9 Notable alumni of Black Hills State University
Updated: June 12, 2026 EliteDegrees
Black Hills State University is ranked #3,699 in the world and #971 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 9 notable alumni from Black Hills 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 Black Hills State University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Francis M. McDaniel, Jr
1923-2018 (aged 95)
politician
Francis Marion McDaniel Jr. was an American politician in the state of South Dakota who served as a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives. He is an alumnus of Black Hills State University, Northrop University and was an aeronautic engineer and car dealer. He worked as an engineer for the Western Eletrochemical Company and the American Potash and...
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2. Steve Harshman
politician
Steve Harshman is an American politician and a Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives representing District 37 since January 14, 2003. Harshman served as the Speaker of the Wyoming House from January 2017 to January 2021.
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3. Raymond W. Carpenter
1948-. (aged 78)
military personnel
Raymond W. Carpenter is a retired United States Army major general who served as acting Director of the Army National Guard.
4. James B. Dunn
1927-2016 (aged 89)
politician
James Bernard Dunn was an American politician in the state of South Dakota. He was a member of the South Dakota Senate from 1973 to 2000. Throughout his state senate term, he represented the 26th and 31st districts. He was an alumnus of Black Hills State University and a veteran in the United States Army. He also sat briefly in...
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5. Brian Shaw
1966-. (aged 60)
basketball player
basketball coach
Brian Shaw is an American retired professional strongman. He won the 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2016 World's Strongest Man competitions, making him one of only five men to win the World’s Strongest Man four times or more. In addition to winning the Arnold Strongman Classic three times and Shaw Classic two times (with one of them being a 'Strongest Man...
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6. Faith Spotted Eagle
1948-. (aged 78)
political activist
teacher
politician
Faith Spotted Eagle is an American activist and politician. She is a citizen of the Yankton Sioux Tribe who attempted to block development of the Keystone XL pipeline and the Dakota Access Pipeline.
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7. Sean Sherman
1974-. (aged 52)
chef
Sean Sherman is an American Oglala Lakota Sioux chef, cookbook author, forager, and promoter of Indigenous cuisine. Sherman founded the Indigenous Food Lab, catering service The Sioux Chef, and founded the nonprofit North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems (NĀTIFS). He received a James Beard Foundation Leadership Award and his 2017 cookbook, The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen, won the 2018 James...
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8. Clint Roberts
1935-2017 (aged 82)
politician
Clint Ronald Roberts was an American rancher, Marlboro man, and one term U.S. representative from South Dakota, serving from 1981 to 1983.
9. Jillian Balow
1970-. (aged 56)
politician
Jillian Balow is an American politician who was appointed as the Virginia superintendent of public instruction in January 2022. She resigned from the position in March 2023. From 2014 to January 2022, she was the Wyoming superintendent of public instruction.
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