21 Notable alumni of Bob Jones University
Updated: June 12, 2026 EliteDegrees
Bob Jones University is ranked #4,782 in the world and #1,253 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 21 notable alumni from Bob Jones 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 Bob Jones University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Danny Verdin
1964-. (aged 62)
politician
Daniel Byron "Danny" Verdin III is a member of the South Carolina Senate, representing District 9 (Greenville, Laurens, and Union Counties). In November 2008, he was chosen as majority whip.
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2. Michael Paul Vernon Barrett
1949-. (aged 77)
theologian
Michael Barrett is Academic Dean and Professor of Old Testament at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, and a former president of Geneva Reformed Seminary.
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3. Vic Eliason
1936-2015 (aged 79)
radio personality
Victor Carl "Vic" Eliason was an American evangelical clergyman who founded the VCY America Radio Network, a conservative Christian broadcasting ministry, based in Milwaukee, along with Milwaukee television station WVCY-TV.
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4. Matthew Diffee
1950-. (aged 76)
journalist
cartoonist
Matthew "Matt" Diffee is an American cartoonist whose works appear in the New Yorker magazine.
5. Ryan Silvey
1976-. (aged 50)
politician
Ryan Silvey is a former Republican member of the Missouri Senate and currently serves on the Missouri Public Service Commission. He represented the 17th district in the Missouri Senate, which includes part of Clay County, from 2013 until his resignation January 4, 2018.
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6. Dwight Gustafson
1930-2014 (aged 84)
composer
Dwight Leonard Gustafson was an American composer, conductor, and dean of the School of Fine Arts at Bob Jones University.
7. Meagan Simonaire
1990-. (aged 36)
politician
Meagan C. Simonaire is a former American politician from Maryland and was the youngest member of the Maryland General Assembly. She represented House District 31B (which includes Pasadena and portions of Glen Burnie, Millersville and Severna Park) in the Maryland House of Delegates from 2014 to 2018. She is the daughter of Maryland State Senator Bryan Simonaire.
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8. Bud Hulsey
1949-. (aged 77)
politician
Charles Nolan "Bud" Hulsey is an American politician. A Republican, he represents the 2nd District in Sullivan County in the Tennessee House of Representatives.
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9. Sam Rohrer
1955-. (aged 71)
politician
Samuel E. Rohrer is an American businessman and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from the 128th District.
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10. Bob Jones III
1939-. (aged 87)
writer
Robert Reynolds Jones III is an American academic administrator, preacher, and writer. The son of Bob Jones Jr. and grandson of Bob Jones Sr., he served as the third president of Bob Jones University from 1971 to 2005.
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11. Steve Pettit
1955-. (aged 71)
association football player
Stephen Davis Pettit, Sr. is an American Christian evangelist who served as the fifth president of Bob Jones University from 2014 to 2023.
12. Ron Hamilton
1950-2023 (aged 73)
hymnwriter
record producer
lyricist
Ronald Allen Hamilton, also known as "Patch the Pirate", was an American Christian musician, composer, preacher, and radio personality. He was president and owner of Majesty Music, a Christian music publisher, and the creator of the Patch the Pirate Adventure series. Hamilton became affectionately known as "Patch the Pirate" when he began wearing an eye patch after losing his left...
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13. Bryan Simonaire
1963-. (aged 63)
engineer
politician
Bryan Warner Simonaire is an American politician who serves as a Maryland state senator representing District 31, which encompasses much of northern Anne Arundel County's Baltimore suburbs. A member of the Republican Party, he served as the minority leader of the Maryland Senate from 2020 to 2023.
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14. Joel Salatin
1957-. (aged 69)
farmer
writer
environmentalist
Joel F. Salatin is an American farmer, lecturer, and author.
15. Peter Ruckman
1921-2016 (aged 95)
disc jockey
pastor
Peter Sturges Ruckman was an American Independent Baptist pastor, author, Bible teacher, and founder of the Pensacola Bible Institute in Pensacola, Florida (not to be confused with the Pensacola Christian College).
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16. Tim Hutchinson
1949-. (aged 77)
lawyer
pastor
business executive
lobbyist
teacher
Young Timothy Hutchinson is an American politician, lobbyist, and former United States senator from the U.S. state of Arkansas. A member of the Republican Party, he was the first Republican U.S. senator to represent Arkansas since the Reconstruction era.
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17. Katherine Helmond
1929-2019 (aged 90)
actor
television actor
television director
film actor
voice actor
Katherine Marie Helmond was an American actress. Over an acting career spanning six decades, she was best known for her starring role as Jessica Tate on the sitcom Soap (1977–1981) and her co-starring role as Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss? (1984–1992). Helmond also played Doris Sherman on Coach (1995–1997) and Lois Whelan (the mother of Debra Barone) on Everybody...
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18. Asa Hutchinson
1950-. (aged 76)
lawyer
politician
William Asa Hutchinson II is an American attorney, businessman, and politician who served as the 46th governor of Arkansas from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a U.S. attorney, U.S. representative, and in two roles in the George W. Bush administration. He was a candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
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19. John F. MacArthur
1939-2025 (aged 86)
Protestant theologian
radio personality
pastor
writer
non-fiction writer
John Fullerton MacArthur Jr. was an American Baptist pastor, theologian, author, and broadcaster. He was the founder of Grace to You, a nationally syndicated radio and television Bible teaching program. He was also the longtime pastor of Grace Community Church, a non-denominational church in Sun Valley, California from 1969 until his death in 2025. Additionally, MacArthur served as the chancellor...
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20. Billy Graham
1918-2018 (aged 100)
theologian
preacher
autobiographer
Christian minister
pastor
William Franklin Graham Jr. was an American evangelist, ordained Southern Baptist minister, and civil rights advocate, whose broadcasts and world tours featuring live sermons became well known in the mid-to-late 20th century. Throughout his career, spanning over six decades, Graham rose to prominence as an evangelical Christian figure in the United States and abroad.
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21. Stephen Jones
1969-. (aged 57)
Stephen Patrick Jones is an Australian diplomat and former politician who represented the Division of Whitlam (formerly Throsby) for the Australian Labor Party from the 2010 Australian federal election until 2025. From 2022 to 2025, he served as Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services in the first Albanese ministry.
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