Notable Alumni of Wheaton College

Dennis Hastert 1942–2026

51st Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1964

Also attended: Northern Illinois University

Dan Coats 1943–

5th Director of National Intelligence, former Indiana senator

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1965

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Purdue University-Main Campus

Tim Walberg 1951–

U.S. Representative from Michigan since 2011

Master of Arts · Class of 1978

Also attended: Moody Bible Institute, Western Illinois University, Taylor University

Russell Vought 1976–

Director of the Office of Management and Budget

Also attended: George Washington University

Jim McDermott 1936–

Former U.S. representative from Washington and psychiatrist

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1958

Also attended: University of Illinois at Chicago

Paul B. Henry 1942–1993

Michigan congressman and political science professor

Also attended: Duke University

Robert Holmes Bell 1944–2023

US district judge in Western Michigan

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: Wayne State University

Child: Rob Bell (Fuller Theological Seminary, Wheaton College (IL))

Marilyn Hall Patel 1938–

Former US federal district judge

Also attended: Fordham University

Trevor N. McFadden 1978–

US district judge for the District of Columbia

Also attended: University of Virginia-Main Campus

David Iglesias 1958–

Attorney and professor of politics and law

Bachelor of Arts · Study of history · Class of 1980

Lee Ware 1952–

Member of the Virginia House of Delegates

Also attended: Harvard University

R. Timothy Ziemer 1946–

Retired US Navy rear admiral and helicopter pilot

Bachelor of Arts · History

Don Soderquist 1934–2016

Former chief operating officer of Wal-Mart

Steve Saint 1951–

Entrepreneur, pilot and author

Father: Nate Saint (Wheaton College (IL))

John Wesley Powell 1834–1902

Explorer who led the 1869 Colorado River expedition

Also attended: Illinois College, Oberlin College

Sibling: William B. Powell (Wheaton College (IL))

Sibling: Ellen Powell Thompson (Wheaton College (IL))

Bart D. Ehrman 1955–

Biblical scholar, professor at UNC Chapel Hill

Also attended: Moody Bible Institute, Princeton Theological Seminary

William Lane Craig 1949–

Philosopher, Christian apologist and theologian

Wallace Broecker 1931–2019

Geochemist and Columbia University professor

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Harold Alden 1890–1964

American astronomer

Also attended: University of Chicago, University of Virginia-Main Campus

Jason Hickel 1982–

Economic anthropologist, professor at Autonomous University of Barcelona

Bachelor's degree · Anthropology

Also attended: University of Virginia-Main Campus

Norman Geisler 1932–2019

Evangelical theologian and philosopher

Also attended: Loyola University Chicago

James S. Albus 1935–2011

Engineer and senior NIST Fellow

Also attended: University of Maryland-College Park, Ohio State University-Main Campus

Edith Kellman 1911–2007

Astronomer known for the MKK stellar classification system

Mark Noll 1946–

Historian of Christianity in the United States

Also attended: Vanderbilt University

Helen Thornton Geer 1903–1983

Librarian and professor; author of Charging Systems

Wes Craven 1939–2015

Filmmaker known for horror films

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Jeffrey Nordling 1962–

Actor in 24 and Desperate Housewives

Kate Pierson 1948–

Singer and founding member of the B-52s

Also attended: Boston University

Gary Chapman 1938–

Author of The Five Love Languages, counselor and radio host

Also attended: Wake Forest University

Philip Yancey 1949–

Best-selling Christian author

Also attended: University of Chicago, Columbia International University

Ruth Bell Graham 1920–2007

Christian author born in Jiangsu, China

Spouse: Billy Graham (Trinity College of Florida, Wheaton College (IL))

Child: Franklin Graham (Appalachian State University, Montreat College)

Margaret Landon 1903–1993

Author of Anna and the King of Siam

Attended until 1925

Martin O'Donnell 1955–

Video game composer known for Halo

Also attended: University of Southern California

John Nelson 1941–2025

Conductor known for Berlioz productions

Sylvia McNair 1956–

Soprano and two-time Grammy winner

Also attended: Indiana University-Bloomington

Rob Bell 1970–

Author, speaker and former pastor

Also attended: Fuller Theological Seminary

Father: Robert Holmes Bell (Wheaton College (IL), Wayne State University)

Jeannine Taylor 1954–

Actress, played Marcie in Friday the 13th

Michael Gerson 1964–2022

Washington Post columnist and speechwriter

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: Georgetown University

Wendy White 1959–

Mezzo-soprano with the Metropolitan Opera

Also attended: Indiana University-Bloomington

Douglas Yeo 1955–

Former bass trombonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra

Bob Ralston 1938–2025

Pianist and organist on The Lawrence Welk Show

Also attended: University of Southern California

Mel Peterson 1938–

Former NBA and ABA basketball player

Marshall Hollingsworth 1993–

Retired soccer player, formerly of Columbus Crew SC

Gil Dodds 1918–1977

Middle-distance runner and former mile world record holder

Master of Arts · Christian education

Also attended: Northwestern University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Gardner-Webb University

Jaime French 1989–

Former women's soccer player for FC Kansas City

Bret Hall 1956–

Soccer coach and former professional player

Nancy Swider-Peltz 1956–

Speed skater who competed in four Winter Olympics

Billy Graham 1918–2018

American Baptist evangelist

Also attended: Trinity College of Florida, Bob Jones University

Spouse: Ruth Bell Graham (Wheaton College (IL))

Child: Franklin Graham (Appalachian State University, Montreat College)

John Piper 1946–

Reformed Baptist theologian and pastor

Also attended: Fuller Theological Seminary

Jim Elliot 1926–1956

Christian missionary killed in Ecuador

Spouse: Elisabeth Elliot (Wheaton College (IL))

Josh McDowell 1939–

Evangelical Christian apologist and author

Also attended: Biola University

A. W. Tozer 1897–1963

Christian pastor, author and magazine editor

Also attended: Houghton University

R. A. Torrey 1856–1928

Evangelist, pastor, educator and writer

Also attended: Yale University

Todd Beamer 1968–2001

Passenger on United Airlines Flight 93

Also attended: California State University--Fresno, DePaul University

Carl F. H. Henry 1913–2003

Evangelical Christian theologian

Also attended: Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Boston University

Elisabeth Elliot 1926–2015

Christian missionary, author and speaker

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1948

Spouse: Jim Elliot (Wheaton College (IL))

Bill Gothard 1934–

Christian minister, founder of IBLP

Nate Saint 1923–1956

Missionary pilot killed in Ecuador

Father: Lawrence Saint (Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts)

Child: Steve Saint (Wheaton College (IL))

Peter E. Gillquist 1938–2012

Orthodox archpriest and author

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Juanita Breckenridge Bates 1860–1946

Congregationalist minister, first woman Oberlin divinity graduate

Also attended: Oberlin College

Marcus Ch'eng 1884–1963

Chinese Protestant evangelical leader