Lawrence alumni—20,000 strong and counting— shine their light brightly in the world every day.

They work at tech giants like Apple or LinkedIn or explore the arts at the Field Museum of Natural History or the Fox Valley Symphony. They are Hall of Famers, Nobel Prize winners, and Fulbright, Rhodes, and Goldwater scholars, as well as teachers, doctors, and entrepreneurs.

Our Shining Lights

Here is a sampling of Lawrentians—some recent grads, some many years removed from their time on campus—who represent our shining lights. This list could go on for many pages, but we wanted to highlight 20 who represent (or represented) the brilliance we see from our alumni every day.


 

Lisle Blackbourn ’25

Lisle Blackbourn ’25

Alumni

The former Lawrence College football player would become the third coach in the history of the Green Bay Packers. His tenure lasted from 1954 to 1957. While his teams did not put up impressive records, he was instrumental in drafting players who would go on to establish the Packers as a dynasty in the 1960s, among them Forrest Gregg, Bart Starr, Paul Hornung, and Ray Nitschke. He later returned to the Packers as a scout. He died in 1983.

J. Thomas Hurvis ’60

J. Thomas Hurvis ’60

Alumni

The founder and chair of Old World Industries, president of Caerus Foundation, Inc., and founder of Three Lakes Foundation, has been a generous philanthropist for decades and has long advocated for education initiatives. Hurvis was a member of the Lawrence Board of Trustees from 1990-2002 and was elected trustee emeritus in 2003. He has served Lawrence as a class agent and More Light! campaign event volunteer as well as a member of the steering and gift committees for his 40th reunion. He has generously supported numerous Lawrence projects and initiatives over the years, among them the Warch Campus Center, Hurvis Crossing land bridge, the Lawrence Fellows Program, the Posse Program and conservatory ensemble tours.

Hurvis has received numerous awards including the Gertrude B. Jupp Outstanding Service Award, and the BUILDer for Life award.

Janet Steiger ’61

Janet Steiger ’61

Alumni

She served prominent roles in the federal government during the 1980s and ’90s. She was named to the Postal Rate Commission in 1980 by President Jimmy Carter and served as its chair from 1981 to 1989. She was then named chair of the Federal Trade Commission in 1989 by President George H.W. Bush, serving until 1995. She died in 2004. Photo credit: Kris Peterson

Thomas A. Steitz ’62

Thomas A. Steitz ’62

Alumni

He was one of the giants of biochemistry. His research on the structure of ribosomes earned him the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. The Thomas A. Steitz Hall of Science on the Lawrence campus was named in his honor in 2010. He died in 2018.

Liz Cole ’63 profile

Liz Cole ’63

Alumni

A professional actor whose career has been primarily on regional stages with forays into such TV shows as Seinfeld, ER, Star Trek, and Judging Amy. She originated the leading role in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play WIT and tours with her solo version, The Wisdom of WIT. Liz also performs and lectures in healthcare venues on topics related to the humanities in medicine.

Lee Chemel ’65

Lee Chemel ’65

Alumni

A longtime television director and producer in Los Angeles, she worked on such iconic shows as Family Ties, Murphy Brown, Northern Exposure, Spin City, Arrested Development, The Bernie Mac Show, Gilmore Girls, and The Middle. She’s been nominated for an Emmy Award four times and was nominated for two and won the 2002 OFTA for Best Direction in a Comedy Series for her work on Gilmore Girls.

Alanna Heiss ’65

Alanna Heiss ’65

Alumni

Heiss, pioneered the alternative space movement utilizing abandoned NYC buildings for art exhibitions. She Founded and Directed, Clocktower Productions, a nonprofit arts organization and online radio station; The Institute for Art and Urban Resources, Inc., and P.S.1 and its successor, MoMA PS1. Heiss curated 700+ exhibitions, and was featured in the film !Women Art Revolution. Awards and recognitions include the NYC Mayor's Award for Artistic Viability, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, Order of the Polar Star, the Skowhegan Award, Women of Distinction Award, and the CCS Bard Award. Honorary Doctorates include Fine Arts from San Francisco Art Institute in 2001 and Humane Letters from Lawrence University in 2008.

Tony Valukas ’65 profile

Tony Valukas ’65

Alumni

Anton Valukas, a litigator and senior partner at Jenner & Block, focuses on major civil and white-collar criminal litigation nationwide. With a background as a former United States Attorney and Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, Valukas led significant investigations, including the General Motors ignition switch recall and Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. Recognized by Chambers USA and named "Person of the Year" by Chicago Lawyer, he's a renowned litigator and influential legal figure.

Dale Duesing ’67

Dale Duesing ’67

Alumni

An icon of the opera world, Duesing has been an in-demand baritone for five decades. He’s performed on the world’s biggest stages and took home a Grammy Award in 1993.

Bruce Iglauer ’69

Bruce Iglauer ’69

Alumni

The music buff turned his love of the blues into Alligator Records, a Chicago-based record label that marked its 50th year in 2021. He is a legend in the world of the blues, recording and supporting such artists as Albert Collins, Marcia Ball, Robert Cray, Koko Taylor, Shemekia Copeland, and Charlie Musselwhite, among others.

Bill Baer ’72 profile

Bill Baer ’72

Alumni

A current member of the Board of Trustees and Secretary of the Board at Lawrence University, he is the former Acting Associate Attorney General with the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), a position he held from 2016-2017. In this role (the third highest ranked position within the DOJ), Bill supervised the department’s Antitrust, Civil, Civil Rights, Tax, and Environment and Natural Resources Divisions. Previously, from 2013-2016, Bill served as the Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division with the DOJ after being nominated by President Obama in 2012. He was a longtime partner with the law firm of Arnold & Porter and currently serves as a Visiting Fellow with the Brookings Institution.  Notably, the National Law Journal named Bill as one of “the decade’s most influential lawyers” in 2010. In 2006 and 2007, Bill was named the “leading competition lawyer in the world” by the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. 

Duffie Adelson ’73 profile

Duffie Adelson ’73

Alumni

The retired long-time president of the Merit School of Music in Chicago. Duffie was a transformational leader with Merit.  She helped grow the school’s student body to 5,000 annually, increased the organization’s budget from six figures to over $5M, and oversaw a $20M campaign which resulted in Merit purchasing a building in Chicago’s West Loop. Her board experience includes chair of the National Guild for Community Arts Education, Life Trustee with the Merit School of Music, and member of the board of directors of many music organizations.  Duffie is a former LUAA Director and currently serves on the Conservatory Innovation Collective.  In 2007, she received the Walter Service to Society Award at Lawrence. She was a music education major at Lawrence and earned a master’s degree in music at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.

Louis B. Butler Jr. ’73 profile pic

Louis B. Butler Jr. ’73

Alumni

He is a former justice of the Wisconsin Supreme Court, having served from 2004 to 2008. He is the first African American to serve on the state’s Supreme Court.

Kathleen Krull ’74 profile

Kathleen Krull ’74

Alumni

Krull was an award-winning children's book author and editor, whose published works include the Trixie Belden, Lives of..., Women Who Broke the Rules, Giants of Science, and What Was series, among others.

Scott Klug ’75 profile

Scott Klug ’75

Alumni

Klug is a lobbyist, author, and businessperson, as well as a former representative to the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin (2nd congressional district, 1991-1999), and Emmy-award winning television reporter. 

Did You Know?

Four Lawrence alumni have been appointed U.S. ambassadors by presidents:

  • Walter North ’72 was U.S. Ambassador to Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and the Republic of Vanuatu from 2012 to 2016.
  • Christopher Murray ’75 was the U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of the Congo from 2010 to 2013;.
  • David Mulford ’59 served as U.S. Ambassador to India from 2004 to 2009.
  • Shaun Donnelly ’68 was U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka from 1997 to 2000. 
Liz Brunner ’81 profile

Liz Brunner ’81

Alumni

Liz Brunner, CEO of Brunner Communications, is a former journalist and acclaimed television news anchor, and an award-winning best-selling author of Dare to Own You: Taking Your Authenticity and Dreams into Your Next Chapter. Brunner also hosts the podcast Live Your Best Life with Liz Brunner, garnering multiple awards for its insightful content.

Terry Moran ’82

Terry Moran ’82

Alumni

The longtime television journalist for ABC News currently serves as a senior national correspondent for the network. He has worked as a chief foreign correspondent and chief White House correspondent and previously co-anchored ABC’s Nightline news program.

Campbell Scott ’83

Campbell Scott ’83

Alumni

The actor and director has had a long and impressive Hollywood career, starring in such films as SinglesThe Amazing Spider-ManLongtime CompanionRoger Dodger, and Secret Lives of Dentists. He also had a number of recurring roles in television, including House of Cards. He’s directed Big NightOff the Map, and Company Retreat. His father was the legendary actor George C. Scott, and his mother was the legendary actress Colleen Dewhurst, a Milwaukee-Downer alumna and former Lawrence trustee.

Glen Johnson ’85

Glen Johnson ’85

Alumni

The longtime journalist—he reported for the Boston Globe and Associated Press, covering five presidential elections—flew around the world (and then some) after becoming the senior communications officer for Secretary of State John Kerry, who had been appointed by President Barack Obama. He served from 2013 to 2017, accompanying Kerry as he traveled the globe. Johnson would document the journey in a 2019 book, Window Seat on the World.

Barbara Lawton ’87

Barbara Lawton ’87

Alumni

A successful businesswoman and politician, she would serve as Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor from 2003 to 2011. She co-founded Issue One, a nonprofit focused on reducing the influence of well-financed special interests in politics, and served as president and CEO of Americans for Campaign Reform.

Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala ’89

Bajabulile Swazi Tshabalala ’89

Alumni

The senior vice president of finance and CFO for African Development Bank Group in South Africa, she was recently listed as one of the 100 most influential African women in 2020 by Avance Media.

Jennifer Baumgardner ’92 profile

Jennifer Baumgardner ’92

Alumni

The author, lecturer, and filmmaker has been hailed as one of the nation’s most prominent voices on feminism. She’s written for and/or edited Ms. magazine, Harper’s, The Nation, Real Simple, Glamour, Elle, and National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. She’s authored or co-authored a number of books on feminism and bisexuality and produced the films I Had an Abortion and It was Rape.

Shelley Davis ’92 profile

Shelley Davis ’92

Alumni

Shelley Davis is the former CEO and president of The Coleman Foundation, a Chicago-based organization, which invests about $8 million a year in programs that advance personal empowerment and well-being for residents of the Chicago metro area.

Cory Nettles ’92 profile

Cory Nettles ’92

Alumni

The Founder and Managing Director of Generation Growth Capital, Inc., a private equity fund focused on buyouts and providing growth capital to small businesses and lower-middle market companies in the upper Midwest. Cory is also Of Counsel at Quarles & Brady LLP in the Corporate Services and Government Relations groups. He recently served as Secretary for the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, where he was the “point man” on business and economic development. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Madison Law School in 1996, and currently serves as a board member for many foundations including Weyco Group, Inc., Robert W. Baird’s Baird Funds, Inc., the United Way of Greater Milwaukee, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee, Partners Advancing Values in Education, Teach For America, the Medical College of Wisconsin, the Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the University of Wisconsin Foundation, Usher’s New Look Foundation, and Associated Bank—among others. He also served as a Senior Advisor to Baird Private Equity and on the boards of Lawrence University and The Private Bank-Wisconsin.

Josh Sawyer ’98 profile

Josh Sawyer ’98

Alumni

A video game designer and currently serves as design director with Obsidian Entertainment, Inc. Based in Irvine, CA, the company specializes in role-playing video games. Notably, Josh was the lead designer for Fallout: New Vegas. He returned to campus in 2012 as a participant in the Lawrence Scholars in Arts & Entertainment summit and has been featured in Lawrence Magazine. Josh directed the game Pentiment, which has won several awards including a Peabody Award - Immersive & Interactive, and Best Narrative at the GDC Awards in 2023.

Marjorie Liu ’00

Marjorie Liu ’00

Alumni

A New York Times-bestselling author, she writes comics for Marvel and has been honored many times over for her Monstress comics series from Image Comics. Her Marvel comics have included X-23Black WidowHan SoloDark Wolverine, and Astonishing X-Men. The Monstress series has earned her multiple Hugo Awards, British Fantasy Awards, the Harvey Award, and five Eisner Awards. She also teaches comic book writing at MIT.

Heidi Stober ’00

Heidi Stober ’00

Alumni

A gifted lyric soprano, she has earned worldwide praise, performing on the biggest opera stages in the world. A longtime resident of Germany, she continues to deliver stunning performances on both sides of the Atlantic.

Pawo Choyning Dorji ’06

Pawo Choyning Dorji ’06

Alumni

Acclaimed Bhutanese filmmaker, and 2022 Academy Award nominee, he receiving an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Lawrence in 2024. Dorji’s debut film, Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom, drew international acclaim, earning major awards at film festivals and receiving a 2022 Oscar nomination in the Best International Feature Film category. Dorji followed that with the release in 2023 of The Monk and the Gun, a satire also filmed in Bhutan. It won awards at multiple film festivals and was shortlisted for a 2024 Oscar. Variety magazine selected it as the fifth best film of 2023 in its annual best films of the year feature.

Madhuri Vijay ’09

Madhuri Vijay ’09

Alumni

A native of India, she set her 2019 debut novel, The Far Field, in Bangalore, a metropolitan area in southern India where she grew up, and the more remote, mountainous regions of Kashmir. The novel was immediately lauded by critics, earning stellar praise from major publications, being long-listed for the Carnegie medal in fiction, and short-listed for the JCB Prize for Literature, among other honors.

Derrell Acon ’10 profile

Derrell Acon ’10

Alumni

The arts leader, performer, and activist played a starring role in Long Beach Opera’s debut of The Central Park Five, a jazz-infused opera that gained national attention and would go on to win a 2020 Pulitzer Prize. The former Fulbright recipient is the associate artistic director for the opera and also serves as associate director and creative producer of Heartbeat Opera. He is the co-founder of Black Opera Alliance.