12 Notable alumni of Central College
Updated: June 14, 2026 EliteDegrees
Central College is 3897st in the world, 1st in North America, and 1022st in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 12 notable alumni from Central College sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Central College won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Bernadette Allen
1955-. (aged 71)
diplomat
Bernadette Mary Allen is a retired American career diplomat and former United States Ambassador to the Republic of Niger.
2. Neal Schuerer
1956-. (aged 70)
politician
Neal Schuerer is an American politician in the state of Iowa.
3. Cyrenus Cole
1863-1939 (aged 76)
politician
editor
Cyrenus Cole was a newspaper editor, columnist and historian, then a Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 5th congressional district for over eleven years.
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4. Henry Teigan
1881-1941 (aged 60)
trade unionist
politician
Henry George Teigan was an American teacher and editor who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota.
5. George Alfred Baitsell
1885-1971 (aged 86)
biologist
George Alfred Baitsell was an American biologist. He was professor of biology at Yale University. He was an official of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and published several science books.
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6. Julian Garrett
1940-. (aged 86)
politician
Julian B. Garrett is an American lawyer and politician and is currently the Senator from the 11th district in the Iowa Senate.
7. Vern Den Herder
1948-. (aged 78)
American football player
Vern Wayne Den Herder is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end for 12 seasons with the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He played in three Super Bowls for the Dolphins. He played college football for the Central College Dutch. In 1996, he was selected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
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8. Bert Bandstra
1922-1995 (aged 73)
lawyer
politician
Bert Andrew Bandstra served one term as a Democratic U.S. Representative from south central Iowa, winning election in 1964 but losing elections in 1966 and 1968.
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9. Harry Smith
1951-. (aged 75)
journalist
news presenter
Harry Smith is an American retired television journalist who has worked for NBC News, MSNBC, and CNBC as a senior correspondent. He hosted the CBS News morning programs, The Early Show and its predecessor, CBS This Morning, for seventeen years. In July 2011, Smith left CBS News to become a correspondent for NBC News and the newsmagazine Rock Center with...
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10. John Hospers
1918-2011 (aged 93)
political scientist
writer
university teacher
philosopher
politician
John Hospers was an American philosopher and political activist. Hospers was interested in Objectivism, and was once a friend of the philosopher Ayn Rand, though he later broke with her. In 1972, Hospers became the first presidential candidate of the Libertarian Party, and was the only minor party candidate to receive an electoral vote in that year's U.S. presidential election.
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11. Adam Gregg
1983-. (aged 43)
politician
Adam Gregg is an American politician who served as the 47th lieutenant governor of Iowa from 2019 to 2024 and as acting lieutenant governor from 2017 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, Gregg served as Public Defender of Iowa from 2014 to 2017. He was the Republican candidate for Attorney General of Iowa in the November 2014 elections.
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12. Solomon F. Prouty
1854-1927 (aged 73)
lawyer
judge
politician
Solomon Francis Prouty was an academic, lawyer and politician, serving as a one-term state legislator, Iowa trial court judge, and a two-term Republican U.S. Representative from Iowa's 7th congressional district.
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