List of Ball State University alumni

Arts, literature, and entertainment

• Bridget Bobel, Miss Indiana USA 2006
• Ellen Bryan, Miss Ohio 2011
• Claire Buffie, Miss New York 2010
• Angelin Chang, Grammy-award-winning classical pianist
• Brian Collins, reporter at KXXV-TV in Waco, Texas; best known for "Boom Goes the Dynamite" viral video.
• Frances Currey, artist
• Jim Davis, cartoonist of Garfield
• Philip F. Deaver, writer and poet, graduated from St. Joseph's College in 1968. He went on to win O. Henry and Flannery O'Connor awards for short fiction, and to publish poetry and fiction in dozens of literary journals.
• Andy Devine, actor, Stagecoach
• Joyce DeWitt, actress in Three's Company
• Ashley C. Ford, writer for BuzzFeed, ELLE and others
• Danny Gaither, Christian singer, best known for his work with the Bill Gaither Trio
• Stedman Graham, publicist and author; long-time companion of Oprah Winfrey
• Scott Halberstadt, actor in Nickelodeon's Drake & Josh
• David Harker, Morning Meteorologist at WNDU-TV in South Bend, Indiana
• Doug Jones, actor in Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Hocus Pocus, and Mac Tonight
• Don Kirk, puppeteer/co-founder of Hastey Pudding Puppet Company; former City Councilor of Vincennes, Indiana
• Michael Konopasek, reporter, KDVR-TV Denver; former reporter, KING-TV Seattle and KWTV-TV Oklahoma City
• David Letterman, retired host of the Late Show with David Letterman; The Letterman Foundation for Courtesy and Grooming has been a repeated contributor to the University
• Mike Lopresti, national sportswriter for Gannett News Service
• Cheryl Anne Lorance, artist
• David Loughery, screenwriter and film producer
• Larry Monroe, radio personality
• Anthony Montgomery, actor, , General Hospital
• Sister Edith Pfau, painter, sculptor, and art educator
• Sam Smith, journalist for the Chicago Tribune
• Kim Sun-a, South Korean actress in She's on Duty and My Name is Kim Sam Soon
• Tiara Thomas, R&B singer, featured on Wale's 2013 song "Bad", which peaked at #31 on the Billboard Hot 100
• Nelly Vuksic, Argentine conductor and musician
• Bill Wallace, dominant kickboxer of the 1970s; starred in A Force of One and The Protector
• Cynda Williams, actress in Mo' Better Blues and One False Move''
• Freddie Gibbs, rapper

  Business

• Angela Ahrendts, senior vice president of retail, Apple. Formerly CEO of Burberry
• Craig Hartman, honorary doctorate, architect and partner at Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
• Peter Jubeck, founder of Sir Pizza of Michigan and Clara's restaurants
• Kent C. Nelson, retired president and CEO of UPS
• John Schnatter, founder and former chairman of Papa John's Pizza restaurants
• Timothy Wheeler, president, International Division of Jockey Inc.
• Vince Bertram, president and chief executive officer of Project Lead The Way
• Brian Gallagher, president and CEO of United Way Worldwide
• John Seffrin PhD, retired CEO and president of the American Cancer Society

  Politics and government

• Amanda Carpenter, national reporter for TownHall.com and Senior Communications Advisor and Speechwriter for Senator Ted Cruz
• Jeffrey D. Feltman, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs and former United States Ambassador to Lebanon
• Suzette Kimball, 16th Director of the United States Geological Survey, a bureau of the United States Department of the Interior
• Brent McMillan, national Political Director for the Green Party
• Rodney C. Moen, Wisconsin State Senator
• Richard Mourdock, Indiana Treasurer of State
• Jeff Papa, first Mayor of Zionsville, Indiana; founder of the YETI Orphanage
• John Rarick, U.S. Representative from Louisiana

  Sports

NFL

• Blaine Bishop, former NFL player, Tennessee Titans
• Robert Brewster, NFL player, Dallas Cowboys
• Rush Brown, NFL player, St. Louis Cardinals
• Corey Croom, NFL player, New England Patriots
• Jerome Davis, former NFL player, Detroit Lions
• Reggie Hodges, NFL player, Tennessee Titans
• Ed Konopasek, former NFL player, Green Bay Packers
• Brad Maynard, NFL player, Chicago Bears
• Keith McKenzie, former NFL player, Green Bay Packers
• Bernie Parmalee, former NFL player, Miami Dolphins; current running backs coach for the NFL Oakland Raiders
• Dante Ridgeway, NFL player, New York Jets
• Terry Schmidt, former NFL player, NO Saints, Chicago Bears
• Shafer Suggs, former NFL player, NY Jets
• Willie Snead, Wide Receiver, Baltimore Ravens

  NBA

• Theron Smith, NBA basketball player, Charlotte Bobcats
• Bonzi Wells, NBA basketball player, New Orleans Hornets

  MLB

• Larry Bigbie, MLB baseball player, St. Louis Cardinals
• Bryan Bullington, MLB baseball player, Pittsburgh Pirates, Cleveland Indians, and Toronto Blue Jays
• Jeremy Hazelbaker, MLB baseball player, St. Louis Cardinals, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Thomas Howard, 11-year MLB baseball player, Cincinnati Reds, St. Louis Cardinals, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Houston Astros, Los Angeles Dodgers
• Merv Rettenmund, NFL draft pick, 13-year MLB baseball player, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, California Angels
• Brad Snyder, baseball player, Chicago Cubs

  Other

• Bill Doba, football coach at Washington State University
• David Haugh, sports columnist for Chicago Tribune
• Brady Hoke, former head football coach, University of Michigan, San Diego State University and Ball State University
• Jon Hoke, assistant football coach with the Chicago Bears
• Ray McCallum, basketball coach at University of Detroit Mercy, Ball State, and University of Houston
• Mark Patrick, sports radio personality
• John Paul, racing driver
• Sunungura Rusununguko, Arena Football League player
• Kelly Sheffield, volleyball coach at Wisconsin, also coached at Albany 2001-2007 and Dayton 2008-2012
• Dave Shondell, women's volleyball coach at Purdue
• Don Shondell, ESPN and ABC collegiate volleyball commentator
• Jamill Smith, Ottawa Redblacks player
• Jason Whitlock, commentator for Fox Sports One, former sports columnist for The Kansas City Star, AOL Sports, and ESPN.com
• Daniel Minth, Host of The Burning Down the Haus Podcast and Fetzerboi