Loras College - Graduates

Graduates

A notable graduate of Loras College was Father Aloysius Schmitt. He was one of those killed on board the USS Oklahoma during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

Other notable graduates of Loras College include:

• Clarence Enzler (class of 1931), author of several religious books, including a Stations of the Cross book titled Everyone's Way of the Cross.
• Raymond Roseliep (class of 1939), American poet famous for haiku.
• John Joseph Paul (class of 1939), Roman Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of La Crosse.
• David Rabe (class of 1962), playwright and screenwriter.
• Greg Gumbel (class of 1967), CBS sportscaster.
• Bill Bolster (class of 1967), retired CEO of CNBC International.
• Dennis Schmitz, contemporary American poet.
• James V Ball, (class of 1958), retired, well known attorney Memphis, TN, Loras College HOF 2002.
• Thomas Tauke ( class of 1972), US congressman from Iowa, 1979–1991.
• Al Ruffalo (class of 1969), CEO of RuffaloCODY.
• Peter Jebson (class of 1986) author of orthopedic hand surgery book Hand Secrets
• Edward Grace (class of 1988), Deputy Chief, US Fish and Wildlife Service, 2002 and 2010 Clark R. Bavin Law Enforcement Award winner.
• Tom Barton (class of 1989), President, Barton Wealth Management, LLC.
• Michael M. Mihm (class of 1964), US District Court Judge for the Central District of Illinois.
• Jim Romagna (class of 1992) Professional body builder and fitness model; contributor to various fitness magazines
• Mike Ferrin (class of 1998), Sirius/XM radio baseball broadcaster.
• Robert W. Pratt (class of 1969), District Judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa

Although not a graduate, Hall of Fame baseball pitcher Red Faber attended Loras in 1909. Faber set a college record by striking out 24 St. Ambrose batters in a 1909 game before moving on to a 20-year Major League career with the Chicago White Sox. Faber-Clark Field on Loras’ lower campus bears his name today. Film actor Don Ameche was known to have attended during the 1920s.

Although not frequently mentioned due to his controversial religious ideas later in life, Creation Spirituality founder Matthew Fox attended Loras in 1958. He was eventually ordained as a Dominican priest but then silenced for a year (forbidden to teach theology) by Cardinal Ratzinger (now Pope Benedict XVI) of the Holy See in 1988. In 1993, he was expelled from the Dominican order and effectively from the Catholic Church at the order of Cardinal Ratzinger. In 1994, he became an Episcopal priest.

Another controversial graduate is William Schnoebelen, who obtained a degree in music and education from Loras in 1971. Schnoebelen went on to found With One Accord Ministry, an organization which strongly denounces Catholicism and Catholic teachings (among other things).