Notable Alumni of University of Detroit Mercy

Janet Jagan 1920–2009

6th President of Guyana, first woman in the role

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Wayne State University

Spouse: Cheddi Jagan (Howard University, Northwestern University)

Gary Peters 1958–

US senator from Michigan

Master of Business Administration · Class of 1984

Also attended: Alma College, Michigan State University, Wayne State University

Frank Murphy 1890–1949

US Supreme Court justice

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Thaddeus McCotter 1965–

Former U.S. Representative from Michigan

Juris Doctor, Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1990

Vern Buchanan 1951–

U.S. Representative from Florida and businessman

Master of Business Administration · Class of 1986

Also attended: Cleary University

Dale Kildee 1929–2021

Former US representative from Michigan

Teacher education · Class of 1955

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Brenda Lawrence 1954–

Former U.S. representative from Michigan

Also attended: Central Michigan University

Andrew Marshall 1921–2019

Former director of Pentagon's Office of Net Assessment

Also attended: George Washington University, University of Chicago, Wayne State University

Aryeh Altman 1902–1982

Israeli Knesset member

Also attended: New York University

Agnes Mary Mansour 1931–2004

Former nun and Michigan social services director

Also attended: Catholic University of America, Georgetown University

Lucien N. Nedzi 1925–2025

Former U.S. Representative from Michigan

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Harold M. Ryan 1911–2007

Former Michigan congressman and judge

Also attended: Ferris State University, Michigan State University

Robert Kearns 1927–2005

Inventor of the intermittent windshield wiper

Also attended: Wayne State University, Case Western Reserve University

Glynn Lunney 1936–2021

NASA engineer and Gemini and Apollo flight director

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1958

Gary Habermas 1950–

New Testament scholar and Liberty University professor

Also attended: Michigan State University

Abraham Nemeth 1918–2013

Mathematician and professor at University of Detroit Mercy

Also attended: Wayne State University, Columbia University in the City of New York, CUNY Brooklyn College

Sulyman Age Abdulkareem

Nigerian professor, former Vice-Chancellor of University of Ilorin

Also attended: University of Louisville

Tung Hua Lin 1911–2007

Aerospace engineer who designed China's first twin-engine aircraft

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Child: Robert Lin (California Institute of Technology, University of California-Berkeley)

Joyce Carol Oates 1938–

Writer

Also attended: Syracuse University, Rice University, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spouse: Raymond J. Smith (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Elmore Leonard 1925–2013

Novelist and screenwriter

Keegan-Michael Key 1971–

Actor and comedian, co-creator of Key & Peele

Also attended: The Pennsylvania State University, The Pennsylvania State University

Sibling: Dwayne McDuffie (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, New York University)

Ted Raimi 1965–

Character actor in the Spider-Man trilogy

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Michigan State University, New York University

Sibling: Sam Raimi (Michigan State University)

David Patrick Kelly 1951–

Actor and musician, known for The Warriors

John Gardner 1933–1982

Novelist and critic, author of Grendel

Also attended: DePauw University, University of Iowa, Washington University in St Louis

Spouse: Liz Rosenberg (Binghamton University, Bennington College)

Amy Yasbeck 1962–

Actress known for sitcom Wings

Spouse: John Ritter (University of Southern California)

Anita Barone 1964–

Actress known for sitcoms including Friends

Also attended: Wayne State University

Spouse: Matthew Glave (Ohio University-Main Campus)

Dorothy A. Atabong 1969–

Cameroonian-Canadian actress, writer and producer

Also attended: Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater

Greg Mathis 1960–

Former judge and host of Judge Mathis

Juris Doctor

Also attended: Eastern Michigan University

Terry Wolverton 1954–

Novelist, memoirist, poet and editor

George Noory 1950–

Radio talk show host

Dave DeBusschere 1940–2003

NBA player for the Pistons and Knicks

Spencer Haywood 1949–

Former NBA player and Olympic gold medalist

Also attended: Trinidad State College

Willie Green 1981–

Former NBA player and assistant coach

Ray McCallum Jr. 1991–

Professional basketball player

Father: Ray McCallum (Ball State University, University of Detroit Mercy)

John Long 1956–

Former professional basketball player

Jeanne Stunyo 1936–2025

1956 Olympic silver medalist in diving

Andrew Ornoch 1985–

Former Canada international soccer player, now head coach

Nick Minnerath 1988–

Former professional basketball player

Earl Cureton 1957–2024

Former NBA player

Also attended: Robert Morris University

Terry Tyler 1956–

Former professional basketball player

Terry Duerod 1956–2020

Former NBA player, 1981 Celtics champion

Jermaine Jackson 1976–

Former professional basketball player and coach

Dutch Clark 1906–1978

Pro Football Hall of Fame player and coach

Also attended: Colorado College

Dick Vitale 1939–

ESPN college basketball broadcaster and former coach

Also attended: Seton Hall University, William Paterson University of New Jersey

Joe Kopicki 1960–

Former basketball player and power forward

Kaleigh Rafter 1986–

Canadian softball player

Also attended: Florida State University

Chase Simon 1989–

Retired professional basketball player

Also attended: Central Michigan University

Adam Bedell 1991–

Former American professional soccer forward

Tonya Edwards 1968–

Former pro basketball player, Chicago Sky assistant coach

Jody Handley 1979–

English women's footballer

Dennis Boyd 1954–

Former professional basketball player

Gino Sovran 1924–2016

Canadian professional basketball player

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Dario Hunter 1983–

Rabbi, lawyer and politician

Also attended: Wayne State University, Princeton University

George Murry 1948–2020

Jesuit and Catholic bishop of Youngstown

Also attended: George Washington University, Saint Joseph's University - Philadelphia

Alexander Joseph Brunett 1934–2020

Former Catholic archbishop of Seattle

John M. Quinn 1945–

Bishop of Winona–Rochester until 2022

Also attended: Catholic University of America, Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Steven J. Raica 1952–

Catholic Bishop of Birmingham in Alabama

Also attended: Michigan State University

Francis R. Reiss 1940–

Former auxiliary bishop of Detroit

Also attended: Sacred Heart Major Seminary

Dale Joseph Melczek 1938–2022

Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Gary

Ricardo Ramirez 1936–

First Catholic bishop of Las Cruces

John Baptist Miège 1815–1884

Jesuit missionary bishop, Vicar Apostolic of Kansas