20 Notable alumni of
Augustana University
Updated:
Augustana University is 1886th in the world, 660th in North America, and 621st in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 20 notable alumni from Augustana University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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David Soul
- Occupations
- singer-songwriteractordirectortelevision directorstage actor
- Biography
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David Soul was an American and British actor and singer. With a career spanning five decades, he rose to prominence for portraying Detective Kenneth "Hutch" Hutchinson in the American television series Starsky & Hutch from 1975 to 1979. His other notable roles included Joshua Bolt on Here Come the Brides from 1968 to 1970 and as the lead actor in the 1979 American TV movie Salem's Lot. Soul also had moderate success as a film actor when he portrayed Officer John Davis in Magnum Force in 1973.
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Mary Hart
- Occupations
- actorjournalistbeauty pageant contestant
- Biography
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Mary Hart is an American television personality. She was the host (1982–2011) of the syndicated gossip and entertainment round-up television program Entertainment Tonight. She was Miss South Dakota 1970.
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Joe Foss
- Occupations
- writerpoliticianaircraft pilotmilitary officer
- Biography
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Joseph Jacob Foss was a United States Marine Corps major and a leading Marine fighter ace in World War II. He received the Medal of Honor in recognition of his role in air combat during the Guadalcanal Campaign. In postwar years, he was an Air National Guard brigadier general, served as the 20th Governor of South Dakota (1955–1959), president of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and the first commissioner of the American Football League. He also was a television broadcaster.
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Myron Floren
- Occupations
- musician
- Biography
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Myron Floren was an American musician best known as the accordionist on The Lawrence Welk Show between 1950 and 1980. Floren came to prominence primarily from his regular appearances on the weekly television series in which Lawrence Welk dubbed him as "the happy Norwegian," which was also attributed to Peter Friello.
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C. J. Ham
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Cortez Thaddeus Ham Jr. is an American football fullback for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Augustana (SD) and was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Vikings after the 2016 NFL Draft.
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Karl Mecklenburg
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Karl Bernard Mecklenburg, nicknamed "the Albino Rhino", is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
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Linda Avey
- Occupations
- biologist
- Biography
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Linda Avey is an American biologist and entrepreneur. She is known for co-founding 23andMe, a consumer genetic data company.
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Lars Forssell
- Occupations
- translatorwriterpoet
- Biography
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Lars Hans Carl Abraham Forssell was a Swedish writer and member of the Swedish Academy. Forssell was a versatile writer who worked within many genres, including poetry, drama and songwriting. He was awarded the Bellman Prize in both 1968 and 1981
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Megan Rohrer
- Occupations
- pastor
- Biography
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Megan Rohrer is an American activist for homeless and LGBTQ+ rights and former Lutheran bishop. Rohrer is the first openly transgender minister ordained in the Lutheran tradition.
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John Hamre
- Enrolled in Augustana University
- Graduated with Bachelor of Arts in political science and economics
- Occupations
- political scientist
- Biography
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John Julian Hamre is an American international relations scholar and former senior defense official. He is the president and CEO of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a position he has held with since 2000.
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Kevin Kaesviharn
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Kevin Robert Kaesviharn is a former American football safety. He was signed by the Iowa Barnstormers as a street free agent in 1998. He played college football at Augustana.
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Jamie Smith
- Years
- 1971-.. (age 53)
- Enrolled in Augustana University
- Studied in 1989-1993
- Occupations
- politicianreal estate agentteacher
- Biography
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Jamie R. Smith is an American politician and a former member of the South Dakota House of Representatives. Smith represented District 15, which covers downtown neighborhoods, including areas around Terrace Park and the Great Plains Zoo, in Sioux Falls. He served as House Minority Leader 2019 to 2023.
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Jeffrey W. Hayzlett
- Enrolled in Augustana University
- Studied international relations and government
- Occupations
- writertelevision presenterbusinesspersonoratorpodcaster
- Biography
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Jeffrey Hayzlett is an American businessman. He was formerly the chief marketing officer of the Eastman Kodak Company from 2006-2010. In 2014 he became the CEO of The Hayzlett Group.
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David Lillehaug
- Occupations
- judgelawyer
- Biography
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David Lee Lillehaug is a former associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court. He served as the United States Attorney for the District of Minnesota from 1994 to 1998.
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Nancy Erickson
- Born in
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United States - Biography
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Nancy Erickson is an American political aide who served as the 32nd Secretary of the United States Senate from 2007 to 2015. She began her term as Secretary on January 4, 2007, in the 110th Congress. Erickson was appointed by Democratic and Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada.
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Oscar Randolph Fladmark, Jr
- Enrolled in Augustana University
- Studied in 1948
- Occupations
- aircraft pilot
- Biography
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Oscar Randolph Fladmark, Jr. was an American fighter pilot who flew 164 "no-injury" combat missions in World War II and the Korean War. Fladmark received the Distinguished Flying Cross during his military career. Just a few years after the Korean War, Major Fladmark, at 33 years of age, was in an automobile accident near Yuma, Arizona, on July 27, 1955, and died while being flown to the San Diego Naval Hospital.
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Jenifer Loon
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Jenifer W. Loon is an American politician who was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2009 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, she represented District 48B, which was primarily in Eden Prairie, located in southwestern Hennepin County in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Loon is also a legislative policy consultant.
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Damien Fair
- Occupations
- neuroscientist
- Biography
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Damien Fair is a behavioral neuroscientist, professor at the University of Minnesota, and director of the Masonic Institute for the Developing Brain. In 2020, he was selected for the MacArthur Fellows Program. In 2013, he received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.
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Michael J. O'Connor
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Michael J. O'Connor was an American politician in the state of South Dakota. He was a member of the South Dakota House of Representatives and South Dakota State Senate. He was President Pro Tempore of the Senate from 1975 to 1976.
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Wayne Sheley
- Occupations
- player of American footballCanadian football player
- Biography
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Edward Wayne Sheley was a Canadian football player who played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. He won the Grey Cup with them in 1939 and 1941. He attended Augustana College in South Dakota, and was inducted into their athletics hall of fame in 1970.
