17 Notable alumni of
Lindenwood University
Updated:
Lindenwood University is 1919th in the world, 668th in North America, and 628th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 17 notable alumni from Lindenwood University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
-
Lee Daniels
- Occupations
- television producercasting directorscreenwriterfilm producerfilm actor
- Biography
-
Lee Daniels is an American film producer, director, and screenwriter. He made his directorial film debut with Shadowboxer (2005), followed by Precious (2009) which earned him Academy Award nominations for Best Director and Best Picture. He has since directed The Paperboy (2012, which he co-wrote), The Butler (2013), The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021), and The Deliverance (2024). He also produced the films Monster's Ball (2001), The Woodsman (2004), Tennessee (2008), Pimp (2018), and Concrete Cowboy (2020).
-
Marjorie Finlay
- Enrolled in Lindenwood University
- In 1949 graduated with Bachelor of Music
- Occupations
- television personalitymaster of ceremoniesradio personality
- Biography
-
Marjorie Finlay was an American opera singer and television personality. A coloratura soprano, Finlay performed concert and opera singing. After winning a talent contest in 1950, she toured on the ABC radio network show Music With the Girls. Finlay later had her own television program and served as an MC for El Show Pan-Americano in Puerto Rico. She toured South America and released an album in Mexico. She is the maternal grandmother of singer-songwriter Taylor Swift, who dedicated her songs "Marjorie" and "Timeless" to her.
-
Shandi Finnessey
- Occupations
- modeltelevision presenterbeauty pageant contestant
- Biography
-
Shandi Ren Finnessey is an American actress, model, TV host and beauty pageant titleholder. She is best known for winning the Miss USA title, as Miss Missouri USA. She previously held the title of Miss Missouri 2002 and competed in Miss America, where she won a preliminary award. She placed as first runner-up at the Miss Universe 2004 competition.
-
Wesley Bell
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
-
Wesley Jonell-Cleavon Bell is an American attorney and politician serving as the U.S. representative for Missouri's 1st congressional district since 2025. A member of the Democratic Party, he previously served as prosecuting attorney for St. Louis County, Missouri, from 2019 to 2025.
-
David Beaty
- Occupations
- head coachAmerican football player
- Biography
-
David Beaty is an American football coach who is the head football coach at Denton High School in Denton, Texas. He was the head football coach at the University of Kansas from 2015 to 2018.
-
Mike Rodgers
- Occupations
- athletics competitorsprinter
- Biography
-
Michael Rodgers is an American professional track and field sprinter who specializes in the 100 m and the 60 m. He won the gold medal in the 100m relay in Doha 2019. He is also the Pan-Am Games Champion.
-
Dan McLaughlin
- Occupations
- sports journalist
- Biography
-
Daniel Edwin McLaughlin is a professional sportscaster who is a co-host on the “Opening Drive” morning radio show alongside Randy Karraker and Brooke Grimsley on 101 ESPN in St. Louis. He formerly worked on the St. Louis Cardinals and St. Louis Blues telecasts on the cable television channel Bally Sports Midwest. He also worked as a play-by-play announcer for the NFL on Fox.
-
Mike Rio
- Occupations
- mixed martial arts fighter
- Biography
-
Michael Alexander Rio is an American mixed martial artist who last competed in 2014. A professional since 2008, he has competed for the UFC and was a competitor on the 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter.
-
Nicole Hensley
- Occupations
- ice hockey player
- Biography
-
Nicole Hensley is an American professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Minnesota Frost of the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) and a member of the United States women's national ice hockey team.
-
Geoff Hartlieb
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
-
Geoffrey Thomas Hartlieb is an American professional baseball pitcher in the New York Yankees organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, New York Mets, Miami Marlins, and Colorado Rockies.
-
Randy Karraker
- Years
- 1962-.. (age 63)
- Occupations
- journalistsports commentator
- Biography
-
Randall James Karraker is an American sportscaster in St. Louis, Missouri. He is the former host of The Fast Lane, the top-rated sports radio show in St. Louis, on 101 ESPN, with former St. Louis Cardinals player Brad Thompson and Chris Rongey. He was also the host of the St. Louis Rams pregame shows on 101 ESPN up until the team's move to Los Angeles in January 2016. He hosted this show with former NFL coach Jim Hanifan, before Hanifan was replaced by Rick Venturi in 2009, and then with Anthony Stalter up until the team's departure. In 2009 and 2010, he was also the television voice of Southern Illinois Edwardsville Cougars basketball on CCIN. He used to be the host of the popular CCIN television program Chalk Talk, with Malcolm Briggs, McGraw Millhaven, and Tony Twist.
-
Adrián Vázquez Lázara
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Adrián Vázquez Lázara is a Spanish politician, MEP elected first for Ciudadanos in 2019 and re-elected in 2024 after agreed to join as an independent on the Partido Popular's list for the European elections following Feijoo's offer and the political disappearance of Cs.
-
Fabian Florant
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
-
Fabian Florant is a Dominican born Dutch triple jumper. Florant qualified to compete at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the men's triple jump.
-
Thom Donovan
- Occupations
- musiciansongwriter
- Biography
-
Thom Donovan is an American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and writer. His first novel, The Twin Affair, was published by Pegasus on September 28, 2023. He has released five solo albums and was the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band Lapush. His international performance career has included concerts across the United States as well as cities around the world. Donovan has performed with Brandi Carlile, Ruby Amanfu, Will Hoge, and worked with Wyclef Jean of The Fugees on his single, Shipwreck. Donovan's music frequently appears in film and television. He had a recurring uncredited background role in the ABC musical drama series, Nashville, as a musician.
-
Gary W. Schenkel
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
-
Gary W. Schenkel is, as of June 2011, the Executive Director of the city Office of Emergency Management and Communications in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to this position Schenkel was the director of the Federal Protective Service(FPS), one of the six divisions of the National Protection and Programs Directorate of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security from March 2007 until July 2010. FPS is the national law enforcement agency responsible for the General Service Agency's (GSA) inventory of over 9,000 buildings located in all 56 states, US territories and protectorates.
-
Scott T. Rupp
- Enrolled in Lindenwood University
- 2015-2016 graduated with Master of Business Administration
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
-
Scott T. Rupp is a former Republican member of the Missouri Senate, representing the 2nd District from 2006 to 2014. Previously he was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives from 2002 through 2006. In the Missouri Senate, Rupp represented all of Lincoln County and portions of St. Charles County. Elected to the Missouri Senate in a special election in April 2006, Scott was re-elected in November 2006 to serve his first full term. He was re-elected in November 2010 to his second full term in the Missouri Senate. Previously, he was twice elected to represent the citizens of northwest St. Charles County in the Missouri House of Representatives and received more than 65 percent of the vote in 2002 and 2004. In 2014 Rupp could not run for re-election due to term limits. In April 2014 he retired early to take a position on the Missouri Public Service Commission.
-
Martha Ackmann
- Occupations
- journalistwriter
- Biography
-
Martha Ackmann is a journalist and author. Her books include The Mercury 13: The True Story of Thirteen Women and the Dream of Space Flight (2003), Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone (2010), and These Fevered Days: Ten Pivotal Moments in the Making of Emily Dickinson (2020). Ackmann's essays and columns have appeared in publications including The Atlantic, The New York Times, the Washington Post, and Paris Review. She is a frequent commentator for New England Public Radio.
