List of Phi Delta Theta members
Appearance
This is a list of prominent alumni of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. Names are listed followed by the school attended and their graduation year.
Academia
- Liberty Hyde Bailey, Michigan State University, 1882 – horticulturist, botanist, father of modern horticulture
- Guy Potter Benton, Ohio Wesleyan, 1886 – President of Miami University (1902–1911); President of University of the Philippines (1921–1925)
- John R. Conniff, Tulane University, 1893 – educator; 7th president of Louisiana Tech University
- Thomas Francis, Jr., Allegheny College, 1921 – physician, virologist, and epidemiologist; Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
- Steve Hanke, University of Colorado, 1964 – economist
- Joel Henry Hildebrand, University of Pennsylvania, 1903 – pioneer chemist
- Vernon Lyman Kellogg, University of Kansas, 1889 – entomologist
- Robert Khayat, University of Mississippi, 1960 – Chancellor of the University of Mississippi (1995–2009)
- Charles Boynton Knapp, Iowa State University, 1967 – President of the University of Georgia (1987–1997)
- William Harding Mayes, Vanderbilt University, 1881 – founder of the University of Texas School of Journalism; Dean (1914–1927)
- John D. Millett, DePauw University – President of Miami University
- Santa J. Ono, University of British Columbia – President and Vice-Chancellor of University of British Columbia; President University of Cincinnati (2012-2016)
- Don K. Price, Vanderbilt University, 1931 – political scientist
- Adam G. Riess, M.I.T., 1992 – winner of the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics
- Walter Riggs, Auburn University, 1892 – President of Clemson University (1910–1924)
- William C. Roberts, Southern Methodist University, 1954 – cardiologist and pathologist; first head of pathology for the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
- Andrew Sledd, Randolph-Macon College, 1893 – founding President of the modern University of Florida (1905–1909); President of Southern University (1910–1914); first Professor of New Testament Literature at the Candler School of Theology, Emory University (1914–1939); Methodist minister and theologian
- John J. Tigert, Vanderbilt University, 1902 – President of Kentucky Wesleyan College (1909–1913); US Commissioner of Education (1921–1928); third President of the University of Florida (1928–1947)
- William G. Tight – President of the University of New Mexico (1902–1909)
- T. K. Wetherell, Florida State University, 1968 – President of Florida State University (2003–2009)
Air and space
- Neil Armstrong, Purdue University, 1955 – Commander of Apollo 11 and first man to walk on the moon
- William F. Durand, Michigan State, 1880 – first civilian chair of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the forerunner of NASA
- Jon McBride, West Virginia, 1964 – NASA astronaut, Space Shuttle Columbia
- F. Story Musgrave, Syracuse University, 1958 – NASA astronaut, Space Shuttle Challenger, Space Shuttle Columbia
- Thomas Jefferson Jackson See, University of Missouri, 1889 – astronomer for the United States Navy
- Joel Stebbins, University of Nebraska – Lincoln, 1899 – astronomer
Art and architecture
- Francis Chapin, Washington & Jefferson College, 1921 – painter
- Hank Ketcham, University of Washington, 1941 – cartoonist, creator of Dennis the Menace comic strip
- Frank Lloyd Wright, University of Wisconsin, 1888 – architect
Business
- Robert Allen, Wabash College, 1957 – Chairman of AT&T (1988–97)
- William Allen, Oklahoma State University, 1958 – former CEO of Phillips Petroleum
- John Y. Brown, Jr., University of Kentucky, 1956 – co-founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken; former Kentucky Governor
- Harrison Claud, Washington & Lee University, 2012 – founder and acting CEO of Colonnade Capital; Canadian Comedy Hall of Fame 2012
- Tim Collins, Depauw University, 1978 – founder, Senior Managing Director, and CEO of Ripplewood Holdings LLC
- Powell Crosley, University of Cincinnati, 1909 – inventor; owner of Cincinnati Reds
- William H. Danforth, Washington University – St Louis, 1892 – founder of Ralston Purina Mills pet food company
- Robert Diamond,Colby College – President of Barclays PLC
- Charles W. "Chuck" Durham, Iowa State University, 1939 – former owner, CEO and Chairman emeritus of HDR, Inc.
- The Honourable Trevor Eyton, OC, QC, University of Toronto, 1956 – former President and Chief Executive Officer of Brascan Limited
- William F. Harrah, UCLA, 1934 – founder of Harrah's Hotel and Casinos
- Drew Houston, MIT, 2006 – founder and CEO of Dropbox
- Ray Lee Hunt, Southern Methodist University – Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Hunt Oil Company
- Mark Hurd, Baylor University, 1979 – CEO of NCR Corporation, Hewlett-Packard, and Oracle Corporation
- F. Ross Johnson, University of Manitoba, 1952 – former CEO of RJR Nabisco
- David Mann, Dalhousie University, 1963 – former President and Chief Executive Officer of Emera
- John Willard Marriott, University of Utah, 1925 – founder of Marriott Corporation
- Albert Chester Mattei, Stanford University, 1917 – President of Honolulu Oil Company; fishing buddy of President Herbert Hoover
- Charles Peter McColough, Dalhousie University, 1943 – former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Xerox
- Edward Avery McIlhenny, Lehigh University, 1894 – son of Tabasco brand pepper sauce inventor Edmund McIlhenny
- James McLamore, Cornell University, 1942 – founder of Burger King
- Ronald K. Richey, Washburn University, 1949 – President and CEO of the Torchmark Corporation
- Hermon Scott, M.I.T. 1930 – founder of H.H. Scott, Inc.
- Roger Smith, University of Michigan, 1946 – Chairman of General Motors
- Dr. Raymond D. Smoot, Jr., Virginia Tech, 1969 – Chairman of StellarOne Bank; former treasurer of Virginia Tech; former CEO of the Virginia Tech Foundation
- David Steiner, Louisiana State University, 1982 -- former CEO of Waste Management
- Mark Suster, University of California San Diego, 1991 – entrepreneur, angel investor, and venture capitalist with GRP Partners
- John H. Tyson, University of Arkansas, 1975 – Chairman of Tyson Foods
- Ralph C. Wilson Jr., University of Virginia, 1940 – founder, owner, and current president of the Buffalo Bills football team; Pro Football Hall of Fame member, 2009
Entertainment
Film and television
- Harry Ackerman, Dartmouth College, 1935 – Emmy Award winner; producer of Gidget, Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, The Flying Nun, The Monkees, and The Partridge Family
- Joseph Ashton – actor, film and voice actor
- Dirk Benedict, Whitman College, 1967 – actor, The A-Team
- Ted Bessell, University of Colorado, 1957 – actor, daytime Emmy Award winner
- Bill Bixby, University of California (Berkeley), 1956 – actor, director, writer, The Incredible Hulk, My Favorite Martian
- Prince Lorenzo Borghese, Rollins College, 1995 – bachelor in The Bachelor: Rome
- Kurt Caceres, Sacramento State University, 1998 – actor, The Shield, Prison Break
- Trey Callaway, University of Southern California, 1989 – writer of I Still Know What You Did Last Summer; producer of CSI: NY
- Brett Claywell, North Carolina State 2000 – actor, One Tree Hill
- Dabney Coleman, University of Texas, 1953 – actor, Tootsie, Stuart Little
- Mike Connors, UCLA, 1950 – actor; Golden Globe Winner; Emmy Award winner for Mannix
- Tim Conway, Bowling Green University, 1956 – actor, McHale's Navy, The Carol Burnett Show
- Mark DeCarlo, Drake University, 1984 – actor, host on the Travel Channel
- Colby Donaldson, Texas Tech, 1996 – actor, runner-up on Survivor: The Australian Outback
- Jonathan Drubner, Syracuse University, 1991 – television personality; writer, ESPNU College Road Trip; head writer for the ESPY awards
- George Eads, Texas Tech, 1990 – actor, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
- Roger Ebert, University of Illinois, 1964 – film critic, author
- Carson Eisenhart, Southern Methodist University, 2012 – cast member, Made in Chelsea
- Donald Gibb, University of New Mexico, 1976 – actor, played "Ogre" in Revenge of the Nerds
- Dean Hargrove, Wichita State University, 1960 – producer, Emmy Award winner for Perry Mason, Matlock
- Van Heflin, University of Oklahoma, 1932 – Academy Award–winning actor
- Jeffrey Hunter, Northwestern University, 1950 – actor, King of Kings
- Richard Kelly, University of Southern California, 1997 – writer, producer, Donnie Darko
- Francis D. Lyon, UCLA, 1928 – Academy Award–winning editor
- Al Mayer Jr., CSUN, 1991 – Academy Award, Emmy Award for Technical Achievement
- Michael McDonald, University of Southern California, 1987 – actor, MADtv
- Michael Murphy, University of Arizona, 1960 – actor
- Brock Pemberton, University of Kansas, 1908 – Founder of the Tony Awards
- James Pierce, Indiana University, 1920 – actor, Tarzan
- Burt Reynolds, Florida State, 1958 – actor, Golden Globe winner; star of Smokey and the Bandit
- Zachary Scott, University of Texas, 1935 – actor
- Ted Shackelford, Westminster College, 1968 – actor, Knots Landing
- Sonny Shroyer, University of Georgia, 1958 – actor, Dukes of Hazzard
- Donald Simpson, University of Oregon, 1966 – producer, Top Gun, Beverly Hills Cop, Days of Thunder, Bad Boys, The Rock
- Robert Sutton, M.I.T, 1973 – executive producer of Koreatown
- Trey Wingo, Baylor University, 1985 – ESPN commentator; host of NFL PrimeTime
- Hugh Wilson, University of Florida, 1965 – Emmy Award winner; producer of WKRP in Cincinnati
- Robert Wise, Franklin College, 1936 – Academy Award-winning director/producer, West Side Story, Sound of Music
Music
- Josh Abbott, Texas Tech University – country musician, Josh Abbott Band
- Elliott Baldwin, University of Wisconsin–Madison – singer, songwriter
- Chris Cagle, Northwest Missouri State University, 2005 – country musician
- Frank Crumit, Ohio University, 1912 – singer and songwriter
- Casey Donahew, Texas A&M University – country musician, Casey Donahew Band
- Wayland Holyfield, University of Arkansas, 1964 – songwriter
- Bob James, University of Michigan, 1961 – jazz musician, Grammy Award recipient
- Werner Janssen, Dartmouth College, 1921 – conductor and composer
- Erich Kunzel, Dartmouth College, 1957 – symphony conductor; Grammy Award recipient
- Phil Pritchett, Southwestern University – country musician, singer and songwriter
- Phil Walden, Mercer University, 1962 – founder of Capricorn Records
Radio
- Ken Niles, University of Montana, 1928 – radio actor
- Wendell Niles, University of Montana, 1927 – broadcaster during the Golden Age of radio
Video games
- Alex Seropian, University of Chicago, 1991 – developer of the Halo, Marathon, and Myth game series
Government
Canada
- James Bartleman, University of Western Ontario, 1963 – 27th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
- William Moore Benidickson, University of Manitoba, 1932 – Canadian Senator, 1965–1985
- Leslie Blackwell, University of Toronto, 1923 – Attorney General of Ontario
- Louis Orville Breithaupt, University of Toronto, 1913 – 18th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
- Donald Cameron, University of Alberta, 1939 – Canadian Senator of Alberta
- Henry Hague Davis, University of Toronto, 1907 – Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada, 1935–1944
- Henry Read Emmerson, McGill University, 1906 – Canadian Senator of New Brunswick, 1949–1954
- The Honourable Trevor Eyton, OC, University of Toronto, 1956 – Canadian Senator
- Garde Gardom, University of British Columbia, 1946 – Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, 1995–2001
- The Honourable Michael Kirby, OC, Dalhousie University, 1963 – Canadian Senator of Nova Scotia, 1984–2006; Chair of the Mental Health Commission of Canada
- Victor Oland, Dalhousie University, 1933 – Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, 1968–1973
- Arthur "Art" Phillips, University of British Columbia, 1953 – 32nd Mayor of Vancouver, 1973–1977
- Gerald Regan, Dalhousie University, 1952 – Premier of Nova Scotia, 1970–1978
Executive branch
- James Baker, University of Texas, 1957 – Secretary of State – Bush administration; founder of the James Baker Institute
- Barber Conable, Cornell, 1943 – President of the World Bank; Congressman from New York, 1965–85
- Benjamin Harrison, Miami University (Ohio), 1852 – 23rd President of the United States
- John W. Foster, Indiana University, 1855 – 32nd Secretary of State
- David F. Houston, University of South Carolina, 1887 – 5th Secretary of Agriculture, 48th Secretary of the Treasury
- Harold Ickes, University of Chicago, 1897 – Secretary of the Interior, 1933–46
- Hamilton Jordan, University of Georgia, 1964 – White House Chief of Staff, Carter administration
- Robert P. Patterson, Union College, 1912- former Secretary of War
- Wilton Persons, Auburn University, 1916 – White House Chief of Staff, Eisenhower administration
- Geoffrey R. Pyatt, University of California, Irvine, 1985 – United States Ambassador to Ukraine
- Tom Schieffer, University of Texas, 1970 – United States Ambassador to Japan
- Adlai E. Stevenson, Centre College, 1860 – 23rd Vice President of the United States
- Frederick Moore Vinson, Centre College, 1909 – US Secretary of the Treasury
Judicial branch
- James C. McReynolds, Vanderbilt University, 1883 – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
- Sherman Minton, Indiana University, 1915 – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
- Frederick Moore Vinson, Centre College, 1909 – Chief Justice of the United States
Governors
- Neil Abercrombie, Union, 1959 – Governor of Hawaii, 2010-
- Forrest H. Anderson, University of Montana, 1937 – Governor of Montana, 1969–73
- Jerry Apodaca, University of New Mexico, 1956 – Governor of New Mexico, 1974–79
- Joseph C. Blackburn, Centre College, 1857 – Governor of the Panama Canal Zone, 1907–09; also a US Senator from Illinois
- Roger D. Branigin, Franklin College, 1923 – Governor of Indiana, 1965–69
- John Y. Brown, Jr., University of Kentucky, 1956 – Governor of Kentucky, 1979–83
- George Busbee, University of Georgia, 1950 – Governor of Georgia, 1975–83
- William Prentice Cooper, Vanderbilt University, 1917 – Governor of Tennessee, 1939–45
- Jon Corzine, University of Illinois, 1969 – Governor of New Jersey 2006–2010
- William Haselden Ellerbe, Wofford College, 1883 – Governor of South Carolina, 1877–99
- Samuel H. Elrod, DePauw University, 1882 – Governor of South Dakota, 1905–07
- Joseph B. Ely, Williams College, 1902 – Governor of Massachusetts, 1931–35
- Norman A. Erbe, University of Iowa, 1947 – Governor of Iowa, 1960–63
- Booth Gardner, University of Washington, 1958 – Governor of Washington, 1985–93
- Chester Harding, University of Alabama, 1884 – Governor of the Panama Canal Zone, 1917–21
- Thomas W. Hardwick, Mercer University, 1892 – Governor of Georgia, 1921–23; also a US Senator and Congressman
- Warren E. Hearnes, University of Missouri, 1943 – Governor of Missouri, 1965–73
- James Holshouser, Davidson College, 1956 – Governor of North Carolina, 1973–77
- Herman G. Kump, University of Virginia, 1905 – Governor of West Virginia, 1932–36
- Hill McAlister, Vanderbilt University, 1897 – Governor of Tennessee, 1933–37
- Tom McCall, University of Oregon, 1936 – Governor of Oregon, 1966–75
- Douglas McKay, Oregon State University, 1941 – Governor of Oregon, 1949–52
- Arthur C. Mellette, Indiana University, 1864 – Governor of South Dakota, 1889–93
- John T. Morrison, Lafayette College, 1880 – Governor of Idaho, 1903–05
- Ragnvald A. Nestos, University of North Dakota, 1904 – Governor of North Dakota, 1921–25
- Malcolm R. Patterson, Vanderbilt University, 1882 – Governor of Tennessee, 1907–11
- Alexander Ramsey, Lafayette College, 1836 (Honorary) – Governor of Minnesota, 1849–53 also US Senator, Congressman, and Secretary of War
- Jim Risch, University of Idaho, 1965 – Governor of Idaho, 2005–06
- Hulett C. Smith, University of Pennsylvania, 1938 – Governor of West Virginia, 1965–69
- Adlai Stevenson II, Princeton University, 1922 – Governor of Illinois, 1949–53
- Ernest Vandiver, University of Georgia, 1940 – Governor of Georgia, 1959–63
- William Winter, University of Mississippi, 1944 – Governor of Mississippi, 1980–84
- Mark White, Baylor University, 1962 – Governor of Texas, 1983–87
- C. C. Young, UC Berkeley, 1892 – Governor of California, 1927–31
US Congressmen
- Neil Abercrombie, Union, 1959 – Representative from Hawaii 1986–1987, 1991–2010
- John Alexander Anderson, Miami University (Ohio), 1853 – Representative from Kansas, 1879–1886
- William B. Bankhead, University of Alabama, 1893 – Former Speaker of the House, Representative from Alabama, 1917–1940
- Douglas Barnard, Mercer University, 1943 – Representative from Georgia, 1977–1992
- Chris Bell, University of Texas, 1988 – Representative from Texas, 2002–2004
- Richard Walker Bolling, University of South, 1937 – Representative from Missouri, 1949–1982
- Charles G. Bond, Ohio State University, 1899 – Representative from New York, 1921–1922
- Edward J. Bonin, Dickinson College, 1933 – Representative from Pennsylvania, 1953–1954
- William G. Brantley, University of Georgia, 1881 – Representative from Georgia, 1897–1912
- Jim Broyhill, University of North Carolina, 1950 – Representative from North Carolina, 1963–1984
- Bradley Byrne, Duke University, 1977 – Representative from Alabama, 2013–present
- Howard Callaway, Georgia Tech, 1948 – Representative from Georgia, 1965–1966
- Frank Ertel Carlyle, University of North Carolina, 1920 – Representative from North Carolina, 1949–1956
- James M. Collins, Southern Methodist University, 1937 – Representative from Texas, 1967–1982
- Robert J. Corbett, Allegheny College, 1927 – Representative from Pennsylvania, 1939–1972
- Jim Courter, Colgate University, 1963 – Representative from New Jersey, 1979–1990
- Edwin R. Durno, University of Oregon, 1921 – Representative from Oregon, 1961–1962
- John Fleming, Jr., Ole Miss, 1973 – Representative from Louisiana, 2009–present
- Charles K. Fletcher, Stanford University, 1924 – Representative from California, 1947–1948
- Wyche Fowler, Davidson College, 1962 – Representative from Georgia, 1977–1986
- Burton L. French, University of Idaho, 1901 – Representative from Idaho, 1903–1932
- James G. Fulton, Penn State, 1924 – Representative from Pennsylvania, 1945–1972
- Charles Goodell, Williams College, 1949 – Representative from New York, 1959–1970
- Oscar Lee Gray, University of Alabama, 1885 – Representative from Alabama, 1915–1917
- Francis M. Griffith, Franklin College, 1874 – Representative from Indiana, 1897–1904
- James M. Griggs, Vanderbilt University, 1881 – Representative from Georgia, 1897–1910
- Andrew H. Hamilton, Wabash College, 1855 – Representative from Indiana, 1875–1878
- Thomas Hardwick, Mercer University, 1892 – Representative from Georgia, 1903–1918
- Rufus Hardy, University of Georgia, 1875 – Representative from Texas, 1907–1922
- Joel Hefley, Oklahoma State, 1959 – Representative from Colorado, 1987–2007
- William M. Howard, University of Georgia, 1877 – Representative from Georgia, 1897–1910
- Jared Huffman, UC Santa Barbara, 1986 – Representative from California, 2013–present
- John Jarman, Westminster College, 1936 – Representative from Oklahoma, 1951–1976
- Royal C. Johnson, University of South Dakota, 1906 – Representative from South Dakota, 1915–1932
- John L. Kennedy, Knox College, 1883 – Representative from Nebraska, 1905–1906
- Frank Kratovil, McDaniel College, 1990 – Representative from Maryland, 2009–2011
- Charles M. La Follette, Wabash College, 1920 – Representative from Indiana, 1943–1946
- James G. Lee, Emory University, 1880 – Representative from Georgia, 1905–1926
- William Lemke, University of North Dakota, 1903 – Representative from North Dakota, 1933–1950
- Pete McCloskey, Stanford University, 1951 – author of the Endangered Species Act; Representative from California, 1967–1983
- Robert C. McEwen, University of Vermont, 1942 – Representative from New York, 1965–1980
- Charles F. McLaughlin, University of Nebraska, 1908 – Representative from Nebraska, 1935–1942
- James McNulty, Arizona, 1950 – Representative from Arizona, 1983–1985
- Luke Messer, Wabash College, 1991 – Representative from Indiana, 2013–present
- Walt Minnick, Whitman College, 1958 – Representative from Idaho, 2009–2011
- Chester Mize, University of Kansas, 1939 – Representative from Kansas, 1965–1970
- Martin A. Morrison, Butler University, 1883 – Representative from Indiana 1910–1916
- Charles L. Moses, Mercer University, 1876 – Representative from Georgia, 1891–1896
- Frederick A. Muhlenberg, Gettysburg College, 1908 – Representative from Pennsylvania, 1947–1948
- William B. Oliver, University of Alabama, 1887– Representative from Alabama, 1915–1936
- James W. Overstreet, Mercer University, 1888 – Representative from Georgia, 1905–1922
- Jim Ramstad, University of Minnesota – Representative from Minnesota, 1991–2009
- Dwight L. Rogers, Mercer University, 1910 – Representative from Florida, 1945–1954
- Paul G. Rogers, University of Florida, 1942 – Representative from Florida, 1955–1978
- David Rouzer, North Carolina State, 1994 – Representative from North Carolina, 2015–present
- Max Sandlin, Baylor, 1975 – Representative from Texas, 1997–2004
- Jouette Shouse, University of Missouri, 1899 – Representative from Illinois, 1915–1918
- Garner E. Shriver, Wichita State University, 1934 – Representative from Kansas, 1961–1976
- Jim Slattery, Washburn University, 1970 – Representative from Kansas, 1983–1995
- Albert T. Smith Jr., Auburn University, 1953 – Representative from Alabama, 1981–1983
- Adlai E. Stevenson, Centre College, 1860 – Representative from Illinois, 1875–1880
- Willis Sweet, University of Nebraska, 1879 – Representative from Idaho, 1889–1894
- Clark W. Thompson, University of Oregon, 1918 – Representative from Texas, 1933–1966
- Edwin Keith Thomson, University of Wyoming, 1939 – Representative from Wyoming, 1955–1960
- Samuel Tribble, University of Georgia, 1891 – Representative from Georgia, 1911–1916
- Frederick M. Vinson, Centre College, 1909 – Representative from Kentucky, 1924–1928, 1930–1937
- Francis E. Walter, Lafayette College, 1916 – Representative from Pennsylvania, 1933–1964
- Thomas B. Ward, Miami University (Ohio), 1855 – Representative from Indiana, 1883–1886
US Senators
- Brock Adams, University of Washington, 1948 – Secretary of Treasury; Congressman from Washington; Senator from Washington, 1987–1993
- John Allen, Wabash College, 1867 – Senator from Washington, 1889–1892
- Joseph C. Blackburn, Centre College, 1857 – Senator from Kentucky, 1885–1906
- James Broyhill, University of North Carolina, 1950 – Senator from North Carolina, 1985–1991
- Harry P. Cain, University of the South, 1929 – Senator from Washington, 1946–1952
- Thomas Connally, University of Texas, 1898 – Senator from Texas, 1929–1952
- Harry Darby, University of Illinois, 1917 – Senator from Kansas, 1949–1950
- Dennis DeConcini, University of Arizona, 1959 – Senator from Arizona, 1977–1994
- Duncan U. Fletcher, Vanderbilt University, 1880 – Senator from Florida, 1909–36
- Wyche Fowler, Davidson College, 1962 – Senator from Georgia, 1987–1992
- James Z. George, University of Mississippi – Senator from Mississippi, 1881–1898
- Thomas Hardwick, Mercer University, 1892 – Senator from Georgia, 1913–1918
- J. Bennett Johnston, Washington & Lee College, 1954 – Senator from Louisiana, 1972–1997
- Eugene D. Millikin, University of Colorado, 1913 – Senator from Colorado, 1941–1956
- Sherman Minton, Indiana University Senator from Indiana, 1935–1941
- Sam Nunn, Georgia Tech 1960 – founder of the Nuclear Threat Initiative; Senator from Georgia, 1972–1997
- James E. Risch, University of Idaho, 1965, 1968 – J.D.; Senator from Idaho, 2008–present
- Arthur Raymond Robinson, University of Chicago, 1913 – Senator from Indiana, 1925–1934
- Elbert Thomas, University of Utah, 1906 – Senator from Utah, 1933–1950
- John Elmer Thomas, DePauw University, 1900 – Senator from Oklahoma, 1927–1950
- Thomas R. Underwood, University of Kentucky, 1919 – Congressman from Indiana; Senator from Indiana, 1951–1952
- William F. Vilas, University of Wisconsin, 1858 – Senator from Wisconsin, 1891–1896
- Edward Cary Walthall, University of Mississippi – Senator from Indiana, 1885–1894
- Xenophon P. Wilfley, Washington University, 1899 – Senator from Missouri, 1917–1918
- Raymond E. Willis, Wabash College, 1896 – Senator from Indiana, 1941–1956
Other
- Jean Baptiste Adoue, University of Texas, 1906 – former Mayor of Dallas, Texas
- Ralph Haben, University of Florida – former Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
- Nelson T. Harton, University of Washington – solicitor of the IRS; co-founder of Hogan & Hartson, where his clients included Howard Hughes
- Adam Hasner, University of Maryland, 1991 – House Majority Leader, Florida House of Representatives, 2002–present
- John F. Hayes, Washburn University – Majority Leader, Kansas House of Representatives
- Carol Howe Foster, University of Idaho, 1905 – instructor of English at the United States Naval Academy during World War I; Consulate of The United States of America (1928–1932)
- Jim Herring, University of Mississippi 1960 – state chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party 2001–2008; state circuit court judge, 1997–1999
- Brad Little, University of Idaho 1977 – Lieutenant Governor of Idaho, 2009–
- Henry F. Mason, Wisconsin, 1881 – Chief Justice of the Kansas Supreme Court
- William Harding Mayes, Vanderbilt University, 1881 – Lieutenant Governor of Texas, 1912–14
- Charles D. McAtee, Washburn University, 1950 – Marine Corps officer; FBI agent; candidate for Congress; Kansas Attorney General; supervised the last executions in Kansas as director of penal institutions, 1965–1969
- Warren W. Shaw, Washburn University, 1931 – judge; member of Eisenhower's staff during World War II; Representative in the Kansas House of Representatives; 1954 Republican nominee for Kansas governor
- Shap Smith, University of Vermont, 1987 – current Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
- Robert Stone, Washburn University, 1889 – Speaker of the Kansas House of Representatives, 1915
- Richard Vinroot, University of North Carolina, 1963 – Mayor of Charlotte, North Carolina, 1991–95
- Kevin White, Williams College, 1952 – second longest-serving mayor in Boston history
- Drew Wrigley, University of North Dakota 1988 – Lieutenant Governor of North Dakota
- Joshua Soule Zimmerman, Randolph–Macon College, 1892 – West Virginia House Delegate; Hampshire County, West Virginia prosecuting attorney; orchardist
Literature
- Ray Stannard Baker, Michigan State University, 1889 – biographer, Pulitzer Prize winner
- Louis Bromfield, Columbia University, 1920 – Pulitzer Prize winner for Early Autumn
- Po Bronson, Stanford, 1986 – writer
- Eugene Field, Knox College, 1872 – poet, author of children's books
- Walter Havighurst, Ohio Wesleyan University, 1923 – writer and professor
- Don Herold, Indiana University, 1912 – humorist
- James Michener, Swarthmore College, 1929 – Pulitzer Prize winner, Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient
- Dan Moldea, The University of Akron, 1973 – author, writer of organized crime and American politics books
- Reynolds Price, Duke University, 1955 – writer, essayist
- Robert Sutton, M.I.T., 1973 - blog writer, www.UberThoughtsUSA.com
- William Tate, Vanderbilt University, 1922 – poet, social commentator
- Edward K. Thompson, University of North Dakota, 1927 – Managing Editor of Life magazine
- William Allen White, University of Kansas, 1890 – editor, writer, Pulitzer Prize winner
Media
- Earle C. Anthony, UC Berkeley, 1903 – pioneer broadcaster; founder of KFI
- Gary Bender, Wichita State, 1962 – sports anchor
- Elmer Davis, Franklin College, 1910 – Director of the War Information Department in WWII; Peabody Award recipient
- Harry Kalas, University of Iowa, 1959 – sportscaster
- Robert Kintner, University of Washington, 1944 – President of the ABC, 1950–56
- William Harding Mayes, Vanderbilt University, 1881 – President of the Texas Press Association, 1889–90; President of the National Editorial Association, 1908; President of the Association of American Schools and Departments of Journalism, 1920–21
- John Pertzborn, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1982 – news anchor
- Byron Price, Wabash College, 1912 – Director of Censorship in WWII; Pulitzer Prize recipient
- Bob Prince, University of Pittsburgh, 1938 – sportscaster
- Bob Schieffer, Texas Christian University, 1959 – CBS News anchor
- Frank Stanton, Ohio Wesleyan University, 1937 – former President of CBS
- Trey Wingo, Baylor, 1985 – ESPN anchor
Military
Medal of Honor and Victoria Cross recipients
- John Henry Balch, Northwestern University, 1920 – Medal of Honor recipient, World War I
- John C. Black, Wabash, 1862 – Medal of Honor recipient, Civil War
- William P. Black, Wabash, 1864 – Medal of Honor recipient, Civil War
- Henry V. Boynton, Kentucky Military Institute, 1858 – Medal of Honor recipient, Civil War
- Robert W. Cary, University of Missouri, 1912 – Medal of Honor recipient, peacetime; Distinguished Service Cross, World War I
- Frederick Funston, University of Kansas, 1890 – Medal of Honor recipient, Philippine–American War
- Robert Hampton Gray, University of British Columbia, 1940 – Victoria Cross recipient, World War II
- Alexander R. Skinker, Washington University, 1905 – Medal of Honor recipient, World War I
- Leon Vance, University of Oklahoma, 1937 – Medal of Honor recipient, World War II
Prominent military personnel
- Jacob Ammen, Indiana University, 1830 – General, Union Army, Civil War
- William Montague Browne, University of Georgia, 1843 – General, Secretary of State, Confederate States of America
- Arthur S. Champeny, Washburn University – Brigadier general; only person in US history to receive the Distinguished Service Cross in three separate wars
- John K. Davis, University of New Mexico, 1951 – Assistant Commandant, Marine Corps 1983–86
- Louis R. de Steiguer, Ohio University, 1887 – Admiral; Commander in Chief, Battle Fleet, US Fleet, 1927–1928
- Julian J. Ewell, Duke University, 1936 – United States Army lieutenant general; Commander of Operation Speedy Express; Commander of the 9th US Infantry Division
- Robert L. Ghormley, University of Idaho, 1903 – Commander of all forces during the Guadalcanal campaign in WWII
- Arthur F. Gorham, Miami University, circa 1932 (uninitiated, transferred to West Point) – Lieutenant Colonel; Commander, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment during Operation Husky, the invasion of Sicily; twice awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
- Leonard D. Heaton, Denison College, 1923 – US Major General Surgeon General
- Charles Horner, University of Iowa, 1958 – Commander of NORAD North American Aerospace Defense Command; Commander of Allied Air Force for Desert Storm
- Edgar Jadwin, Lafayette College, 1888 – Lieutenant General, Chief of Engineers 1926–1929
- David E. Jeremiah, University of Oregon, 1955 – Admiral, Acting Chairman Joint Chief of Staffs, October 1993
- Edward P. King, University of Georgia, 1903 – Major General, Commanding Officer, Bataan, World War II
- Eli Long, Indiana University, 1855 – Major General, Union Army, Civil War
- John S. McCain, Sr., University of Mississippi, 1905 – Vice Admiral and Commander of all land-based naval aircraft in the South Pacific, World War II
- Scott O'Grady, University of Washington, 1988 – USAF Captain shot down over Bosnia, rescued six days later
- Edwin D. Patrick, Indiana University, 1916 – Major General, Commander of the 6th Infantry Division in WWII
- Bernard W. Rogers, Kansas State University, 1943 – General, Supreme Allied Commander Europe, NATO
- Leroy W. Stutz, Washburn University, 1960 – Air Force colonel; spent 2,284 days as a prisoner of war during Vietnam
- Robert Taplett, University of South Dakota, 1940 – Navy Cross recipient, Korean War
Nobel Prize winners
- Adam G. Riess, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 1992 – Physics, 2011
Religion
- Charles Minnigerode Beckwith, Bishop of Alabama
- Kirkman George Finlay, University of the South, 1900 – first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Upper South Carolina
- Clare Purcell, Emory, 1910 – Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
- Ralph W. Sockman, Ohio Wesleyan, 1911 – evangelist, writer
- David Swing, Miami University, 1852 – founder of the Central Church of Chicago
Sports
- Mike Adamle, Northwestern University, 1971 – NFL safety, broadcaster
- Bill Austin, Oregon State College, 1949 – NFL lineman and head coach
- Terry Baker, Oregon State University, 1963 – NFL & CFL quarterback, Heisman Trophy winner, first selection of 1963 NFL draft, NCAA Final Four (basketball)
- Ernest Bearg, Washburn University, 1916 – head football coach, Washburn and University of Nebraska
- Jim Bowden, Rollins College, 1983 – MLB general manager, Cincinnati Reds and Washington Nationals
- Richard R. Baggins, Case Western Reserve, 1901 – MLB pitcher, Cleveland Blues
- Rich Brooks, Oregon State University, 1963 – head football coach, University of Oregon, and St. Louis Rams (NFL), and University of Kentucky
- Dave Burba, Ohio State University, 1988 – MLB pitcher
- Ron Cey, Washington State University, 1970 – MLB third baseman, Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs
- Gunther Cunningham, University of Oregon, 1968 – NFL defensive coordinator, Kansas City Chiefs, former head coach
- Alvin Dark, Louisiana State University, 1945 – MLB infielder, manager; Rookie of the Year, 1948
- Dwight F. Davis, Washington University (St. Louis), 1899 – tennis player, namesake of the Davis Cup
- Eugene Davis, University of Virginia, 1899 – football coach; later a surgeon
- Morgan Ensberg, University of Southern California, 1998 – MLB infielder
- Weeb Ewbank, Miami University (Ohio), 1928 – NFL and AFL head coach; Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Scott Fortune, Stanford, 1988 – Olympic gold medalist, volleyball
- Ralph Friedgen, University of Maryland, 1970 – head coach, University of Maryland football
- Gary Gait, Syracuse University, 1990 – lacrosse, multiple All-American and NCAA champion
- Paul Gait, Syracuse University, 1990 – lacrosse, multiple All-American and NCAA champion
- Laddie Gale, University of Oregon, 1939 – Basketball Hall of Fame
- Lou Gehrig, Columbia University, 1925 – MLB first baseman, New York Yankees; Baseball Hall of Fame
- Jack Gelineau, McGill University, 1949 – NHL goaltender, Calder Trophy winner
- Matt Grevers, Northwestern University, 2007 – Olympic gold medalist, swimming
- Jack Ham, Penn State University, 1971 – NFL All-Pro linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers, Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Jack Harbaugh, Bowling Green University, 1961 – college football coach
- Tom Harmon, University of Michigan, 1941 – Heisman Trophy winner, broadcaster
- Terry Hoeppner, Franklin College, 1969 – college football coach
- Hughie Jennings, Cornell University, 1904 – MLB infielder, manager, Detroit Tigers, Baseball Hall of Fame
- Wilbur Johns, UCLA, 1925 – UCLA basketball coach and athletic director
- William Johnson, University of Kansas, 1933 – center, Basketball Hall of Fame
- Don Meredith, Southern Methodist University, 1960 – NFL All-Pro quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
- Dick Nolan, University of Maryland, 1955 – Former head coach, San Francisco 49ers
- J. T. O'Sullivan, U.C. Davis, 2002 – NFL quarterback, San Francisco 49ers
- Jim Otto, University of Miami, 1960 – NFL center, Oakland Raiders, Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Dave Parks, Texas Tech University, 1964 – NFL wide receiver, first selection of 1964 NFL Draft, San Francisco 49ers
- William Porter Payne, University of Georgia, 1969 – president of Atlanta Olympic Committee, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club
- Grantland Rice, Vanderbilt University, 1901 – sportswriter
- Detlef Schrempf, University of Washington, 1986 – NBA All-Star forward
- Ted Schroeder, Stanford University, 1942 – tennis player, Wimbledon and US Open champion
- Jason Simontacchi, San Jose State University, 1996 – MLB pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals
- Russel Stewart, Washington & Lee University, 2012 – Gaglardi Award nominee, Captain of Record Setting Phi Delta Theta Intramural Basketball team, Only Division 3 player to score on offense, defense, special teams, and off the field.-->
- Steve Tasker, Northwestern University, 1985 – NFL All-pro special teams player, wide receiver, Buffalo Bills
- Zach Thomas, Texas Tech University, 1996 – NFL linebacker, Miami Dolphins
- Mike Timlin, Southwestern University, 1988 – MLB pitcher, four World Series championship teams
- Bill Toomey, University of Colorado, 1961 – Olympic gold medalist, 1968 decathlon
- Doak Walker, Southern Methodist University, 1950 – NFL All-Pro halfback, Detroit Lions, 1948 Heisman Trophy winner, Pro Football Hall of Fame
- Wayne Walker, University of Idaho, 1958 – NFL All-Pro linebacker, Detroit Lions (started all 15 seasons)
- Wes Welker, Texas Tech University, 2004 – NFL All-Pro wide receiver, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos
- Gary Williams, University of Maryland, 1968 – head basketball coach, University of Maryland
References
- Prominent alumni of Phi Delta Theta
- Collett, Ritter (1998). In the Bond: Phi Delta Theta at 150. Landfall Press
- Havighurst, Walter E. (1975). From Six at First: A History of Phi Delta Theta 1848–1973. George Banta Company, Inc.