21 Notable alumni of Minnesota State University Moorhead
Updated: June 13, 2026 EliteDegrees
Minnesota State University Moorhead is ranked #2,611 in the world and #678 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 21 notable alumni from Minnesota State University Moorhead sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with Minnesota State University Moorhead won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Rod Halvorson
1949-. (aged 77)
politician
Rodney N. Halvorson is an Iowa state legislator and political activist in Iowa and his home state of Minnesota. Halvorson was born and raised in Appleton, Minnesota. A Democrat, he served Webster and Calhoun county in the Iowa Senate from 1995 to 1999, representing the 7th District. From 1979 to 1995, he served Fort Dodge and Webster county in the...
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2. Skip Finn
1948-2018 (aged 70)
lawyer
politician
Harold Raymond "Skip" Finn was an American politician, who represented Minnesota's 4th district in the Minnesota Senate as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party.
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3. S. D. Nelson
1950-. (aged 76)
children's writer
illustrator
writer
SD Nelson was born Stephen D. Nelson at the United States Army Station Hospital in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He is an American illustrator and author of many children's books including Black Elk’s Vision, Gift Horse, The Star People and Buffalo Bird Girl. Nelson's work has been praised as “stirring, inspirational, original and beautifully illustrated”. His books have received the American...
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4. Delrae Knutson
stage actor
actor
Delrae Knutson is a stage actress and singer from Minnesota, USA specializing in musical comedy. She started her career in 1981 and has performed in theaters throughout the United States and Canada, though most of her work has been in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota, USA.
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5. Bradley Joseph
1965-. (aged 61)
composer
jazz musician
pianist
music director
songwriter
Bradley Joseph is an American composer, arranger, and producer of contemporary instrumental music. His compositions include works for orchestras, chamber ensembles, and solo piano pieces. He has also played various instruments in rock bands throughout the Midwestern United States.
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6. Neil Tapio
businessperson
politician
Neal Tapio is an American businessman, South Dakota state senator, and a former candidate for U.S. Representative for South Dakota's at-large congressional district. Tapio gained attention as an early supporter of Donald Trump and served as the Trump presidential campaign director for South Dakota.
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7. Tim Purdon
lawyer
Timothy Q. Purdon is a lawyer who served as the 18th United States Attorney for the District of North Dakota from 2010 to 2015. He is now a partner at Robins Kaplan LLP.
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8. Jan Maxwell
1956-2018 (aged 62)
actor
television actor
stage actor
Janice Elaine Maxwell was an American stage and television actress. She was a five-time Tony Award nominee and two-time Drama Desk Award winner. In a career spanning over thirty years, Maxwell was one of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed stage actresses of her time.
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9. Bob Bowlsby
1952-. (aged 74)
athlete
Robert Addison Bowlsby is an American college athletic administrator. Bowlsby most recently was the fourth commissioner of the Big 12 Conference, a position he held from 2012 to 2022. Prior to that position, he served as the athletic director at the University of Northern Iowa, University of Iowa, and Stanford University.
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10. Tammy Miller
1960-. (aged 66)
chief executive officer
Tammy Miller is an American politician and corporate executive from North Dakota. A member of the Republican Party, she served as the 39th lieutenant governor of North Dakota from 2023 to 2024. Miller was appointed by Governor Doug Burgum, following Lieutenant Governor Brent Sanford's resignation.
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11. Collin Peterson
1944-. (aged 82)
accountant
politician
Collin Clark Peterson is an American accountant, politician, and lobbyist who served as the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 7th congressional district from 1991 to 2021. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), he was chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture from 2019 to 2021 having previously held the office from 2007 to 2011; he had been ranking member...
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12. Patrick Volkerding
1966-. (aged 60)
software developer
computer scientist
engineer
businessperson
programmer
Patrick Volkerding is the founder and maintainer of the Slackware Linux distribution. Volkerding is Slackware's "Benevolent Dictator for Life" (BDFL), and is also known informally as "The Man".
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13. Dane Boedigheimer
1978-. (aged 48)
television director
animator
television producer
voice actor
YouTuber
Dane Willard Boedigheimer, better known by her pseudonym Dane Boe, is an American internet personality, actress, writer, animator, filmmaker, and musician. She is known for creating the web series Annoying Orange and the spin-off television series The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange; Boedigheimer provides the voice of the title character in both productions and has produced several original songs.
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14. Marc Trestman
1956-. (aged 70)
American football player
American football coach
Canadian football player
Marc Marlyn Trestman is an American professional football coach. He led the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) to back-to-back Grey Cup victories in 2009 and 2010, and another as head coach of the Toronto Argonauts in 2017. He was also named CFL Coach of the Year in 2009 and 2017. He has also coached in the National...
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15. Ed Schultz
1954-2018 (aged 64)
radio personality
Canadian football player
pundit
sports commentator
podcaster
Edward Andrew Schultz was an American television and radio host, political commentator, news anchor and sports broadcaster.
16. Kevin Sorbo
1958-. (aged 68)
actor
television actor
writer
film actor
film director
Kevin David Sorbo is an American actor. He has had starring roles in two television series: as Hercules in Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–1999) and as Captain Dylan Hunt in Andromeda (2000–2005). Sorbo played his first leading film role in the 1997 fantasy film Kull the Conqueror.
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17. Barkhad Abdi
1985-. (aged 41)
film director
film producer
actor
film actor
Barkhad Abdi is a Somali actor. He made his acting debut as the pirate Abduwali Muse in the biographical drama film Captain Phillips (2013), which earned him a British Academy Film Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, along with Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.
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18. Nikita Koloff
1959-. (aged 67)
actor
American football player
professional wrestler
Nikita Koloff is an American retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with Jim Crockett Promotions and its successor, World Championship Wrestling between 1984 and 1992, where he was billed from Russia (and, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Lithuania). During his career, Koloff held championships including the NWA World Six-Man Tag Team Championship, NWA World...
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19. David Joerger
1974-. (aged 52)
basketball coach
basketball player
David Joerger is an American professional basketball coach who is an assistant coach for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was the head coach of the Dakota Wizards from 2000 to 2004 and in 2006–2007 in the International Basketball Association, Continental Basketball Association, and the NBA Development League, winning championships in 2001, 2002, 2004, and 2007....
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20. Clint Hill
1932-2025 (aged 93)
intelligence agent
bodyguard
Clinton J. Hill was a United States Secret Service agent who served under five U.S. presidents, from Dwight D. Eisenhower to Gerald Ford. Hill is best known for his act of bravery on November 22, 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. During the assassination, Hill ran into the line of fire from the Secret Service...
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21. Roger Moe
1944-. (aged 82)
teacher
politician
Roger Moe is an American politician who served as a member and majority leader of the Minnesota Senate. He was the Democratic nominee for governor in the 2002 Minnesota gubernatorial election.
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