Notable Alumni of University of South Dakota

John Thune 1961–

Senate majority leader and senator from South Dakota

Master of Business Administration · Class of 1984

Also attended: Biola University

Tim Johnson 1946–2024

Former U.S. senator from South Dakota

Juris Doctor, Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1975

Also attended: Michigan State University

Child: Brendan Johnson (University of South Dakota, University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Dennis Daugaard 1953–

32nd Governor of South Dakota

Bachelor of Science · Government · Class of 1975

Also attended: Northwestern University

James Abourezk 1931–2023

Former US Senator, first Arab American in the Senate

Juris Doctor

Also attended: South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Kevin Brady 1955–

U.S. Representative from Texas

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1990

Dusty Johnson 1976–

US Representative for South Dakota

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1999

Also attended: University of Kansas

Larry Pressler 1942–

Former US senator from South Dakota

Attended until 1964

Also attended: Harvard University

Bill Janklow 1939–2012

Longest-serving Governor of South Dakota

Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Laws · Class of 1966

Scott DesJarlais 1964–

US representative from Tennessee and physician

Doctor of Medicine, Bachelor of Science · Class of 1991

Peter Norbeck 1870–1936

Governor of South Dakota and US senator

Joe Foss 1915–2003

Marine ace, Medal of Honor recipient, South Dakota governor

Also attended: Augustana University

Frank Farrar 1929–2021

24th Governor of South Dakota

Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Laws

Harvey Wollman 1935–2022

26th Governor of South Dakota

Also attended: Bethel University

Joe Bottum 1903–1984

U.S. senator and lieutenant governor of South Dakota

Ellis Yarnal Berry 1902–1999

U.S. representative from South Dakota

Also attended: Morningside University

Frank E. Denholm 1923–2016

U.S. representative from South Dakota

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, South Dakota State University

Sigurd Anderson 1904–1990

19th Governor of South Dakota

Also attended: South Dakota State University

Royal C. Johnson 1882–1939

U.S. representative from South Dakota, WWI veteran

Chen Shu-hui 1957–

Former Kuomintang legislator in Taiwan

Al Neuharth 1924–2013

Founder of USA Today

Ernest Lawrence 1901–1958

Physicist, cyclotron inventor, Nobel laureate

Also attended: Yale University, University of Chicago, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Sibling: John H. Lawrence (Harvard University, University of South Dakota)

Anna Johnson Pell Wheeler 1883–1966

Mathematician known for early work on infinite-dimensional linear algebra

Attended until 1903

Also attended: University of Chicago, University of Iowa, Harvard University

Spouse: Sergey Degayev (Johns Hopkins University)

David Rumelhart 1942–2011

Psychologist who worked on parallel distributed processing

Also attended: Stanford University

Herbert J. Davenport 1861–1931

Economist, educator and author

Also attended: University of Chicago, Harvard University

Hannah Caroline Aase 1883–1980

Botanist and cytologist

Bachelor's degree · Class of 1906

Also attended: University of Chicago, South Dakota State University

John H. Lawrence 1904–1991

Physicist and physician, pioneer of nuclear medicine

Also attended: Harvard University

Sibling: Ernest Lawrence (Yale University, University of Chicago)

Norman H. Boke 1913–1996

Botanist specializing in cactus anatomy

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Samuel Tunde Bajah 1934–2008

Nigerian science teacher and author

MBM Avoseh

Professor of adult and higher education

Abol Ghassem Bakhtiar 1872–1971

Iranian obstetrician and gynaecologist

Also attended: Syracuse University

Child: Jim Bakhtiar (University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Child: Laleh Bakhtiar (Chatham University)

Tom Brokaw 1940–

Former anchor of NBC Nightly News

Also attended: University of Iowa

Tom Laughlin 1931–2013

Actor, filmmaker and activist

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spouse: Delores Taylor (University of South Dakota)

Angela Aames 1956–1988

B movie actress

Ukamaka Olisakwe 1982–

Nigerian feminist author and screenwriter

Leslie Carlson 1933–2014

Actor who worked mostly in Canada

Spouse: Patricia Hamilton (Carnegie Mellon University)

Pete Dexter 1943–

Novelist, 1988 National Book Award winner

Delores Taylor 1932–2018

Actress, screenwriter and producer of Billy Jack films

Spouse: Tom Laughlin (University of South Dakota, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Arch Hall, Sr. 1908–1978

Actor and filmmaker of early 1960s B-movies

Marilyn Hagerty 1926–2025

Newspaper columnist known for viral Olive Garden review

Kevin Locke 1954–2022

Lakota Indigenous flute player and educator

Master's degree · Educational management

Also attended: Institute of American Indian and Alaska Native Culture and Arts Development, University of North Dakota

Pat O'Brien 1948–

Sportscaster, television host and author

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Elizabeth Cook-Lynn 1930–2023

Sioux writer, editor and poet

Master's degree · Counseling psychology · Class of 1971

Also attended: South Dakota State University, Eastern Washington University

Jens Joneleit 1968–

German composer known for operas

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Bryan Akipa 1957–

Dakota flautist

Dan O'Brien 1947–

Author, wildlife biologist and rancher

Also attended: University of Denver

Abby Whiteside 1881–1956

Piano teacher

Chris Nilsen 1998–

Pole vaulter, 2020 Olympic silver medalist

Stanley Umude 1999–

Basketball player for FC Barcelona

Andrew Van Ginkel 1995–

Outside linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Matt Mooney 1995–

Professional basketball player

Attended until 2018

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy, Texas Tech University

Tyler Cain 1988–

Professional basketball player

Charlie Westbrook 1989–

Former professional basketball player

Marleen Mülla 2001–

Estonian pole vaulter

Nicole Seekamp 1992–

Australian professional basketball player

Eerik Haamer 2001–

Estonian pole vaulter

Greg Haydenluck 1958–

Canadian decathlete and bobsledder

Roger Thomas 1947–

Football coach and former University of Mary athletic director

Amos Allen 1983–

Former running back in the Canadian Football League

Greg Mortenson 1957–

Co-founder of Central Asia Institute, author

Faith Spotted Eagle 1948–

Yankton Sioux activist opposing pipelines

Also attended: American University, Black Hills State University