40 Notable alumni of Luther College
Updated: June 14, 2026 EliteDegrees
Luther College is ranked #2,662 in the world and #690 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 40 notable alumni from Luther 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 Luther College won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Otto Onstad
1874-1961 (aged 87)
farmer
politician
Peder Otto Onstad was an American educator and politician who served as a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
2. Robert H. Lounsberry
1918-2001 (aged 83)
politician
Robert Horace Lounsberry was the Secretary of Agriculture for the state of Iowa from 1972 to 1987, a nationally known farmer advocate during the farming crises of the 1980s, and a powerful figure in the Republican Party at both the state and national level.
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3. Chuck Gipp
1947-. (aged 79)
politician
Charles R. "Chuck" Gipp is an American politician in the state of Iowa. A Republican, he served in the Iowa House of Representatives for the 31st district from 1990 to 2003 and for the 16th district from 2003 to 2009. He was the majority leader in the Iowa House from 2003 to 2007, when the Democrats recaptured the legislature in...
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4. Paul John Kvale
1896-1960 (aged 64)
politician
Paul John Kvale was a U.S. representative from Minnesota.
5. Josh Byrnes
1974-. (aged 52)
politician
Josh Byrnes is an American politician who served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2010 until 2016. In November 2020, Iowa governor Kim Reynolds appointed him to the Iowa Utilities Board until April 30, 2025. Byrnes is a member of the Republican Party.
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6. A. Thomas Kraabel
1934-2016 (aged 82)
theologian
classical scholar
professor
Alf Thomas Kraabel was an American classics scholar and educator who worked extensively in Greek and Hellenistic Judaic studies. He served as a faculty member in the classics department at the University of Minnesota from 1963 to 1983, and served as the Dean of Luther College in Iowa before retiring in 2000.
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7. Tod Bowman
1965-. (aged 61)
politician
Tod R. Bowman, is a Democratic politician and legislator from the state of Iowa. He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 2010. He represents District 29, which holds Clinton, Dubuque, and Jackson counties.
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8. Laurits S. Swenson
1865-1947 (aged 82)
diplomat
Laurits Selmer Swenson was an American diplomat who served as Ambassador (called Minister at the time) to Norway, the Netherlands, Switzerland and Denmark.
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9. Merlin Bartz
1961-. (aged 65)
politician
Merlin E. Bartz is an American politician who served as an Iowa State Senator from the 6th District, elected in 2008 and serving for a single term. A Republican, he sat on the Appropriations, Human Resources, Natural Resources, and Ways and Means committees. He was the ranking member on the Administration and Regulation Appropriations Subcommittee.
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10. Nils P. Haugen
1849-1931 (aged 82)
lawyer
politician
Nils Pederson Haugen was a Norwegian American immigrant, lawyer, and politician. He served four terms in the United States House of Representatives, representing western Wisconsin. He was a leading member of the Progressive Movement in Wisconsin and a national expert on tax reform. The village of Haugen, Wisconsin, in Barron County, was named after him.
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11. Leon Lillie
1961-. (aged 65)
politician
Leon Michael Lillie is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2005. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), Lillie represents District 44B in the Twin Cities metropolitan area, which includes the cities of Oakdale, North St. Paul, and Maplewood and parts of Ramsey and Washington Counties.
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12. Henry Oscar Talle
1892-1969 (aged 77)
school superintendent
teacher
politician
treasurer
Henry Oscar Talle was an economics professor and a ten-term Republican U.S. Representative from eastern Iowa. He served in the United States Congress for twenty years from 1939 until 1959.
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13. Phyllis Yes
1941-. (aged 85)
artist
Phyllis Yes is an Oregon-based artist and playwright. Her artistic media range from works on painted canvas to furniture, clothing, and jewelry. She is known for her works that “feminize” objects usually associated with a stereotypically male domain, such as machine guns, hard hats, and hammers. Among her best-known artworks are “Paint Can with Brush,” which appears in Tools as...
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14. Ludvig Hektoen
1863-1951 (aged 88)
pathologist
botanist
surgeon
Ludvig Hektoen was an American pathologist known for his work in the fields of pathology, microbiology and immunology. Hektoen was appointed to the National Academy of Sciences in 1918, and served as president of many professional societies, including the American Association of Immunologists in 1927 and the American Society for Microbiology in 1929. He was the founding editor of the...
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15. Norman Brunsdale
1891-1978 (aged 87)
farmer
teacher
politician
Clarence Norman Brunsdale was an American politician who served as the 24th governor of North Dakota and a United States senator from the state of North Dakota.
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16. Dave Senjem
1942-. (aged 84)
politician
David Howard Senjem is an American politician currently serving on the Olmsted County Board of Commissioners. He is a former member of the Minnesota Senate, serving in that body from 2003 to 2023. He led the Republican caucus as majority leader from 2011 to 2013. A moderate Republican, Senjem has crossed party lines on many occasions, notably environmental policy and...
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17. Gregory R. Dahlberg
1951-. (aged 75)
politician
Gregory Robert Dahlberg was United States Under Secretary of the Army from 2000 to 2001.
18. Rasmus Bjørn Anderson
1846-1936 (aged 90)
translator
diplomat
linguist
writer
Rasmus Bjørn Anderson was an American author, professor, editor, businessman and diplomat. He brought to popular attention the fact that Viking explorers were the first Europeans to arrive in the New World and was the originator of Leif Erikson Day.
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19. J. A. O. Preus I
1883-1961 (aged 78)
jurist
businessperson
politician
Jacob Aall Ottesen Preus was an American politician. He served as the 8th state auditor of Minnesota from January 5, 1915, to January 5, 1921, and as the 20th governor of Minnesota from January 5, 1921, to January 6, 1925. He was a Republican.
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20. Brian Andreas
1956-. (aged 70)
painter
Brian Andreas is the pen name of Kai Andreas Skye, an American writer, artist, publisher and speaker known for his simple short stories of 50 to 100 words.
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21. Julie E. Adams
1977-. (aged 49)
Julie E. Adams is an American government official and former political advisor who served as the 33rd secretary of the United States Senate from 2015 to 2021.
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22. Matthew Busche
1985-. (aged 41)
sport cyclist
Matthew Busche is an American former professional road racing cyclist, who rode professionally between 2009 and 2016 for the Kelly Benefit Strategies, Team RadioShack, Trek Factory Racing and UnitedHealthcare teams. In 2009, he gained notoriety for his rapid rise from a Wisconsin-based amateur team to Team RadioShack within the course of one season. Busche was the winner of the 2011...
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23. Jim Whitesell
1959-. (aged 67)
basketball coach
James Whitesell is an American college basketball coach who is an assistant coach for the Albany Great Danes men's basketball team. Prior to Albany, he was the head men's coach for the Buffalo Bulls. Previously he coached at the Division I level as a head coach at Loyola University Chicago and an assistant at St. John's and Saint Louis. Whitesell...
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24. Dagfinn Høybråten
1957-. (aged 69)
politician
political scientist
Dagfinn Høybråten is a Norwegian politician. He was the leader of the Christian Democratic Party 2004–2011. He was also Parliamentary leader from 2005 when he was elected as Member of Parliament representing Rogaland. He was Vice President of the Norwegian Parliament from 2011 to 2013. He was President of the Nordic Council in 2007. Høybråten was granted leave from his...
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25. Jim Nussle
1960-. (aged 66)
lawyer
politician
James Allen Nussle is an American businessman and retired politician who has been president and chief executive officer of the Credit Union National Association from 2014 to 2024 and of its successor group America's Credit Unions since 2024. Nussle served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1991 to 2007 and was the Republican nominee...
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26. Callista Gingrich
1966-. (aged 60)
businessperson
Callista Louise Gingrich is an American diplomat, businesswoman, author, and documentary film producer who is the United States ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein. She served as the United States ambassador to the Holy See from 2017 to 2021.
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27. Arne Sorenson
1958-2021 (aged 63)
lawyer
entrepreneur
Arne Morris Sorenson was a Japanese-born American lawyer and hotel executive who served as the president and chief executive officer of Marriott International from 2012 until his death in 2021. He was a graduate of Luther College in Iowa, and the University of Minnesota Law School. He previously practiced law in Washington, D.C., with Latham and Watkins, specializing in mergers...
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28. Drew Curtis
1973-. (aged 53)
politician
Drew Curtis is the founder and an administrator of Fark, an Internet news aggregator. He is also the author of It's Not News, It's FARK: How Mass Media Tries to Pass Off Crap as News in May 2007. He is a guest on WOCM's morning show The Rude Awakening Show every Tuesday. Curtis was the Independent gubernatorial candidate for Governor...
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29. Patrick Whitesell
1965-. (aged 61)
talent agent
Patrick Whitesell is an American businessman and who was executive chairman of Endeavor, an entertainment and media agency. He joined the Endeavor Talent Agency as a partner in February 2001, where he was a member of the company’s Executive Committee.
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30. Adolph Herseth
1921-2013 (aged 92)
military officer
trumpeter
Adolph Sylvester "Bud" Herseth was principal trumpet in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra from 1948 until 2001, and served as principal trumpet emeritus from 2001 until his retirement in 2004.
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31. Michael T. Osterholm
1953-. (aged 73)
epidemiologist
academic
professor
Michael Thomas Osterholm is an American epidemiologist, Regents Professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health, and director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.
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32. Kari Tauring
1966-. (aged 60)
songwriter
Kari Christine Tauring is an American folk musician, author, and teacher. She sings and writes Nordic folk music of her familial Norwegian heritage. Her career began in the early 1990s in Rose Absolute, a duo with vocalist Gina Sauer, while her first solo studio album, Faith in Me, was released in 1998. Tauring has released five albums, and an extended...
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33. Duane Hanson
1925-1996 (aged 71)
painter
installation artist
sculptor
photographer
Duane Hanson was an American artist and sculptor born in Minnesota. He spent most of his career in South Florida. He was known for his life-sized realistic sculptures of people. He cast the works based on human models in various materials, including polyester resin, fiberglass, Bondo, and bronze. His sculptures often provided political-social commentary and satire.
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34. Donovan W. Frank
1951-. (aged 75)
lawyer
judge
Donovan Wayne Frank is a senior United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota.
35. Ole J. Kvale
1869-1929 (aged 60)
Lutheran pastor
politician
Ole Juulson Kvale was a Lutheran minister and U.S. representative from Minnesota.
36. V. Trygve Jordahl
1898-1984 (aged 86)
Lutheran pastor
Lutheran military chaplain
Verner Trygve "V.T." Jordahl was an Evangelical Lutheran Church (ELC) District President; he served as a U.S. Army Chaplain, on the Luther College Board of Regents, and was the ELC Director of Service to Military Personnel.
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37. Robert D. Preus
1924-1995 (aged 71)
university teacher
theologian
pastor
Robert David Preus was an American Lutheran pastor, professor, author, and seminary president.
38. Donn Sorensen
1961-. (aged 65)
Donn Sorensen is a healthcare executive, philanthropist, public speaker and author. Sorensen is the Chairman of Board and a member of the American Medical Group Association’s board of directors. He is also a fellow of the American College of Medical Practice Executives.
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39. J. C. M. Hanson
1864-1943 (aged 79)
librarian
James Christian Meinich Hanson was a Norwegian born, American librarian.
40. John Lehman
1945-. (aged 81)
politician
John W. Lehman is an American educator and politician from Racine, Wisconsin. Lehman represented the 21st District in the Wisconsin Senate from 2007 to 2011 and again from 2012 to 2015, and was the Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Wisconsin in 2014. Previously, Lehman was a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1997 through 2007. Elected as a...
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