Northwestern State University - Notable Alumni

Notable Alumni

• Tommy G. Armstrong (born 1941), Class of 1967, real estate developer and retired politician in Shreveport
• Jesse L. Boucher (1912–2004), Class of 1935, real estate developer and former mayor of Springhill, Louisiana
• Henry Burns, bakery owner and Republican member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Bossier Parish, obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in upper elementary education from Northwestern.
• Robert DeBlieux (1933–2010), was an historical preservationist who developed the Natchitoches Historic District and served as mayor from 1976–1980
• Virginia deGravelles, Louisiana Republican national committeewoman from 1964–1968, began her studies at Northwestern in 1931 but graduated from Louisiana State University.
• Joe Delaney, NFL running back for the Kansas City Chiefs and 1981 Rookie of the Year, who died in 1983 attempting to rescue three children from drowning.
• Historian Henry C. Dethloff, author of more than two dozen books on American business, the space program, agriculture, petroleum drilling, and the history of Texas A&M University obtained his Master of Arts degree from Northwestern in 1960.
• Former Louisiana Lieutenant Governor and Education Superintendent William J. "Bill" Dodd graduated from then Louisiana Normal in 1934, the year that A.A. Fredericks became the president.
• Everett Doerge (1935–1998) and his wife, Jean McGlothlin Doerge, graduated from NSU. Each has served as a state representative from Webster Parish and were formerly on the faculty of Minden High School.
• James R. Fannin, a Louisiana state representative from Jackson, Bienville, Ouachita, and Winn parishes, began his studies at NSU in agriculture education but graduated in that same field from Louisiana Tech University.
• Dan Flores, a Natchitoches native and an historian of the American West, received his Master of Arts degree from NSU prior to 1980.
• Paul Lee Foshee, Sr., retired crop duster who served in both houses of the Louisiana legislature, the House from 1960–1964 and the state Senate from 1972–1976
• John B. Fournet, the Speaker of the Louisiana House during the Huey Pierce Long, Jr., impeachment case of 1929 and later lieutenant governor and associate and Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, received his teaching degree from Northwestern in 1915.
• Another Northwestern alumnus is former Elections Commissioner and convicted felon Jerry Marston Fowler, a Coushatta native.
• A.A. Fredericks, former NSU president and a state senator, procured his teaching credentials from NSU in 1912. The A.A. Fredericks Auditorium is named in his honor.
• NSU alumnus Dennis Freeman (1940–2007) served as mayor of nearby Logansport from 1984 until his death. He was credit with securing a new bridge over the Sabine River to connect Louisiana and Texas
• T. H. Harris, the Louisiana state education superintendent from 1908–1940, studied at NSU but received his bachelor's degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge.
• Former State Senator Donald G. Kelly is an NSU alumnus. He then procured his law degree from LSU.
• Bobby Hebert, Current New Orleans radio personality and former NFL Quarterback for the New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons.
• Still another political figure who graduated from NSU is State Senator Gerald Long, a Republican member of the Long political dynasty.
• U.S. Representative and State Senator Speedy O. Long (1928–2006) graduated with his bachelors degree in history from NSU in 1951. He later procured his law degree from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Mr. Long was inducted posthumously into Northwestern State University's "Long Purple Line" on October 24, 2008. Northwestern State University established The Long Purple Line in 1990 to provide recognition and appreciation to former N.S.U. students whose career accomplishments or service to their fellow man have enhanced the reputation of the university.
• Garnie W. McGinty, Louisiana historian graduated from NSU and served as NSU president on a one-year interim basis. Most of his career was at Louisiana Tech University.
• Louisiana State Senator Joe McPherson, who has represents Rapides Parish from 1984–1996 and again since 2000, graduated from NSU.
• Harry Middleton, famed outdoor writer.
• Newt V. Mills, U.S. representative from Louisiana's 5th congressional district from 1937 to 1943, studied professional education at NSU and taught in Morehouse Parish from 1921 to 1932.
• Randy Moffett, president of the University of Louisiana System (ULS) and formerly president of Southeastern Louisiana University received his master's degree from Northwestern State University of Louisiana.
• Sammy Joe Odom (1941–2001), a football star at NSU in 1962 and 1963, later played with the Houston Oilers. At the time of his death, he was the administrator of the De Soto Parish Police Jury. He was among the 100 Top Football Players at NSU, as announced in July 2007 as part of the centennial celebration of the football team.
• Ed Orgeron played football at Northwestern State University after transferring from Louisiana State University in 1978. He later went on to be on coaching staffs at Northwestern State University, McNeese State University, University of Arkansas, University of Miami, Nicholls State University, Syracuse University, The University of Southern California, The University of Mississippi, and the New Orleans Saints. As of 2009 he is the Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Line Coach for the Tennessee Volunteers and also serves as the recruiting co-ordinator.
• Morgan D. Peoples, the Louisiana historian who co-authored with Michal Kurtz a definitive study of Governor Earl Kemp Long, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from NSU, and later taught for twenty years at Louisiana Tech University.
• Joe R. Salter, former Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Sabine Parish and current lobbyist for the state Department of Education, graduated from NSU in 1965 and later procured a master's degree from the institution.
• Joe Sampite (1931-2012) graduated in 1959 with a bachelor's degree in business education. He was the mayor of Natchitoches from 1980 to 2000.
• W. Ray Scott, another NSU graduate, served as mayor of Natchitoches from 1960–1976 and worked to procure university status and expanded facilities for the institution.
• Eddy Shell (1937–2008) was a founding faculty member of Bossier Parish Community College and served on the Bossier Parish Police Jury from 1992 until his death of cancer. He pursued graduate studies at Northwestern.
• Jane H. Smith is the first woman to have served as a principal, school superintendent, and a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from Bossier Parish. A Sabine Parish native, she received bachelor's and master's degrees in education from NSU.
• Kenneth Michael "Mike" Smith, a former state senator (1996–2008) graduated from NSU in agribusiness in 1970. He is co-owner of P.K. Smith Motors in Winnfield.
• Victor T. "Vic" Stelly (born 1941), former Republican state representative from Calcasieu Parish and author of the Stelly Plan, received his Bachelor of Science in education from NSU in 1962.
• Thomas Taylor Townsend, state representative from Natchitoches Parish from 2000–2008, received a Bachelor of Science degree from NSU.
• William Stewart Walker was a United States Army officer during World War II and a Republican candidate for the United States House of Representatives in 1964. He also taught military science at Northwestern during the early 1960s.
• Darryl Willis (1991), BP vice president in charge of claims in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill who is featured in many BP commercials.
• Ernest Wooton (born 1941), a state representative from Belle Chasse and an Independent candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2010, attended NSU.
• Jim Hawthorne, Director of broadcasting for LSU athletics and "voice" of LSU Tigers football, basketball, and baseball.
• Successful athletic alumni are Terrence McGee, David Pittman, Craig Nall, Gary Reasons, Kenta Bell, Bobby Hebert, Brian Lawrence and Dennis Duncan.