Notable Alumni
Kent State counts 196,000 alumni as of 2010. It has produced a number of individuals in the entertainment industry including comedian and current Price is Right host Drew Carey, comedian and talk show host Arsenio Hall, actors John de Lancie, Michael Keaton, and Ray Wise, actresses Alaina Reed Hall and Alice Ripley, Phenomenon star Angela Funovits, boxing promoter Don King, 30 Rock producer Jeff Richmond, and That 70s Show creator Bonnie Turner. Musicians from Kent State include several members of the band Devo, which was formed at Kent State in 1973, including Mark Mothersbaugh, Bob Lewis, and Gerald Casale. Additional musicians include singers Chrissie Hynde, Jeff Timmons of 98 Degrees, and Debra Byrd of American Idol, guitarist Joe Walsh, and drummer Chris Vrenna.
In politics and government, several politicians in Ohio attended Kent State including former judge and United States Representative Robert E. Cook, former minority leader C.J. Prentiss, current United State House of Representatives member Betty Sutton, former representative and Lieutenant Governor Nancy Hollister, and Supreme Court of Ohio justice Terrence O'Donnell. Other politicians include Allen Buckley of Georgia, Pennsylvania state representative Allen Kukovich, and George Petak of Wisconsin. Politician activists from Kent State include anti-war activist Alan Canfora and former Students for a Democratic Society leaders Ken Hammond and Carl Oglesby.
Literary and journalism alumni include Funky Winkerbean and Crankshaft writer Tom Batiuk, Captain Underpants author Dav Pilkey, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Connie Schultz, and Pulitzer Prize nominated columnist Regina Brett. Television journalism alumni include CNN anchor Carol Costello, Cleveland anchors Wayne Dawson and Catherine Bosley, and ESPN Dream Job winner Dave Holmes.
A number of professional athletes are Kent State alumni including current WWE superstar Dolph Ziggler, National Football League players Joshua Cribbs, James Harrison, Antonio Gates, and Usama Young. Former NFL players include Don Nottingham, Pro Football Hall of Fame member Jack Lambert along with Canadian Football League standouts Jay McNeil, Tony Martino, and Canadian Football Hall of Fame and former Kent State football head coach Jim Corrigall. College football coaches Nick Saban of the University of Alabama, Gary Pinkel of the University of Missouri, and former coach and current ESPN analyst Lou Holtz are also Kent State alumni.
Major League Baseball players to come from Kent State include current players Emmanuel Burriss, Matt Guerrier, Andy Sonnanstine and Dirk Hayhurst. Past MLB players include Gene Michael, Rich Rollins, Dustin Hermanson, Cy Young Award winner Steve Stone, and Rookie of the Year, and Most Valuable Player winner Thurman Munson. Additional athletic alumni include Canadian professional golfers Jon Mills and Ryan Yip as well as American and 2003 British Open champion Ben Curtis, and Olympians Betty-Jean Maycock in gymnastics and Gerald Tinker in track and field.
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“a notable prince that was called King John;
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—Unknown. King John and the Abbot of Canterbury (l. 2–4)