Notable Alumni of Ohio Wesleyan University

Charles W. Fairbanks 1852–1918

26th Vice President of the United States

Lucy Webb Hayes 1831–1889

19th First Lady of the United States

Spouse: Rutherford B. Hayes (Harvard University, Kenyon College)

Child: Webb Hayes (Cornell University)

Joseph B. Foraker 1846–1917

Governor of Ohio and U.S. senator

Also attended: Cornell University

Clarence Dill 1884–1978

Washington Democratic politician, served in both houses of Congress

Also attended: University of Delaware

John Marshall Hamilton 1847–1905

18th Governor of Illinois

Paul Gillmor 1939–2007

U.S. Representative from Ohio

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1961

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Defiance College

Spouse: Karen Gillmor (Michigan State University, Ohio State University-Main Campus)

Myron Timothy Herrick 1854–1929

Ohio governor and two-time Ambassador to France

Also attended: Oberlin College

Jo Ann Emerson 1950–

U.S. Representative for Missouri's 8th district, 1996–2013

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1972

Spouse: Norvell William Emerson (University of Baltimore, University of Missouri-Columbia)

Horace Newton Allen 1858–1932

Missionary, physician and ambassador to Korea

Attended until 1881

Also attended: University of Cincinnati-Main Campus, Miami University-Oxford

George W. Atkinson 1845–1925

10th governor of West Virginia

Also attended: Howard University

Samuel G. Cosgrove 1847–1909

Sixth governor of Washington

Cyrus Locher 1878–1929

U.S. Senator from Ohio in 1928

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

John M. Pattison 1847–1906

43rd Governor of Ohio

Also attended: University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Dave Hobson 1936–2024

Former U.S. Representative from Ohio

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1958

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

James W. Huffman 1894–1980

U.S. senator from Ohio

Also attended: University of Chicago, Ohio State University-Main Campus

William Eugene Stanley, Sr. 1844–1910

15th Governor of Kansas

Masa Nakayama 1891–1976

First woman in Japan's Cabinet

John G. Woolley 1850–1922

1900 Prohibition Party presidential candidate

Frank Stanton 1908–2006

President of CBS from 1946 to 1971

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

F. Sherwood Rowland 1927–2012

Nobel laureate chemist, professor at UC Irvine

Also attended: University of Chicago

Edwin Grant Conklin 1863–1952

Biologist and zoologist

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Amos Dolbear 1837–1910

Physicist and inventor

Ezra Vogel 1930–2020

Harvard sociologist who wrote on Japan, China and Korea

Also attended: Harvard University

Edwin C. Kemble 1889–1984

Physicist who contributed to quantum mechanics

Also attended: Harvard University, Case Western Reserve University, Carnegie Mellon University

Boyce McDaniel 1917–2002

Nuclear physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project

Also attended: Cornell University

Robert J. Havighurst 1900–1991

Physicist and expert on human development and aging

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1921

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

William Hung 1893–1980

Historian and sinologist at Yenching and Harvard

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

Hü King Eng 1865–1919

Physician, second ethnic Chinese woman to attend US university

Paul Sears 1891–1990

American ecologist and writer

Bachelor of Arts · Economics · Class of 1914

Also attended: University of Chicago

Rachel Littler Bodley 1831–1888

Botanist, dean of Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania

Attended until 1860

Tremper Longman 1952–

Old Testament scholar, theologian and professor

Also attended: Yale University, Westminster Theological Seminary

Aaron John Sharp 1904–1997

Botanist and moss expert

Virgil Aldrich 1903–1998

Philosopher of art, language, and religion

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Columbia University in the City of New York

William Hsiao 1936–

Economist and Harvard public health professor

Also attended: Harvard University

Clark Gregg 1962–

Actor, screenwriter and director

Also attended: Wesleyan University, New York University

Spouse: Jennifer Grey (Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

Norman Vincent Peale 1898–1993

Clergyman and author of The Power of Positive Thinking

Also attended: Boston University

Patricia Heaton 1958–

Actress in Everybody Loves Raymond

Bachelor of Arts · Drama

Spouse: David Hunt (The Juilliard School)

Father: Chuck Heaton (John Carroll University)

Wendie Malick 1950–

Film and television actress and former model

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Spouse: Mitch Glazer (Clark University, New York University)

Patricia Wettig 1951–

Actress known for Thirtysomething

Also attended: Smith College, Temple University

Spouse: Ken Olin (Circle in the Square Theatre School, University of Pennsylvania)

Benh Zeitlin 1982–

Director of Beasts of the Southern Wild

Also attended: Wesleyan University

Ron Leibman 1937–2019

Actor, Tony winner for Angels in America

Also attended: American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York

Spouse: Jessica Walter (Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

William H. Gass 1924–2017

Novelist, critic and philosophy professor

Also attended: Cornell University, Kenyon College

Robert Pine 1941–

American actor

Child: Chris Pine (American Conservatory Theater, University of California-Berkeley)

Trish Van Devere 1941–

Retired actress, Genie Award winner for The Changeling

Spouse: George C. Scott (University of Missouri-Columbia)

Melvin Van Peebles 1932–2021

Actor, filmmaker, writer and composer

Child: Mario Van Peebles (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Tyler Christopher 1972–2023

Actor known for General Hospital

Spouse: Eva Longoria (California State University-Northridge, Texas A&M University--Kingsville)

Richard North Patterson 1947–

Novelist, attorney and political commentator

James Oberg 1944–

Space journalist and historian

Also attended: Northwestern University, University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Salman Toor 1983–

Pakistani-American painter and writer

Also attended: Pratt Institute-Main

Mary Katherine Campbell 1905–1990

Only two-time Miss America winner

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Katherine Squire 1903–1995

Actress on Broadway, film and television

Elizabeth Boynton Harbert 1843–1925

American author, lecturer, reformer and philanthropist

May Alden Ward 1853–1918

Biographer of Petrarch and Dante

Ethel Glenn Hier 1889–1971

Composer, pianist and teacher

Also attended: The Juilliard School, University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Robert Edwin Lee 1918–1994

Playwright and lyricist, co-created Armed Forces Radio

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Janet Waldo (University of Washington-Seattle Campus)

Byron Pitts 1960–

Journalist, co-anchor of ABC's Nightline

Jean Carper 1932–

Medical journalist and best-selling author

Evan Lee 1993–

Professional soccer player

Barry Clemens 1943–2026

Former NBA player with an 11-year career

Mildred Gillars 1900–1988

American broadcaster for Nazi Germany in World War II

Helen Kim 1899–1970

Korean educator, feminist and social activist

Also attended: Teachers College at Columbia University