23 Notable alumni of Stephen F Austin State University
Updated: June 12, 2026 EliteDegrees
Stephen F Austin State University is ranked #1,870 in the world and #462 in United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 23 notable alumni from Stephen F Austin 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 Stephen F Austin State University won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. Antonio Burks
1982-. (aged 44)
basketball player
Antonio Burks is an American professional basketball player who played for the Saint John Mill Rats of the National Basketball League of Canada. He was born in Texarkana, Arkansas. Burks is a 6-foot-5-inch (1.96 m) and 220 pounds (100 kg) guard-forward. Member of Omega Psi Phi. Burks now is a coach and assistant principal for the Rice Independent School District...
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2. Orren R. Whiddon
1935-2016 (aged 81)
Orren Ray Whiddon was a lieutenant general in the United States Army. He served as commanding general of the 8th Infantry Division from 1985 to 1987, and as commanding general of the Second United States Army from 1987 until being succeeded by James W. Crysel in 1990. He attended Stephen F. Austin State University (1955), where he is a member...
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3. Todd Slater
1979-. (aged 47)
poster artist
Todd Slater is an American poster artist who specializes in concert posters for indie and mainstream rock musicians. The many acts for whom he has produced posters include Jack White, Widespread Panic, Ween, Avett Brothers, Pearl Jam, Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Dave Matthews, Black Keys, Primus, Muse, and Neil Young. He also produces film posters...
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4. Donnie R. Marshall
civil servant
Donnie R. Marshall is an American federal agent who served as the 7th Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration from 1999 to 2001.
5. T. J. Holyfield
1995-. (aged 31)
basketball player
Timothy Holyfield is an American professional basketball player for the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL). He played college basketball for Stephen F. Austin and Texas Tech.
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6. Dee Ann McWilliams
military officer
Dee Ann McWilliams is a retired United States Army major general. McWilliams is past President of the Women in Service for America Memorial Foundation. She took her commission in 1974 in the Women's Army Corps and was assigned to the Adjutant General Corps. In over 29 years with the army, she held a variety of Human Relations positions, commanding four...
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7. Taylor Smith
1991-. (aged 35)
basketball player
Taylor Smith is an American basketball player for Scaligera Verona of the LBA. He played college basketball for Stephen F. Austin State University.
8. Bob Cashell
1938-2020 (aged 82)
businessperson
politician
Robert Alan Cashell was an American businessman and politician. He served as the mayor of Reno, Nevada from 2002 to 2014. He served as the 28th lieutenant governor of Nevada from 1983 to 1987 and on the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents from 1979 to 1982. He served as a board member for Station Casinos from June...
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9. John A. Ramsey
1990-. (aged 36)
John Ramsey is an American businessman and libertarian political figure. He is the founder and chairman of the Liberty for All Super PAC.
10. Mike Quinn
1974-. (aged 52)
Canadian football player
American football player
Michael Patrick Quinn is an American former professional football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Indianapolis Colts, Dallas Cowboys, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Denver Broncos. He also was a member of the Rhein Fire of NFL Europe, and the Montreal Alouettes and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college...
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11. Kasey Lansdale
1988-. (aged 38)
singer-songwriter
singer
Kasey Lansdale is an American country music singer-songwriter from Nacogdoches, Texas. Lansdale is also known for her work as an author, editor, actress, and producer, as well as host and founder of the East Texas Songwriter's Workshop. Her full-length debut album Restless was released on August 20, 2013, on Blue Siren Records; it was co-produced by Mike Clute and Kasey...
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12. Will Vest
1995-. (aged 31)
baseball player
William Lane Vest is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He previously played in MLB for the Seattle Mariners. Vest made his MLB debut in 2021.
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13. Wayne Christian
1950-. (aged 76)
politician
Walter Wayne Christian is an American politician and financial planner who has served as a member of the Railroad Commission of Texas since 2017. A member of the Republican Party, Christian formerly served in the Texas House of Representatives for the 9th district, which included Jasper, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby counties in East Texas.
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14. Derek Wayne Johnson
1983-. (aged 43)
actor
screenwriter
film director
Derek Wayne Johnson is an American film director, screenwriter, editor and producer.
15. Bill Owens
1949-. (aged 77)
university teacher
lawyer
politician
William Forrester Owens is an American former politician who served as the 40th Governor of Colorado, from 1999 to 2007. A member of the Republican Party, he was re-elected in 2002, amassing 62.6% of the vote, the largest Republican share of the vote in state history. As of 2025, he is the last Republican to serve as and/or be elected...
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16. Willie Jefferson
1991-. (aged 35)
American football player
Willie Hebert Jefferson III is an American professional football defensive end for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League (CFL). Jefferson is a three-time Grey Cup champion, winning with the Edmonton Eskimos in 2015 and twice more with the Blue Bombers in 2019 and 2021. He was named the CFL's Most Outstanding Defensive Player in 2019 with the...
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17. Joseph W. Kennedy
1916-1957 (aged 41)
university teacher
chemist
physicist
Joseph William Kennedy was an American chemist who co-discovered plutonium, along with Glenn T. Seaborg, Edwin McMillan, and Arthur Wahl. During World War II, he led the CM (Chemistry and Metallurgy) Division at the Manhattan Project's Los Alamos Laboratory, where he oversaw research onto the chemistry and metallurgy of uranium and plutonium. After the war, he was recruited as a...
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18. Bum Phillips
1923-2013 (aged 90)
American football coach
American football player
Oail Andrew "Bum" Phillips Jr. was an American football coach at the high school, college and professional levels. He served as head coach in the National Football League (NFL) for the Houston Oilers from 1975 to 1980 and the New Orleans Saints from 1981 to 1985.
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19. Thomas Walkup
1992-. (aged 34)
basketball player
Thomas Ryan Walkup is an American-born naturalized Greek professional basketball player for Olympiacos of the Greek Basketball League (GBL) and the EuroLeague. He also represents the Greek national team in international competition. Widely considered one of the premier defensive players in European basketball, he was named the EuroLeague Best Defender in 2024.
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20. Jeremiah Trotter
1977-. (aged 49)
American football player
Jeremiah Trotter is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. He played college football for the Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks and was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round of the 1998 NFL draft.
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21. Don Henley
1947-. (aged 79)
songwriter
guitarist
singer
drummer
Donald Hugh Henley is an American singer, songwriter and musician. Henley is a founding member of the Eagles, serving as a songwriter, drummer, and vocalist for the band. He sang lead vocals on Eagles songs such as "Witchy Woman", "Desperado", "Best of My Love", "One of These Nights", "Hotel California", "Life in the Fast Lane", and "The Long Run". The...
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22. Shane Carruth
1972-. (aged 54)
television actor
film director
actor
film producer
film editor
Shane Carruth is an American filmmaker, known for science-fiction features in which he has filled numerous jobs, including producer, director, screenwriter, composer, and actor. These include his prize-winning debut Primer (2004) and Upstream Color (2013). In reference to Carruth's unusual filmmaking technique, director Steven Soderbergh described him as "the illegitimate offspring of David Lynch and James Cameron."
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23. Stephen Payne
1964-. (aged 62)
lobbyist
Stephen Michael Payne is a British naval architect. He has worked on the designs of approximately 40 passenger ships for the Carnival Corporation, including the Cunard ocean liner Queen Mary 2. He is an independent maritime consultant and is an educational advocate for engineering careers.
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