28 Notable alumni of
Bemidji State University
Updated:
Bemidji State University is 1975th in the world, 684th in North America, and 644th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 28 notable alumni from Bemidji State 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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Gary Paulsen
- Occupations
- writershort story writernovelistmusherchildren's writer
- Biography
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Gary James Paulsen was an American writer of children's and young adult fiction, best known for coming-of-age stories about the wilderness. He was the author of more than 200 books and wrote more than 200 magazine articles and short stories, and several plays, all primarily for teenagers. He won the Margaret Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 1997 for his lifetime contribution in writing for teens.
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Gunner Olszewski
- Occupations
- player of American football
- Biography
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Kaleb Gunner Olszewski is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Bemidji State as a cornerback. He previously played for the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers.
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Zach Whitecloud
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Zach Whitecloud is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Vegas Golden Knights of the National Hockey League (NHL). Whitecloud went undrafted while playing for Bemidji State University. As a college free agent, he signed with the Golden Knights in 2018.
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Thomas D. Waldhauser
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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Thomas David "Tom" Waldhauser is a retired United States Marine Corps general who was the Commander of United States Africa Command. He previously served as Director for Joint Force Development, J7 on the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, and Commanding General, United States Marine Forces Central Command. Waldhauser is an alumnus of Bemidji State University.
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Matt Dalton
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Matt Dalton is a Canadian–South Korean professional ice hockey goaltender for HL Anyang of the Asia League Ice Hockey (ALIH) and the South Korea men's national ice hockey team.
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Michele Leonhart
- Years
- 1956-.. (age 68)
- Occupations
- police officer
- Biography
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Michele Marie Leonhart is an American career law enforcement officer who served as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) from 2010 to 2015, as well as in an acting capacity from 2007 to 2010. After the resignation of Administrator Karen P. Tandy in the fall of 2007, Leonhart also served as Acting Administrator of the DEA. On February 2, 2010, President Barack Obama nominated Leonhart for the position of DEA Administrator.
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Brad Hunt
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Bradley Sean Hunt is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Colorado Eagles in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played in the NHL with the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, and Vancouver Canucks. Hunt beginning his professional career in the American Hockey League (AHL) with the Chicago Wolves, where he was an All-Star in the 2012–13 season. He is considered undersized for a defenseman, but has a hard slapshot.
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Christopher Waller
- Years
- 1959-.. (age 65)
- Occupations
- economist
- Biography
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Christopher J. Waller is an American economist who is a member of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors since 2020. A nominee of then-President Donald Trump, he was confirmed by the Senate in December 2020, to serve through January 2030.
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Matt Read
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Matthew Zachary Jarrett Read is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Philadelphia Flyers, who signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2011, and the Minnesota Wild.
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Joel Otto
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Joel Stuart Otto is an American former professional ice hockey center in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames and Philadelphia Flyers. An undrafted player, Otto signed with the Flames as a free agent in 1984 and played 11 seasons with the team. He was one of the top defensive centers in the league during his career and one of the NHL's best at faceoffs; Otto was a two-time finalist for the Frank J. Selke Trophy. He was known for his confrontations with Mark Messier as part of the Flames' rivalry with the Edmonton Oilers and was a member of Calgary's 1989 Stanley Cup championship winning team. He joined the Flyers in 1995, with whom he played three seasons.
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Andrew Murray
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Andrew Murray is a Canadian-Croatian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He ended his professional career playing two seasons for KHL Medveščak Zagreb of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
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Matt Climie
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Matthew Scott Climie is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender. He is currently an unrestricted free agent who most recently played with the CBR Brave of the Australian Ice Hockey League (AIHL). Climie has played in the National Hockey League with the Dallas Stars and Phoenix Coyotes.
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Frank Serratore
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Frank Serratore is an American ice hockey coach, currently with the Air Force Falcons men's ice hockey team. He formerly coached professional hockey in the International Hockey League with the Minnesota Moose from 1994 to 1996.
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Carly Melin
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Carly Melin is a Minnesota politician and former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), she represented District 6A, which included portions of the Iron Range in Itasca and St. Louis counties in northeastern Minnesota. In February 2018, Melin became executive director of the Minnesota State Building and Construction Trades Council, a labor group representing 70,000 union members. On January 31, 2019, Attorney General Keith Ellison appointed Melin as government affairs director for his office.
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Arnie Johnson
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Arnitz L. Johnson was an American professional basketball player. He played for the Rochester Royals of the National Basketball League (NBL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1946 to 1953. Johnson is the only basketball player from Bemidji State to play in the NBA.
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Bob Bird
- Occupations
- sports commentatorteacher
- Biography
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Bob Bird is an American anti-abortion activist, retired high school teacher, home-school tutor and the chairman of the Alaskan Independence Party (AIP). He was the AIP's candidate for the United States Senate seat formerly occupied by Ted Stevens in the 2008 senate election.
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Torrey Westrom
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Torrey Westrom is an American businessman and politician and member of the Minnesota Senate. A Republican, he represents District 12, which includes all or parts of Big Stone, Douglas, Grant, Pope, Stearns, Stevens, Traverse and Wilkin Counties. He is the first known blind person to be elected to the Minnesota Legislature.
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Matt Pope
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Matt Pope is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey right winger who last played with the Cardiff Devils of the UK's Elite Ice Hockey League. Pope joined Cardiff from the Tohoku Free Blades in the Asia League Ice Hockey (AL).
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Stephanie Anderson
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Stephanie Anderson is an American ice hockey player, currently playing for the Minnesota Whitecaps in the Premier Hockey Federation (PHF). She previously competed for the Bemidji State Beavers women's ice hockey program and was a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team that won the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF Women's World Championship.
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Zuzana Tomčíková
- Enrolled in Bemidji State University
- 2008-2012 graduated with bachelor's degree in social communication
- Occupations
- ball hockey playerice hockey playerice hockey coach
- Biography
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Zuzana Tomčíková is a Slovak retired ice hockey and ball hockey goaltender, currently working as a sports specialist with the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee. She was a member of the Slovak women's national ice hockey team from age 12 to 26, and represented Slovakia in the 2010 Winter Olympics and at several IIHF Women's World Championships. As a member of the Slovak women's national ball hockey team, she won silver medals at the Ball Hockey World Championship in 2009 and 2013, bronze in 2015, and placed fourth in 2017.
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Bob Dettmer
- Occupations
- politicianteacher
- Biography
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Robert P. "Bob" Dettmer is a Minnesota politician and member of the Minnesota House of Representatives. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, he represents District 39A, located in the northeastern part of the Twin Cities metro area, which includes Chisago and Washington counties.
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Marion O'Neill
- Years
- 1969-.. (age 55)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Marion O'Neill is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2013. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, O'Neill represents District 29B in central Minnesota, which includes the cities of Buffalo and Monticello and parts of Wright County.
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John Persell
- Years
- 1950-.. (age 74)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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John Sterling Persell, Jr. is an American DFL politician who represented District 5A in northern Minnesota, first winning election in 2008.
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Andrew Martens
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Andrew Martens is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who most notably played for the Wichita Thunder of the then Central Hockey League.
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Brenda J. Child
- Enrolled in Bemidji State University
- Studied in 1981
- Occupations
- historian
- Biography
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Brenda J. Child is an Ojibwe historian and author.
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Rob Sirianni
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Robert Sirianni is a retired Canadian-born Italian professional ice hockey player.
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Patricia Walrath
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Patricia A. Walrath is an American politician who represented the 3rd Middlesex District in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1985 to 2009, was a member of the Stow, Massachusetts, Board of Selectmen from 1980 to 1986, and the Stow Finance Committee from 1977 to 1980.
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Chris McKelvie
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
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Chris McKelvie is an American former professional ice hockey player. He last played with the Albany Devils of the American Hockey League (AHL).
