List of Grand Valley State University people

The list of Grand Valley State University people includes notable alumni, faculty, staff, and presidents. There are over 120,000 alumni who reside in all 50 U.S. states, Canada and other countries.[1]

Alumni House on Grand Valley State University-Allendale campus

Presidents of Grand Valley State University

Past and current presidents include:[2][3][4]

• James Zumberge
• Arend Lubbers
• Mark Murray
• Thomas J. Haas
• Philomena Mantella

Alumni

• Howard Bailey - former Detroit Tigers pitcher[5]
• Brandon Barnes - former offensive lineman for the NFL Indianapolis Colts[6]
• John R. Beyrle - United States Ambassador to the Russian Federation[7]
• Josh Bourke - tackle for the CFL Montreal Alouettes[8]
• Cameron Bradfield - offensive tackle for Jacksonville Jaguars[9]
• Greg Cadaret - former Major League Baseball pitcher[10]
• Brian Calley - Michigan House of Representatives, banker, Republican politician, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan[11]
• Brandon Carr - cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys[12]
• Jeff Chadwick - former NFL wide receiver[13]
• The Crane Wives - all five band members (Ben Zito, Dan Rickabus, Kate Pillsbury, Emilee Petersmark, and Tom Gunnels)
• Paul Cranmer - former CFL player
• Mark Dewey - former Major League Baseball pitcher[14]
• Patrick Sheane Duncan - screenwriter, director (Mr. Holland's Opus, Courage Under Fire)[15]
• Darnell Earley - former interim mayor of Flint, Michigan; city manager of Saginaw, Michigan[16]
• Ron Essink - former NFL offensive tackle of the Seattle Seahawks[17]
• Tony Ferguson - two-time Collegiate All-American wrestler; professional mixed martial artist; winner of season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter; former UFC Lightweight Interim Champion[18][19]
• Cullen Finnerty - former NFL quarterback[20]
• Frank Foster - member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving the 107th District[21]
• Eric Fowler - former NFL wide receiver[22]
• Robert Genetski - member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving the 88th District[23]
• Mike Gravier - NCAA football coach[24]
• Thomas Hooker - member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving the 77th District[25]
• Charles Johnson - NFL wide receiver for the Minnesota Vikings
• Derrick Jones - former NFL defensive tackle/end of the Tennessee Titans[26]
• Margo F. Jonker - assistant softball coach for the United States at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney Australia; head softball coach of the Central Michigan Chippewas[27]
• Matt Judon - NFL linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens
• John Keating - Fox Sports Net personality who used the on-air name "Steve Knight" in Grand Rapids
• David Kircus - former NFL wide receiver for the Denver Broncos[28][29]
• Kevin Lee - professional MMA fighter, current UFC Lightweight contender[30]
• Tim Lelito - NFL offensive lineman for the New Orleans Saints
• Keyonta Marshall - former NFL defensive tackle for the New York Jets[31]
• Nick McDonald - NFL free agent offensive lineman[32]
• Rick Outman - member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving the 70th District[33]
• Kasey Peters - football player
• Tommy Remengesau - President of the Republic of Palau
• Rob Rubick - former NFL tight end of the Detroit Lions
• Michael Sak - former member of the Michigan House of Representatives[34]
• Virgil L. Sharpton - administrator at University of Alaska Fairbanks and member of the US Arctic Research Commission[35]
• Bill Sheridan - linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins[36]
• Glenn Duffie Shriver[37]
• Dan Skuta - NFL linebacker who plays for the Jacksonville Jaguars[38]
• Wm. Stage - journalist and photographer[39]
• Cody Stamann - professional Mixed Martial Artist currently in the UFC's Bantamweight Division[40]
• Jon Switalski - member of the Michigan House of Representatives serving the 25th District; former Macomb County Commissioner[41]
• Matt Thornton - pitcher for the Chicago White Sox[42][43]
• Erion Veliaj - Ex Minister of Youth and Social Affairs of Albania, Mayor of Tirana; AB Political Science[44][45]
• Dave Whinham - football coach
• Sarah Zelenka - rower at the 2012 Summer Olympics[46]
• Sarah Kaphing

Faculty and staff

• Tom Beck - football head coach, 1985–1990[47]
• Mary de Young - sociology professor and author[48]
• Don Dufek Sr. - athletic director, 1972–1976[49]
• Brady Hoke - defensive line coach, 1983; Michigan Wolverines head football coach[50]
• Brian Kelly - football head coach, 1991–2003; Notre Dame head football coach[51][52]
• William Levitan - Professor of Classics
• Helen Marlais - pianist, piano performance and pedagogy professor[53]
• Chuck Martin - football head coach, 2005–2009; Notre Dame assistant coach and 2010–2013; Miami (Ohio) head football coach[54]
• Monica McFawn Robinson - winner of the 2013 Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction[55]
• David Plowden - photographer and lecturer[56]
• Jay Smith - basketball head coach, 1996-97
• Margaret Sellers Walker - professor of public administration, 1993-2002, and associate director of the Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Leadership
• Gleaves Whitney - author and director of the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies[57]

References

1. "Alumni". Grand Valley State University. Retrieved 19 October 2012.
2. "Former GVSU Presidents". Grand Valley State University. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
3. "President Thomas J. Haas". Grand Valley State University. Retrieved 22 May 2012.
4. Kransz, Michael (22 January 2019). "What we know about Grand Valley State's new president". mlive.com.
5. "Howard Bailey". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
6. "Brandon Barnes". colts.com. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
7. "Biography - John Beyrle". U.S. State Department. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
8. "Josh Bourke". Montreal Alouettes Football Club. Archived from the original on 5 December 2008. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
9. "Cameron Bradfield". National Football League. Retrieved 12 March 2012.
10. "Greg Cadaret". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 18 May 2012.
11. "Snyder picks GVSU alumnus as runningmate". GVNow. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
12. "Brandon Carr". gvsulakers.com. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
13. "Jeff Chadwick". Profootball.com. Retrieved 28 February 2010.
14. "Mark Dewey". baseball-reference.com. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
15. "A who's who of Michigan's most prominent collegians". Detroit Business Journal. Hour Media, Inc. July–August 2009. Retrieved 30 June 2010.
16. "Muskegon native Darnell Earley leads international group". Muskegon Chronicle. 7 March 2010. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
17. "Ron Essink". databaseSports.com. Archived from the original on 18 February 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
18. "Ex-Grand Valley State wrestler Tony Ferguson wins 'The Ultimate Fighter,' earns UFC contract". Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 5 June 2011.
19. "Tony Ferguson UFC Bio". Retrieved 1 January 2014.
20. Slagter, Josh (2 July 2009). "Ex-Lakers QB Cullen Finnerty unsure about future". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
21. "Representative Frank Foster :: House District 107". Michigan House Republicans. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
22. "Eric Fowler". Detroit Lions. Archived from the original on 9 July 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
23. "Representative Bob Genetski :: House District 88". Michigan House Republicans. Archived from the original on 13 January 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
24. "Bluefield College Names New Coach". The Southwest Times. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
25. "Representative Thomas Hooker :: House District 77". Michigan House Republicans. Archived from the original on 26 January 2011. Retrieved 27 January 2011.
26. "Derrick Jones". The Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on 28 February 2011. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
27. "Alumni-Margo Jonker". GVSU Alumni Relations. Archived from the original on 20 January 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2010.
28. "David Kircus". nfl.com. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
29. Reens, Nate (15 September 2010). "Former Grand Valley State, Detroit Lions wide receiver David Kircus in trouble with law again". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 16 September 2010.
30. http://www.ufc.com/fighter/Kevin-Lee
31. "Keyonta Marshall". FL Enterprises LLC. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
32. "Nick McDonald, G for the Green Bay Packers". National Football League. Retrieved 8 February 2011.
33. "Representative Rick Outman :: House District 70". Michigan House Republicans. Archived from the original on 4 February 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
34. "Official Profile: Michigan (MI) State Representative Michael G. Sak (MI House of Representatives)". Freedom Speaks. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
35. "COMMISSIONERS > Current". USARC. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
36. "Bill Sheridan". msuspartans.com. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
37. Wise, David. "Mole-in-Training: How China Tried to Infiltrate the CIA." Washingtonian. 7 July 2012. Retrieved 24 April 2016.
38. Johnson, Greg (29 April 2009). "Lakers' Dan Skuta may make most of NFL chance". The Grand Rapids Press. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
39. Stage, Wm (2008). Fool for Life. Floppinfish Publishing Company Ltd. p. 155. ISBN 978-0-9629124-7-4.
40. http://www.ufc.com/fighter/Cody-Stamann
41. "Biography Rep. Jon M. Switalski". Michigan House Democrats. Archived from the original on 13 February 2011. Retrieved 18 January 2011.
42. Lamberts, Lee (1 November 2011). "Q&A with Grand Valley State Hall of Famer, Chicago White Sox pitcher Matt Thornton". The Holland Sentinel. Archived from the original on 3 April 2012. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
43. "Matt Thornton". MLB Advanced Media, L.P. Retrieved 17 June 2010.
44. "Erion Veliaj, '02". Grand Valley State University Alumni Association. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
45. "Ministër i Mirëqenies Sociale dhe Rinisë". Government of Albania. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2014.
46. "Sarah Zelenka". usrowing.org. Archived from the original on 29 July 2012. Retrieved 28 July 2012.
47. "Brian Kelly Named 29th Head Football Coach At Notre Dame". University of Notre Dame. Archived from the original on 17 June 2011. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
48. "Mary DeYoung". Grand Valley State University. Archived from the original on 26 November 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
49. "GVSU History - The Sporty Side of Grand Valley". Grand Valley State University. Retrieved 15 June 2010.
50. "Brady Hoke". mgoblue.com. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
51. "Kelly Named Head Football Coach". gobearcats.com. 3 December 2006. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
52. Whiteside, Kelly (29 August 2010). "New Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly getting an Irish education". USA Today. Retrieved 8 September 2010.
53. https://www.gvsu.edu/music/helen-marlais-pianist-12.htm
54. Hamilton, Brian (5 January 2010). "Chuck Martin: Notre Dame job 'dream come true'". Chicago Breaking Sports. Retrieved 14 June 2010.
55. "Winners Announced for the Flannery O'Connor Award for Short Fiction". The University of Georgia Press. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
56. "Biography". David Plowden. Retrieved 11 August 2010.
57. "Gleaves Whitney". Grand Valley State University. Retrieved 14 June 2010.

External links

• Grand Valley State University Alumni Relations