10 Notable alumni of Adams State University
Updated: June 14, 2026 EliteDegrees
Adams State University is ranked #3,875 in the world and #1,018 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 10 notable alumni from Adams State University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Adams State University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. David E. Clemmer
1965-. (aged 61)
researcher
chemist
David E. Clemmer is an analytical chemist and the Distinguished Professor and Robert and Marjorie Mann Chair of Chemistry at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, where he leads the Clemmer Group. Clemmer develops new scientific instruments for ion mobility mass spectrometry (IMS/MS), including the first instrument for nested ion-mobility time-of-flight mass spectrometry. He has received a number of awards, including...
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2. Raymond P. Kogovsek
1941-2017 (aged 76)
politician
Raymond Peter Kogovsek was an American politician who served as a U.S. representative from Colorado for three terms from 1979 to 1985.
3. Raymond G. Murphy
1930-2007 (aged 77)
military officer
Captain Raymond Gerald "Jerry" Murphy was the 39th United States Marine to receive the Medal of Honor for heroism in the Korean War. He was decorated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in a White House ceremony on October 27, 1953. He earned the Nation's highest military decoration for heroic action for valor in the Reno-Vegas fighting of February 1953.
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4. Donald Valdez
politician
Donald Valdez is an American farmer and politician who served as a member of the Colorado House of Representatives. He represented District 62, which covered portions of Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Huerfano, Mineral, Pueblo, Rio Grande, and Saguache counties.
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5. Cynthia Makris
1956-. (aged 70)
opera singer
Cynthia Makris is an American soprano opera singer as well as a voice and empowerment coach.
6. Don Cockroft
1945-. (aged 81)
American football player
Donald Lee Cockroft is an American former professional football player who was a punter and placekicker for 13 seasons with the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He has the third most career points for a Brown behind fellow kickers Phil Dawson (second) and Lou Groza.
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7. Gary William Gallagher
1950-. (aged 76)
university teacher
Gary William Gallagher is an American historian specializing in the history of the American Civil War. As of 2024, Gallagher was the John L. Nau III Professor in the History of the American Civil War at the University of Virginia. He produced a lecture series on the American Civil War for The Great Courses lecture series.
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8. John Salazar
1953-. (aged 73)
business executive
cattle rancher
farmer
politician
John Tony Salazar is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Colorado's 3rd congressional district from 2005 until 2011. A member of the Democratic Party, he was appointed Commissioner of the Colorado Department of Agriculture in the Cabinet of Governor John Hickenlooper in 2011, following his electoral defeat in 2010. Salazar announced his retirement as Agriculture Commissioner...
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9. Bob Anderson
1944-. (aged 82)
amateur wrestler
Robert Carl Anderson was an American professional baseball player and right-handed pitcher who appeared in 246 games in Major League Baseball (MLB) between 1957 and 1963 for the Chicago Cubs and Detroit Tigers. Born in East Chicago, Indiana, he graduated from Hammond High School and attended both Michigan State University and Western Michigan University. He stood 6 feet 4 inches...
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10. Nino Giarratano
1962-. (aged 64)
head coach
Anthony "Nino" Giarratano is a former American college baseball coach, who served as head coach of the San Francisco Dons baseball team from 1999 to 2022.
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