List of Baylor University people

Academics

• William Bennett Bizzell, former president of the University of Oklahoma and former president of Texas A&M University
• Barbara H. Bowman, geneticist and former professor at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and University of Texas Health Science Center
• Gilberto Freyre, Brazilian sociologist, cultural anthropologist and historian
• Edwin Gaustad, historian of religion in America
• Guy Benton Johnson, Sociologist and cultural anthropologist; distinguished student of black culture in the rural South and a pioneer advocate of racial equality
• Jo Jorgensen, Clemson University lecturer in psychology and Libertarian Party candidate for president in 2020, VP in 1996
• Glenn McGee, professor of medicine, philosophy, law and public health
• Judy Jolley Mohraz, 9th president of Goucher College, women's history professor, and philanthropist
• Royce Money, former president of Abilene Christian University
• Mark W. Muesse, philosopher and professor emeritus at Rhodes College
• Olin Clyde Robison, former president of Middlebury College
• Lawrence Sullivan Ross, former president of Texas A&M University and Governor of Texas
• Beck A. Taylor, president of Samford University
• Dixon Wecter (BA, 1925), Margaret Byrne Professor of United States History at the University of California, Berkeley^[1]
• Dallas Willard, philosopher and professor at the University of Southern California

The arts

• H. Parrott Bacot, art historian
• Nancy Barrett, actress, best known for her roles in the soap opera Dark Shadows
• Crystal Bernard, singer and actress who starred in the television series Wings
• Marc Burckhardt, artist and illustrator
• Carole Cook, actress, Broadway and film
• Elizabeth A. Davis, Tony Award-nominated actress
• Jim Dickinson, record producer, singer and pianist
• Phil Driscoll, Grammy-winning singer/trumpet player
• Rodger Dean Duncan, author and business consultant
• Jeff Dunham, ventriloquist and comedian
• Forrest Frank, singer, songwriter, and producer
• Robert Fulghum, best-selling author, philosopher
• Chip Gaines, television personality, entrepreneur, and author; television series Fixer Upper and Magnolia Market
• Joanna Gaines, television personality, entrepreneur, and author; television series Fixer Upper and Magnolia Market
• Florence Gerald (BA, 1880), writer, poet, stage actress^[2]
• Bruce Greer, composer
• Shaun Groves, Christian contemporary musician, singer, songwriter
• Derek Haas, author/screenwriter
• Jack Hamm, author of acclaimed art books, cartoonist
• John Lee Hancock, director of The Alamo; producer of My Dog Skip^[3]
• Robin Hardy, author of numerous books including The Annals of Lystra: Chataine's Guardian
• Thomas Harris, best-selling author of Silence of the Lambs
• Mark Hayes, Christian music vocal and instrumental arranger
• Jackson Hurst, actor, television series Drop Dead Diva and Walking Tall 3
• Brett James, country music singer and songwriter
• Julie Kenner, author and former lawyer
• Kara Killmer, actress, Chicago Fire
• Angela Kinsey (BA, 1993); actress, podcaster, and television panelist
• Clancy Martin, novelist and philosopher
• Erin McCarley, songwriter-musician
• Brooklyn and Bailey McKnight, actresses and YouTube personalities
• Austin Miller, actor, dancer, and singer on Grease: You're The One That I Want^[4]
• Jay Hunter Morris, operatic tenor
• Willie Nelson, country music star
• Eddie Noack, country music singer and songwriter
• Grady Nutt, pastor, humorist and television personality; regular on Hee Haw (1979–1983)^[5]
• David Phelps, tenor for the Gaither Vocal Band
• Derek Phillips, actor
• Alfred Reed, composer and conductor
• Kevin Reynolds, film director
• Maddy Rosenberg, artist
• Gretchen Rossi, TV personality, The Real Housewives of Orange County
• Paul Smith, singer/songwriter, member of The Imperials
• Suzy Spencer, true-crime writer and novelist
• Robert Sterling, songwriter, produce, arranger
• Steven Stucky, Pulitzer Prize winner for music^[6]
• David Sullivan, film and television actor
• Allison Tolman, actress
• Jennifer Vasquez, actress and contestant on season six of Big Brother
• Peter Weber, television personality, pilot, and author; television series The Bachelor and The Bachelorette^[7]
• Allen Wier, writer
• Noble Willingham, television and film actor
• Roxanne Wilson, finalist on season five of The Apprentice^[8]
• Stephanie Young, voice actress, singer, songwriter
• Man-Ching Donald Yu, composer

Business

• Joe Allbritton, founder and owner of Allbritton Communications Company, the parent company of Politico^[9]
• Paul L. Foster, chairman of the board of Western Refining^[10]
• Thomas W. Horton, lead director of General Electric's board of directors^[11]
• Mark Hurd, CEO and board of directors member of Oracle Corporation
• Michael S. Hyatt, former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishers, New York Times best-selling author, and founder of Michael Hyatt & Company, an Inc. 5000 fastest growing company for 2017, 2018, and 2019
• Gary Keller, co-founder and chairman of Keller Williams Realty International^[12]
• Rebecca Mark, former head of Enron International^[13]
• Drayton McLane, chairman of the McLane Group and former owner of the Houston Astros
• Bob J. Perry, founder of Perry Homes
• Marjorie Scardino, CEO of Pearson, a major media group; former CEO of the Economist Group; also a non-executive director of Nokia Corporation^[14]
• Bob R. Simpson, co-founder, chairman, and CEO of XTO Energy and co-owner of the Texas Rangers
• Allen Stanford, former chairman of Stanford Financial Group, which operated as a Ponzi scheme, convicted financial fraudster
• A. Latham Staples, president and CEO of EXUSMED, Inc.; chairman of Empowering Spirits Foundation
• Bill Townsend, Internet entrepreneur and founder of the Web search engine Lycos, Inc.

Law

• Charles Barrow, former justice in the Texas Supreme Court and a dean of Baylor Law School^[15]
• Leonard E. Davis, United States district judge for the Eastern District of Texas^[16]
• Jennifer Walker Elrod, judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit^[17]
• Sidney A. Fitzwater, chief United States federal district judge for the Northern District of Texas^[18]
• A. J. Folley, justice of the Texas Supreme Court^[19]
• James Rodney Gilstrap, United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Texas^[20]
• James E. Kinkeade, United States federal judge for Northern District of Texas^[21]
• Priscilla Owen, judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth circuit, possible nominee to Supreme Court^[22]
• Ryan Patrick, former judge, 177th District Court, former United States attorney for the Southern District of Texas
• Thomas R. Phillips, former chief justice of the Texas Supreme Court^[23]
• Tom Price (JD), judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, 1997–2015; judge of the Texas 282nd Court, 1987–1997^[24]
• Walter Scott Smith Jr., chief United States federal judge for the Western District of Texas^[25]
• William Steger, long-serving United States federal judge for the Eastern District of Texas, ran unsuccessfully for Texas governor in 1960 and United States House of Representatives in 1962^[26]
• T. John Ward, former United States federal judge for the Eastern District of Texas^[27]
• Don Willett, United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit^[28]

Media

• Richelle Carey, Al Jazeera America news anchor
• Deb Carson, Fox Sports Radio national sports anchor & co-host
• Beth Haller, journalism professor, Fulbright scholar
• Robert Heard, reporter and journalist for the Associated Press^[29][30]
• Brooklyn McKnight and Bailey McKnight-Howard, YouTubers
• Candice Millard, former National Geographic editor and New York Times best selling author
• Trey Wingo, co-host of ESPN's SportsCenter

Military

• Clarence R. Autery (BA and LL B, 1957), Air Force general
• O. L. Bodenhamer (BA, 1914; LL D (hon), 1930); Army officer during World War I, 12th national commander of American Legion 1929–1930
• John R. Kane (BA, 1928); Army Air Forces Medal of Honor recipient, led bombardment aircraft in mass low-level attack against Ploesti oil refineries in 1943
• Jack Lummus; professional football player with the New York Giants, Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipient killed in action at the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945
• Charles C. Pixley (MS), 34th surgeon general of the Army 1977–1981
• Gale Pollock (MHA, 1987), deputy surgeon general of the Army 2006–2007

Politics

• James B. Adams, Texas legislator, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation^[31]
• Colin Allred, U.S. representative from Texas's 32nd congressional district (2019–present)^[32]
• Kip Averitt, former Texas state senator^[33]
• Charlotte Beers, businesswoman and former U.S. under secretary of state (2001–2003) (attended; did not graduate)^[34]
• Nick Begich III, U.S Representative from Alaska's At Large Congressional District (2025-Present)^[35]
• Charles T. Bernard, Arkansas Republican state chairman, 1971–1973; Republican candidate for United States Senate in 1968; farmer and businessman^[36]
• Bob Bullock, lieutenant governor of Texas, Texas comptroller of Public Accounts, Texas secretary of state, Texas state representative^[37]
• Joseph Cao, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 2nd congressional district (2009–2011), first Vietnamese-American to serve in Congress^[38]
• Brad Carson, U.S. representative from Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district (2001–2005)^[39]
• Sam Houston Clinton, former Texas Court of Criminal Appeals judge; lawyer who represented both atheist leader Madalyn Murray O'Hair and Jack Ruby, the man who shot and killed presidential assassin Lee Harvey Oswald^[40]
• Tom Connally, U.S. senator from Texas (1929–1953)^[41]
• David Craighead, former Oklahoman representative^[42]
• Bill Daniel, former governor of Guam and Democratic member of the Texas House of Representatives^[43]
• Price Daniel, governor of Texas 1957–1963^[44]
• Price Daniel Jr., speaker of the Texas House of Representatives (1973–1975)^[45]
• John E. Davis (BBA, 1982), Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Houston since 1999
• Craig Eiland, departing state representative and former speaker pro tempore of the Texas House of Representatives^[46][47]
• James Walter Elder, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district (1913–1915)^[48]
• Louie Gohmert, U.S. representative from Texas's 1st congressional district^[49]
• Trey Gowdy, U.S. representative from South Carolina's 4th congressional district^[50]
• Philip Gunn (BBA, 1985), speaker of the House Mississippi (current), first Republican speaker of the House in 136 years^{[citation needed]}
• Sam B. Hall, U.S. representative from Texas's 1st congressional district (1976–1985)^[51]
• Kelly Hancock, Republican Texas state senator for District 9
• Phil Hardberger, former mayor of San Antonio^[52]
• Temple Lea Houston, son of Sam Houston, district attorney, and state legislator^[53]
• Andrew J. Houston, U.S. senator from Texas (1941); perennial candidate, and son of Texas statesman Sam Houston^[54]
• Ernest Istook, U.S. representative from Oklahoma's 5th congressional district (1993–2007)^[55]
• Leon Jaworski, special prosecutor during the Watergate Scandal and one of the first partners of the major international law firm Fulbright & Jaworski^[56]
• Brad Knott (BA), U.S. representative from North Carolina's 13th congressional district
• Jeff Leach (BA), state representative from District 67 in the Texas House of Representatives since 2013
• Jim Mattox, U.S. representative from Texas's 5th district (1977–1983), member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 33 (East Dallas), 47th attorney general of Texas 1983–1991
• Julie Myers (BA, 1991), former assistant secretary of Homeland Security for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement^[57]
• Pat Morris Neff, governor of Texas 1921–1925; president of Baylor 1932–1947^[58]
• Lyndon Lowell Olson Jr., former United States ambassador to Sweden and vice chairman of U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy^[59][60]
• Walter P. Paluch Jr., former brigadier general in the United States Air Force^[61]
• Diane Patrick, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Arlington^[62]
• Rand Paul, U.S. senator from Kentucky, and son of former Texas Congressman Ron Paul^[63]
• Ken Paxton, Texas attorney general (2015–present) and former member of Texas House and Senate^[64]
• Angela Paxton, Texas state senator (2019–present) and wife of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton^[64]
• Chip Pickering (MA, 1989), U.S. representative from Mississippi's 3rd congressional district (1995–2007)^[65]
• David Pierce, New Hampshire state representative, 2006–2012, and New Hampshire senator, 2012–present^[66]
• Larry Phillips (BBA), Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives since 2003 from Sherman, Texas^[67]
• William R. Poage, U.S. representative from Texas's 11th congressional district (1937–1979)^[68]
• Ann Richards, governor of Texas 1991–1995^[69]
• Sul Ross, governor of Texas 1887–1891^[70]
• J. T. Rutherford, U.S. representative from Texas's 16th congressional district (1955–1963)^[71]
• Paul Sadler (BA), former state representative and Democratic U.S. Senate nominee in 2012^[72]
• Ayman Safadi, Minister of Foreign and Expatriate Affairs of Jordan
• Max Sandlin, U.S. representative from Texas's 1st congressional district (1997–2005)^[73]
• Scott Sanford (BBA), member of the Texas House of Representatives from McKinney; certified public accountant and Baptist pastor^[74]
• Mark M. Shelton (BS, 1979), Fort Worth pediatrician, specialist in infectious diseases, and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 97 (2009–2013)^[75]
• Max Sherman (BA, 1957), Texas state senator (1971–1977) and president of West Texas A&M University (1977–1982)^[76]
• William S. Sessions, former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation^[77]
• David M. Sibley, Texas state senator (1991–2002) and former mayor of Waco^[78]
• Larry Taylor (BBA, 1982), Republican member of the Texas Senate from District 11 (2013–2023) and Texas House of Representatives from District 24 (2003–2013)
• Alan Steelman, U.S. representative from Texas's 5th congressional district (1973–1977)^[79]
• Abelardo L. Valdez, former United States ambassador and chief of Protocol of the United States^[80][81]
• Jason Villalba, former state representative from District 114 in Dallas County (2013–2019); former candidate for Dallas mayor; member of the Haynes and Boone law firm in Dallas^[82]
• Kirk Watson, mayor of Austin (2023–present) and former Texas state senator^[83]
• W. Marvin Watson, advisor to President Lyndon Johnson and former Postmaster General^[84]
• Mark White, governor of Texas 1983–1987^[85]
• Joseph Franklin Wilson, U.S. representative from Texas's 5th congressional district (1947–1955)^[86]
• Gita Wirjawan, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Indonesia^[87]

Religion

• George Washington Baines, Baptist clergyman in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas; maternal great-grandfather of Lyndon B. Johnson
• B. H. Carroll, first president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
• Russell H. Dilday, Baptist pastor (Tallowood Baptist Church and others), author, educator, former president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, one of Texas Monthly's "Texas Twenty"
• James T. Draper, Jr., pastor of First Baptist Euless (1975–1991) and president of Southern Baptist LifeWay Resources (1991–2006)
• Bryan Hollon, dean and president of Trinity Anglican Seminary
• Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church (Dallas, Texas)
• Cheryl A. Kirk-Duggan, womanist theologian and ordained elder in the CME Church
• Kyle Lake, pastor and leader in the Emerging Church movement
• J. Frank Norris, popular fundamentalist Baptist preacher and critic of Baylor's embracing of evolution in the 1920s
• Paul Powell, dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary, pastor, BGCT leader, author
• John R. Rice, Baptist evangelist and pastor; founding editor of The Sword of the Lord, an influential fundamentalist newspaper
• Lester Roloff, fundamentalist Baptist preacher, storyteller, and author
• Kerry Shook, pastor of the Woodlands Church (The Woodlands Texas)
• George W. Truett, pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas 1897–1944, president Baptist World Alliance and Southern Baptist Convention

Science and medicine

• Hallie Earle, first licensed female physician in Waco, 1902 M.S. from Baylor; only female graduate of 1907 Baylor University Medical School in Dallas
• H. Bentley Glass, geneticist and columnist
• James R. Heath, chemist, Elizabeth W. Gilloon Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology
• David Hillis, evolutionary biologist and 1999 MacArthur Fellow
• Robert W. McCollum, virologist who made important discoveries regarding polio and hepatitis^[88]
• Rod Rohrich, internationally renowned plastic surgeon and chairman of the Department of Plastic Surgery at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas
• Ada-Rhodes Short, roboticist, professor, and trans and LGBTQ rights activist
• Norman Shumway, pioneering heart surgeon at Stanford University
• John Stapp, physician and physicist who, among other things, studied the effects of acceleration and deceleration forces on humans
• Gordon K. Teal, worked in early efforts to improve transistors

Athletics

Administration

• Reddin Andrews, president of Baylor University 1885–1886
• George Washington Baines, maternal great-grandfather of U.S. President Lyndon Baines Johnson, served briefly as natural science professor and president of Baylor University at its first location in Independence, Texas
• Samuel Palmer Brooks, president of Baylor University 1902–1931
• Rufus Columbus Burleson, president of Baylor University 1851–1861, and again 1886–1897
• Oscar Henry Cooper, president of Baylor University 1899–1902, and of Simmons College, now known as Hardin–Simmons University 1902–1909
• David E. Garland, interim president of Baylor University 2008–2010 and 2016, and dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University 2007–2016
• Henry Lee Graves, president of Baylor University 1846–1851
• John M. Lilley, president of the University of Nevada, Reno 2001–2005 and Baylor University 2006–2008
• Abner Vernon McCall, president of Baylor University 1961–1981
• Herbert H. Reynolds, president of Baylor University 1981–1995
• Robert B. Sloan, president of Baylor University 1995–2005, and of Houston Baptist University 2006–present
• Ken Starr, special counsel during the Whitewater controversy and later president of Baylor
• William D. Underwood, interim president of Baylor University 2005–2006, and of Mercer University 2006–present
• William R. White, president of Hardin–Simmons University 1940–1943, and of Baylor University 1948–1961

Coaches

• Scott Drew, men's basketball coach
• Clyde Hart, former head track coach and director of track and field
• Sonja Hogg, former head woman's basketball coach at Louisiana Tech University and at Baylor University
• Glenn Moore, softball coach, played both football and baseball in college and softball with "The King and His Court"
• Kim Mulkey, Lady Bear basketball coach, college player at the Louisiana Tech University and on the US Olympic Team
• Grant Teaff, former football head coach (1972–1992), member of the College Football Hall of Fame and executive director of the American Football Coaches Association
• Randy Waldrum, founded the Baylor University women's soccer program, and went 46–14–3 1996–1998; current head coach of the University of Notre Dame's women's soccer team
• George Woodruff, former Baylor football coach

Biology

• Maria Elena Bottazzi, Distinguished Professor of Biology
• Lula Pace (1868–1925), first female professor at Baylor with a PhD

Economics

• Earl Grinols, Distinguished Professor of Economics, notable works include contributions to the study of the economic effect of gambling and casinos^[185]
• David VanHoose, Herman W. Lay Professor of Private Enterprise; has written text books and papers used in the field of economics

Engineering

• W. Mack Grady, professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Robert J. Marks II, Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, notable work in application of artificial neural networks, brachytherapy, wireless communication, detection theory, and Fourier analysis; a proponent of intelligent design; featured in the documentary-style film Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed

English

• Greg Garrett, professor of English, winner of the Pirate's Alley William Faulkner Prize for Fiction, and author of several books^[186]

Geology and geography

• Frank Carney, chairman of department of Geology and Geography

History

• Beth Allison Barr, James Vardaman Endowed Professor of History^[187]
• Philip Jenkins, Distinguished Professor of History and co-director of the Program on Historical Studies of Religion^[188]

Mathematics

• David Arnold, Ralph and Jean Storm Professor of Mathematics
• Vivienne Malone-Mayes, first African-American Mathematics professor at Baylor
• Dorina Mitrea, professor and department chair of Mathematics

Philosophy

• Francis J. Beckwith, associate professor and Christian philosopher
• Jean Bethke Elshtain, Visiting Distinguished Professor of Religion and Public Life^[189]
• C. Stephen Evans, University Professor of Philosophy and Humanities
• Thomas S. Hibbs, dean of the Honors College and Distinguished Professor of Philosophy
• Jonathan Kvanvig, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Christian philosopher, specialist in Epistemology and Philosophy of Religion
• Alexander Pruss, philosopher, mathematician and the co-director of graduate studies in philosophy.
• Robert Campbell Roberts, Distinguished Professor of Ethics

Physics

• Anzhong Wang, theoretical physicist, specialized in gravitation, cosmology and astroparticle physics; currently working on cosmology in string/M theory and the Hořava-Lifshitz gravity
• Bennie Ward, theoretical particle physicist, fellow of the American Physical Society, co-editor-in-chief of The Open Nuclear and Particle Physics Journal

Religion

• Carlos Cardoza-Orlandi, Frederick E. Roach Chair in World Christianity
• Edward R. Dalglish, biblical scholar and professor of Old Testament
• Philip Jenkins, director of Program for Historical Studies of Religion
• Ralph C. Wood, university professor and author of The Gospel According to Tolkien^[190][191]

Social sciences

• Marc H. Ellis, controversial author of numerous articles and books on Israel and Jewish affairs^[192]
• Jay Hein, director of the Program on Faith & Generosity and former Director of the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives^[193]
• Jerry Pattengale, distinguished senior fellow at the Baylor Institute for Studies of Religion and director of the Green Scholars Initiative^[194]
• Rodney Stark, advocate of the application of rational choice theory in the sociology of religion^[195]

Truett Seminary

• Roger E. Olson, professor of Theology, author of The Story of Christian Theology Twenty Centuries of Tradition & Reform