12 Notable alumni of
Winona State University
Updated:
Winona State University is 2635th in the world, 913th in North America, and 862nd in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 12 notable alumni from Winona 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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Austin Aries
- Occupations
- professional wrestler
- Biography
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Daniel Healy Solwold Jr., better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to Major League Wrestling as both a wrestler and color commentator and is the current MLW National Openweight Champion in his first reign. He is known for his time with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is a three-time TNA World Champion and a six-time TNA X Division Champion, and Ring of Honor (ROH) where he was the first multi-time ROH World Champion. He is also known for his time with WWE, where he competed in the cruiserweight division as well as doing color commentary. Between TNA and ROH, Aries has held 14 total championships and has also held numerous international and United States independent championships.
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Michele Bachmann
- Enrolled in Winona State University
- In 1978 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- autobiographerlawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Michele Marie Bachmann is an American politician who was the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 6th congressional district from 2007 until 2015. A member of the Republican Party, she was a candidate for president of the United States in the 2012 election, but dropped out after the Iowa caucuses.
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Tim Penny
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Timothy Joseph Penny is an American author, musician, and former politician from Minnesota. As a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, Penny represented Minnesota's 1st congressional district in the United States House of Representatives from 1983 to 1995. Penny was also the Independence Party's nominee for governor of Minnesota in 2002.
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Amanda Grace
- Occupations
- singer
- Biography
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Amanda Grace is a singer-songwriter born in St. Paul, Minnesota. Grace writes, releases and performs acoustic rock, soul, children's music and Christian music. Her career originally began with children's music. Grace has released three albums, three singles, and is also a part of a women's contemporary folk band called Wildflower.
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Kurt Bills
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kurt Patrick Bills is an American educator and former politician. He has taught and coached high school since 1994. He served on the Rosemount City Council from 2008 to 2010. He then served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 2011 to 2012. He was the Republican nominee for United States Senate in Minnesota in 2012, losing in a landslide to Democratic incumbent Amy Klobuchar.
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John Anton Blatnik
- Enrolled in Winona State University
- In 1935 studied education
- Occupations
- partisanschool superintendentteacherpolitician
- Biography
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John Anton Blatnik was a United States Congressman from Minnesota. He was a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party (DFL), which is affiliated with the Democratic Party.
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James J. Mingus
- Occupations
- military officer
- Biography
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James J. Mingus is a retired United States Army general who last served as the 39th vice chief of staff of the Army from 3 January 2024 to 6 February 2026. He was previously the director of the Joint Staff from 2022 to 2024, director for operations of the Joint Staff from 2020 to 2022, and commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division from 2018 to 2020. A native of Iowa, he enlisted in the Iowa Army National Guard before being commissioned through the Reserve Officer Training Corps. Mingus has had multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He is a graduate of Winona State University and the United States Army War College.
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Karla Bigham
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Karla Bigham is an American politician and current Washington County Commissioner, representing District 4. She is a former member of the Cottage Grove City Council, the Minnesota House of Representatives, and the Minnesota Senate.
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Greg Davids
- Years
- 1958-.. (age 68)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Gregory Michael Davids is an American politician serving in the Minnesota House of Representatives since 2009, and from 1991 to 2006. A member of the Republican Party of Minnesota, Davids represents District 26B in southeastern Minnesota, which includes the cities of La Crescent and Spring Valley, and parts of Fillmore, Houston, and Mower Counties.
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Harry A. Sieben
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Harry A. "Tex" Sieben, Jr. was an American politician and general who served in senior positions in the Legislature and National Guard of the state of Minnesota.
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Bruce Hunter
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Bruce L. Hunter is a former Iowa State Representative from the 34th District. He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 2003, when he was elected in a January special election to replace Frank Chiodo, who resigned before term start to become the legislative liaison for the Iowa Department for Economic Development, to 2023. Hunter was born in Alma, Wisconsin, was raised in Wisconsin and Minnesota, and resides in Des Moines, Iowa. He attended Saint Cloud State University and Winona State University.
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Brittany Reinbolt
- Occupations
- bobsledderathletics competitor
- Biography
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Brittany Reinbolt is an American bobsledder.
