List of Truman State University people

The following is a list of notable people associated with Truman State University, located in the American city of Kirksville, Missouri.

Notable alumni and faculty

Politics and government

• Samuel W. Arnold – former US Congressman from Missouri's 1st district
• Sean Bagniewski – member of the Iowa House of Representatives
• Jedh Colby Barker – United States Marine Corps, posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor from the Vietnam War
• Robert J. Behnen – genealogist; former Republican member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Beryl Franklin Carroll – 20th governor of Iowa
• John W. Cauthorn – former Republican member of the Missouri State Senate
• Mike Colona – Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Sean J. Cooksey – Commissioner of the Federal Election Commission
• John V. Cox – retired United States Marine Corps aviator and major general
• Zina Pickens Cruse – 20th Judicial Circuit judge in St. Clair County, Illinois
• Duke Cunningham – United States Navy veteran and former Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from California's 50th Congressional District
• Harsha de Silva – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka^[1]
• Hung Hsiu-chu (Continuing Education) – Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Yuan of Republic of China, Chairman of Kuomintang
• Alphonso Jackson – 13th United States Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
• Lyda Krewson – Mayor of St. Louis
• Afoa Moega Lutu – American Samoan politician and lawyer who served as the former Attorney General of Samoa in two different administrations
• Clare Magee – U.S. Representative from Missouri
• Rebecca McClanahan – RN and professor of nursing; former Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Susana A. Mendoza – current Comptroller for the State of Illinois; former City Clerk for the City of Chicago; former member of the Illinois House of Representatives
• John R. Murdock – U.S. Representative from Arizona
• Maggie Nurrenbern - Missouri State Senator from the 17th District
• John Pershing – Army officer who achieved rank of General of the Armies
• Milton Andrew Romjue – U.S. Representative from Missouri
• Mary Rhodes Russell – judge on the Supreme Court of Missouri – appointed in 2004 and retained in 2006
• Ed Schieffer – Democratic member of the Missouri House of Representatives
• Eric Schmitt – Republican member of the Missouri Senate, 46th State Treasurer of Missouri (2017–2019), 43rd Attorney General of Missouri (2019–2023), U.S. Senator (2023–present)
• Fred Schwengel – Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives, 1955–1965 & 1967–73
• Scott Sifton – Democratic candidate for United States Senate, member of the Missouri Senate (2013–2021)
• Dan A. Sullivan – Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Jonesboro since 2015^[2]
• Arthur L. Willard – U.S. Navy vice admiral and recipient of the Navy Cross
• Peter Zeihan – Geopolitiical analyst, author, and educator

Media and the arts

• Kristopher Battles – artist, known as the last remaining USMC combat artist in 2010
• Sandra Benitez – novelist
• Corinne Brinkerhoff – television producer and writer
• Mike Chen – Chinese-born American YouTuber
• Jenna Fischer – actress, best known for her role as Pam Beesly in the U.S. adaptation of The Office
• Kevin C. Fitzpatrick – non-fiction writer best known for his research of Dorothy Parker and the Algonquin Round Table
• Lori Nix – printer and photographer known for her work with dioramas
• Tara Osseck – was Miss Missouri in 2009
• Prajwal Parajuly – Nepali-speaking Indian author of The Gurkha's Daughter^[3][4]
• Rhonda Vincent – bluegrass singer, International Bluegrass Music Association's female vocalist of the year 2000–2006

Education

• Marc Becker – Professor of History, included in The Professors: The 101 Most Dangerous Academics in America
• Jason Beckfield – Professor of Sociology at Harvard University^[5]
• Glenn Frank – President of the University of Wisconsin–Madison
• Huping Ling – Professor of History
• Emmanuel Nnadozie, Ph.D. – Nigerian economist, author, educator; founder of the Truman McNair Program

Science and technology

• Harry H. Laughlin – leading eugenicist in the first half of the 20th century
• Charlie Miller – computer security researcher known for identifying vulnerabilities in Apple products and cars

Athletics

• Ray Armstead – gold medal winner in the 1984 Olympics (4 × 400 m relay)
• Gene Bartow – college basketball head coach for UCLA, UAB, Illinois, and Memphis
• Brian Dzingai – Zimbabwean Olympic sprinter
• Lenvil Elliott – former professional American football player who played running back for nine seasons in the NFL
• Don Faurot – conference champion football and basketball head coach, member of the College Football Hall of Fame
• Harry Gallatin – Truman men's basketball player, NBA player for the New York Knicks and the Detroit Pistons, coach of the New York Knicks and member of the Basketball Hall of Fame
• Tom Geredine – former professional American football player who played wide receiver for three seasons in the NFL
• Kane – real name Glenn Jacobs, WWE wrestler, played both football and basketball for Truman; current mayor of Knox County, Tennessee
• Gloria McCloskey – All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Mike Morris – former long snapper for the Minnesota Vikings; current radio host on 1500 ESPN in Minneapolis
• Al Nipper – Major League Baseball coach; former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, and Cleveland Indians
• Ken Norton – boxer (one of the few to beat Muhammad Ali); father of future Super Bowl champion linebacker Ken Norton Jr.
• Bill Seman – former Canadian football player who played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Sharron Washington – former Canadian football player who played for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats
• Gregg Williams – Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills former head coach

Presidents (TSU)

These persons have served as presidents or interim presidents of North Missouri Normal and Commercial School (1867–1868), North Missouri Normal School (1868–1870), North Missouri Normal School of the 1st District (1870–1918), Northeast Missouri State Teachers College (1918–1968), Northeast Missouri State College (1968–1972), Northeast Missouri State University (1972–1996), and Truman State University (1996–present).^[6]

Title Name Dates President Joseph Baldwin 1867–1881 President William P. Nason 1881–1882 President Joseph Blanton 1882–1891 President William D. Dobson 1891–1899 President John R. Kirk 1899–1925 President Eugene Fair 1925–1937 President Walter H. Ryle 1937–1967 President F. Clark Elkins 1967–1969 President Eli F. Mittler 1969–1970 President Charles J. McClain 1970–1989 Interim President Robert A. Dager 1989–1990 President Russell G. Warren 1990–1994 President W. Jack Magruder 1994–2003 President Barbara Dixon 2003–2008 President Darrell W. Krueger 2008–2010 President Troy D. Paino 2010–2016 President Susan L. Thomas 2016–present