Notable Alumni of Bradley University

Laura Kelly 1950–

Governor of Kansas since 2019

Bachelor of Science · Psychology

John Shalikashvili 1936–2011

13th Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Also attended: George Washington University

Ray LaHood 1945–

16th United States Secretary of Transportation

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1971

Also attended: Spoon River College

Child: Darin LaHood (The John Marshall Law School, Loras College)

Aaron Schock 1981–

Former US representative from Illinois

Bachelor of Science · Class of 2002

Also attended: Illinois Central College

Robin Kelly 1956–

U.S. Representative for Illinois's 2nd district

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts · Class of 1982

Also attended: Northern Illinois University

Robert H. Michel 1923–2017

Former House Minority Leader from Illinois

Carol Ronen 1945–

Former Illinois General Assembly member

Also attended: Roosevelt University

Harold H. Velde 1910–1985

Illinois congressman, chaired House Un-American Activities Committee

Attended until 1929

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University

Mohd Zin Mohamed 1954–

Former Malaysian Minister of Works and MP

Tom Fink 1928–2021

Former Mayor of Anchorage

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Robert Dale Morgan 1912–2002

Federal district judge and former Mayor of Peoria

Also attended: University of Chicago

David Sills 1938–2011

Presiding justice of California Court of Appeal

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Bill Heller 1935–2020

Politician and former education college dean

Also attended: University of Northern Colorado, Northern Illinois University

Michael K. Smith 1966–2014

Democratic Illinois state representative

Michael D. Unes 1974–

Former Illinois Republican state representative

Howard D. McKibben 1940–

Senior U.S. district judge in Nevada

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Joan Krupa

Illinois state representative and health center executive

Karel Janeček 1973–

Czech mathematician, entrepreneur and philanthropist

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Robert Henry Lawrence 1935–1967

First African-American selected as an astronaut

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

George S. Phalen 1911–1998

Hand surgeon known for carpal tunnel syndrome work

Also attended: Northwestern University

Aldon D. Morris 1949–

Sociologist, 2021 American Sociological Association president

Bachelor of Arts · Sociology · Class of 1974

Also attended: City Colleges of Chicago-Olive-Harvey College, Stony Brook University

Daniel J. Crowley 1921–1998

Art historian and cultural anthropologist

Master of Arts · Class of 1948

Also attended: Northwestern University

Philip José Farmer 1918–2009

Science fiction author known for Riverworld series

Neil Flynn 1960–

Actor and comedian

Paul Powell 1881–1944

Silent film director and producer

Gordon Buehrig 1904–1990

Automobile designer

Jerry Hadley 1952–2007

Operatic tenor and three-time Grammy winner

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Brad Cohen 1973–

Teacher, author and speaker with Tourette syndrome

Tami Lane 1974–

Prosthetic makeup artist, Academy Award winner

Louis Skidmore 1897–1962

Co-founder of Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

Also attended: Boston Architectural College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Pedro Bell 1950–2019

Artist known for Funkadelic album covers

Also attended: Roosevelt University

Charley Steiner 1949–

Sportscaster, Los Angeles Dodgers radio announcer

Danny Granger 1983–

Former NBA player

Also attended: University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Anthony Parker 1975–

Orlando Magic general manager and former NBA player

Sibling: Candace Parker (The University of Tennessee-Knoxville)

Hersey Hawkins 1966–

Former NBA player

Child: Corey Hawkins (Arizona State University-Tempe)

Chet Walker 1940–2024

NBA player, seven-time All-Star

Patrick O'Bryant 1986–

Former basketball player, 9th pick in 2006 NBA draft

Stan Albeck 1931–2021

ABA and NBA basketball coach

Also attended: Michigan State University

Jerry Krause 1939–2017

Former general manager of the Chicago Bulls

J. J. Anderson 1960–

Former NBA power forward

Lambert Redd 1908–1986

1932 Olympic long jump silver medalist

Gene Melchiorre 1927–2019

Basketball player, first overall pick in 1951 NBA draft

David Thirdkill 1960–

Former professional basketball player

Also attended: College of Southern Idaho

Walter Lemon, Jr. 1992–

Basketball player, formerly with CBA's Shanxi Loongs

Voise Winters 1962–

Former Philadelphia 76ers player

Elmer Behnke 1929–2018

Basketball player who played for Bradley University

Bryan Namoff 1979–

Former MLS defender for D.C. United

Zach Andrews 1985–

Professional basketball player

Levern Tart 1942–2010

Professional basketball player in the ABA

Mike Tauchman 1990–

MLB outfielder

Jayson Kent 2002–

Basketball player for the Portland Trail Blazers

Marcel de Souza 1956–

Brazilian basketball player and coach

Al Smith 1947–2022

ABA point guard who once led the league in assists

Shellie McMillon 1936–1980

Professional basketball player

Bob Carney 1932–2011

Basketball player, played for Bradley University

J. J. Liu 1965–

Taipei-born professional poker player

Jochen Graf 1989–

Former professional soccer player

Also attended: Southern Methodist University

Timothy Treadwell 1957–2003

Documentary filmmaker and bear-protection advocate

Matthew F. Hale 1971–

White supremacist leader and Creativity Movement founder

Also attended: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale