1960 through 1963, and in 1965. He averaged 5.9 yards per carry in 1962 and accounted for 1,168 total yards from scrimmage in 1963. Garron was an American Football League All-Star in 1961, 1963, 1964 and 1967, …
- Jack Atchason
Jack Atchason was an American college and professional football player. A offensive end, he played college football at Western Illinois University, and played professionally in the American Football League in 1960, for the Houston Oilers and the Boston Patriots.