List of University of Nevada, Reno people

Over the years, the University of Nevada, Reno has had an assortment of people gain regional, national, and international prominence in various fields of study.

Professors

• R. Jacob Baker, Is an inventor, author, and Professor at Boise State University
• Bryan E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP, EMT-P; clinical professor, School of Medicine Emergency Department; emergency physician, University Medical Center
• James E. Church, best known for having developed the Mount Rose snow sampler (1906), the first instrument for measuring snow water content.
• George Fernandez, Ph.D. - Professor of Applied Statistics, director of UNR Center for Research Design and Analysis, and the Author of Data Mining using SAS applications - CRC press
• Steven C. Hayes, Ph.D. - Foundation Professor, Clinical Psychology & developer of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy . Also known for his work on Relational Frame Theory.
• Robert Metts, Ph.D. - Expertise in International Economics, Economic Development, Labor Economics; Presented at the United Nations on "Planning For Disability"
• James Richardson, Ph.D. - Sociologist, critics of "cultic brainwashing" theories
• Murray Rothbard - Austrian School economist
• James G. Scrugham - professor of mechanical engineering from 1903 to 1914 and dean from 1914 to 1917; he served as Governor of Nevada, and as a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state.
• Glenn Wilson, Ph.D. Adjunct Professor of Psychology 1994-2002, taught and established the field of psychology for performing artists, producing the standard text on the topic.
• Esmail Zanjani, In 2007, led scientists at the School of Medicine and created a sheep that has 15% human cells and 85% animal cells, the world's first "human-sheep chimera", which has the body of a sheep but half-human organs .

Pulitzer Prize Winners

• Ron Einstoss, 1955 - Awarded in 1966 for coverage of the Watts Riot
• Susan Forrest, 1982 - Awarded for general news reporting in 1988
• Kristen Go, 1998 - Awarded in 1998 for her coverage of the Columbine High School shootings
• Warren Lerude, 1961 - Awarded in 1977
• Edward Montgomery, 1934 - Awarded for distinguished local reporting in 1952
• Howard Sheerin, 1931 - Awarded for public service in 1956

Arts and media

• Walter Van Tilburg Clark ? - Author of The Ox-bow Incident
• Gabriel Damon - Actor in films such as Robocop 2 and Newsies
• Frederic Joseph DeLongchamps, 1904 - Nevada State Architect 1919-1926
• Charley Douglass, 1933 - Sound engineer, created the first TV laugh track
• Grant Harvey ? - Actor on Secret Life of the American Teenager
• William D. Lutz, Ph.D. 1971 - author of The World of Doublespeak
• Geoff Schumacher, 1981 - Journalist and author of two books, including Howard Hughes: Power, Paranoia & Palace Intrigue
• Cathy Scott - Adjunct journalism instructor from 2000-2005, journalist and true-crime author, including The Killing of Tupac Shakur
• Dolora Zajick - world-renowned opera mezzo-soprano

Athletics

• Chris Ault, 1969 - Head Coach of Wolf Pack football team (Sigma Alpha Epsilon)
• Bill Ireland ? - "Father of UNLV Athletics", graduated from University of Nevada, Reno (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Luke Babbitt (class of 2012; left in 2010) – Basketball player, Portland Trail Blazers
• John Barnes, ? - Los Alamitos High School (CA) head football coach, most wins by Orange County high school football coach
• Doug Betters, 1977 - Professional football player and Pro Bowler, Miami Dolphins
• Nate Burleson, 2003 - Wide Receiver, Seattle Seahawks
• Ryan Church, 2000 - Major League Baseball player, New York Mets
• Andy Dominique, 1996–1997 - former Major League Baseball player
• Forey Duckett - Professional football player
• Nick Fazekas, 2007 - Basketball player, Denver Nuggets
• Joseph Salvatore Gilbert - Boxer on reality tv show The Contender (Sigma Alpha Epsilon)
• Frank Hawkins, 1981 - NFL running back, Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders, 1981-87
• Stan Heath, 1949 - First NCAA quarterback to throw for more than 2000 yards in a season
• Terry Hermeling, Former American football offensive lineman for the Washington Redskins
• Jeff Horton, 1958 - NFL Asst. Coach St. Louis Rams
• Joe Inglett, 1997–2000 - Major League Baseball player, Toronto Blue Jays
• Trevor Insley, 1999 - NCAA Division I-A all-time receiving yards leader
• Edgar Jones, 1979 - Former professional basketball player, drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1979.
• Kevin Kouzmanoff, 2003 - Major League Baseball player, Oakland Athletics
• Mills Lane, 1963 - NCAA boxing champion, boxing referee, lawyer, judge
• Liu Lumin, 1998-2000 - 1996 Olympic Swimming Silver Medalist (100m butterfly)
• Lisé Mackie, 1995-1998 - 1996 Olympic Swimming Bronze Medalist (800m freestyle relay team, Australia)
• Brock Marion, 1989-92 - Professional football player, Detroit Lions
• Vladimir Matyushenko, 1999 - Mixed martial artist currently fighting in the UFC.
• Corky Miller, 1997–1998 - Major League Baseball player, Chicago White Sox
• Marko Mitchell, 2009- Professional Football Player with Washington Redskins
• Marion Motley, 1940-42 - Professional Football Hall of Famer
• Charles Mann, 1980-82 - Former professional football player and Pro Bowler, Washington Redskins
• David Neill, 1999-2002 - set the NCAA freshman record for most touchdown passes in a season
• Lyle Overbay, 1996–1999 - Major League Baseball player, Toronto Blue Jays
• Shar Pourdanesh, 1989-1992 - Professional football player, NFL - 1996-2001 CFL - 1994, 1995
• Chad Qualls, 1999–2000 - Major League Baseball player, Arizona Diamondbacks
• Darrell Rasner, 2000–2002 - Major League Baseball player, New York Yankees
• Jeff Rowe, 2007, Professional football player, New England Patriots
• Mike Schellin, 1966-68, Award-winning boxer (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Ramon Sessions, 2007, Professional basketball players, Milwaukee Bucks, April 2008 NBA Rookie of the Month
• Chris Singleton, 1992–1993, former Major League Baseball player, current ESPN commentator
• Kirk Snyder, 2004 - Basketball player, Minnesota Timberwolves
• Karen Stoffer, ? - NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle racer
• Kirk Triplett - Professional PGA Tour golfer
• Terry Walsh 2005 Professional Cleat Chaser
• Charles Wright - Professional wrestler (gimmicks included The Godfather, Kama, and Papa Shango)
• Tony Zendejas, 1983 - Professional Football Player

Politics and public service

• James David Santini - United States Representative from Nevada. (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Helen Delich Bentley - Former Congresswoman from Maryland
• Steven R. Kosach - Current Washoe County District Court Judge. Former Member of the Championship 65' Baseball Team for University of Nevada, and earned two silver stars in Vietnam. (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Grant Sawyer - Former Governor of Nevada (Alpha Tau Omega)
• William Raggio - current Nevada State Senator (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Ken Tedford - current Mayor of the City of Fallon, Nevada (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Matt Griffin - current Deputy Secretary of State of the State of Nevada (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Richard Bryan, 1959 - Former governor of Nevada and US Senator (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Bernie Anderson - Current member of the Nevada State Assembly representing AD 31- Washoe County
• Frank J. Fahrenkopf, Jr., 1962 - Chairman of the Republican National Committee 1983-1989, and current American Gaming Association Chairman (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Frank Cassas, listed as one of the "Best Lawyers in America" (Alpha Tau Omega)
• Emmet D. Boyle, 1898 - Former governor of Nevada
• Ernest S. Brown, 1926 - U.S. Senator from Nevada
• Alan Bible, 1930? - U.S. Senator from Nevada (1954-1974) (Lambda Chi Alpha)
• Catherine Cortez Masto, 1986 - Current Attorney General for the State of Nevada
• Frankie Sue Del Papa, 1971 - First Female Nevada State Attorney General and First Female Secretary of State
• Jim Gibbons - 28th Governor of Nevada
• Daniel Klaich, 1972 - Executive Vice Chancellor for the Nevada System of Higher Education
• Myron E. Leavitt, 1952 - Lieutenant Governor of Nevada; Justice, Nevada Supreme Court
• Sheila Leslie, 1979 - M.A. in Spanish Language and Literature; Current member of the Nevada State Assembly representing AD 27 (Washoe County)
• Pat McCarran, attended but not graduated - Democratic United States Senator from Nevada from 1933 until 1954, noted for his strong anti-Communist stance.
• Sig Rogich, Political adviser to President Reagan and Bush, Former US Ambassador to Iceland. (Sigma Alpha Epsilon)
• Brian Sandoval, 1986 - U.S. District Court judge. (Sigma Alpha Epsilon)

Other notables

• John Etchemendy- philosopher and Stanford provost
• Jennifer Harman, ? - Professional poker player, first woman to win two bracelets in World Series of Poker open events
• Diane Kennedy, ? - American CPA, speaker, and financial writer.
• Charlton Laird (b.1901 – d.1984) was an American linguist and writer who created the 1971 edition of the Webster's New World Thesaurus which became the standard edition still used today by Webster's.
• John W. Nunn, ? - CEO and owner of WWW (World Wild Wrestling) corporation.
• Ron Toomer, 1961 - Developed the first upside-down roller coaster, the Corkscrew.
• William Zamboni, ? - Pioneer in plastic surgery and limb reattachments.
• Washoe: First chimpanzee to successfully learn American Sign Language.