Notable Alumni of Earlham College: Leaders, Achievers, and Changemakers
Earlham College, founded in 1847 by the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) in Richmond, Indiana, has a long-standing tradition of fostering graduates who make significant impacts in their respective fields and in the broader world. Rooted in Quaker values such as integrity, peace, social justice, and community engagement, Earlham provides a unique educational environment that empowers its students to become leaders, innovators, and agents of change. This article highlights some of the college's notable alumni, showcasing their diverse accomplishments and contributions across a wide array of disciplines.
Arts and Culture
Earlham College has produced a number of influential figures in the arts and culture, from award-winning actors to groundbreaking artists.
Simone Leigh: Redefining Black Female Representation in Art
Simone Leigh, a 1990 graduate of Earlham, has risen to prominence as a visual artist whose work explores and celebrates the Black female experience. Leigh creates objects and environments that question and reclaim stereotypes associated with Black women and celebrate Black life. In March 2022, The New Yorker published a story documenting Simone’s rise to fame and her introduction to working with clay on Earlham’s campus. “Earlham really saved me,” Leigh told The New Yorker. “Quakers believe that God is in everyone, and they respect people so much. In 2022, Leigh achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first Black woman to represent the United States at the Venice Biennale, one of the world's most prestigious cultural exhibitions. Her journey included Earlham College, where she studied fine art and philosophy and was influenced by the College’s Quaker beliefs.
Michael C. Hall: Acclaimed Actor of Stage and Screen
Michael C. Hall is an American actor and musician known for his roles in the Showtime series Dexter and the HBO drama series Six Feet Under. He won a Golden Globe Award for Dexter, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and received six Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Hall reprised his role of Dexter Morgan in the miniseries Dexter: New Blood and Dexter: Original Sin.
Mat Johnson: Award-Winning Writer
Mat Johnson, a 1993 graduate with majors in English and African American Studies, is an award-winning American writer and holds an endowed chair at the University of Oregon. After graduating from Earlham, Johnson received a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship to study the African-American diaspora in Europe and Africa while living in London.
Read also: Earlham Scholarships and Aid
Science and Technology
Earlham's commitment to research and innovation has led to notable alumni in science and technology, including Nobel laureates and pioneers in computing.
Harold Urey: Nobel Laureate in Chemistry
Harold Clayton Urey was an American physical chemist whose work on isotopes earned him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1934 for the discovery of deuterium. He also contributed to the development of the atom bomb and theories on the development of organic life from non-living matter.
Wendell Meredith Stanley: Nobel Laureate in Biochemistry and Virology
Wendell Meredith Stanley graduated with a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Earlham College and was an American biochemist, virologist, and Nobel laureate.
Margaret Hamilton: Pioneer in Computer Science
Margaret Elaine Hamilton is an American computer scientist who was director of the Software Engineering Division of the MIT Instrumentation Laboratory, which developed on-board flight software for NASA's Apollo program. She later founded two software companies.
Larry E. Overman: Distinguished Professor of Chemistry
Larry E. Overman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Earlham College and is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at the University of California, Irvine. He is a member of the United States National Academy of Sciences and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Read also: Earlham's Athletic Programs
Eva Feldman: Physician-Scientist in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Eva Lucille Feldman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Earlham College and is an American physician-scientist known for her work in neurodegenerative diseases. She serves as the James W. Albers Distinguished University Professor of Neurology at the University of Michigan.
Social Justice and Activism
Reflecting its Quaker values, Earlham College has a strong tradition of producing alumni who are committed to social justice and activism.
Alice Wong: Advocate for People Living with Disabilities
Alice Wong is a disabled activist, media maker, and consultant, the host, writer, and co-audio producer for the Disability Visibility podcast, and an important advocate and voice for people living with disabilities. Calling herself a “Disabled Oracle,” she has helped to create numerous platforms for people with disabilities to share the fullness of their experiences and to advocate for better public policies and public access.
Michael Merryman-Lotze: Champion of Human Rights
Michael Merryman-Lotze discovered his passion for human rights advocacy during his time at Earlham. Since his graduation, Merryman-Lotze has become a champion of Palestinian and other human rights, working to end conflict and violence. Today, he is the Middle East program director at the American Friends Service Committee.
Sunghee Tark: Eradicating the Gender Gap in Farming Communities
Sunghee Tark has a history volunteerism and a recognized passion for social justice. Out of that passion for justice, Tark co-founded Bean Voyage, a provider of training and market access to women coffee farmers. With Tark as the CEO, Bean Voyage aims to eradicate the gender gap in farming communities.
Read also: Degrees Offered at Earlham
Lauren North: Advocate for Service and Justice
Lauren North has pursued a life dedicated to service and justice. She went on to receive a master’s degree in gender studies from the London School of Economics and a J.D. from the University of Louisville. Throughout 2020, she served as a lead legal observer coordinator for the National Lawyers Guild of Kentucky during the racial justice protests following the murder of Breonna Taylor in her home city. Over the last year, North has worked tirelessly on a voting rights campaign in Georgia as part of a year-long post-grad fellowship.
Amanda Mills Wilcox: Agent of Change
Amanda Mills Wilcox has lived a life guided by Quaker values to become an effective agent of change. In the wake of their loss, Wilcox and her husband began to work toward reducing violence in society, advocating for passage of Laura’s Law, and being instrumental in the enactment of significant state firearms laws. Amanda is the founder and president of a local chapter of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Frances Moore Lappé: Researcher and Author in Food and Democracy Policy
Frances Moore Lappé is an American researcher and author in the field of food and democracy policy. She is the author of Diet for a Small Planet, which the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History describes as "one of the most influential political tracts of the times."
Public Service and Leadership
Earlham College alumni have also distinguished themselves in public service and leadership roles, contributing to their communities and beyond.
Andrew Ginther: Mayor of Columbus, Ohio
Andrew James Ginther is an American Democratic politician, the 53rd mayor of Columbus, Ohio. He previously served as President of Columbus City Council.
Joseph M. Dixon: Governor of Montana
Joseph Moore Dixon was an American Republican politician from Montana. He served as a Representative, Senator, and the seventh Governor of Montana.
Frederick Van Nuys: United States Senator from Indiana
Frederick Van Nuys was a United States senator from Indiana. He graduated from Earlham College in 1898 and from Indiana Law School in 1900.
David B. Shear: Diplomat
David Bruce Shear is an American diplomat who served as the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs and as United States Ambassador to Vietnam.
Peter V. Johnson: Advocate for Educational Opportunity
Peter V. Johnson devoted his life to the field of college admissions and the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to pursue a quality education. Beginning his career at Earlham as a part of the Upward Bound program, Johnson went on to work for 10 years in residential life and admissions at Hampshire College.
Avis Stewart: Dedicated Service to Earlham
Avis Stewart stands apart for his record of service to Earlham. His 39-year career at the College him in numerous departments and touched thousands of lives. Most recently, he was appointed interim president.
Anne Mathews-Younes: Director in the Federal Department of Health and Human Services
Anne Mathews-Younes is director of the Division of Prevention, Traumatic Stress and Special Programs for the Center for Mental Health Services in the Federal Department of Health and Human Services and president of the E. Stanley Jones Foundation.
Other Notable Alumni
In addition to the alumni highlighted above, Earlham College has produced notable individuals in a variety of other fields, including:
- Roberta Anderson Ballard M.D. and Phil Ballard M.D. Ph.D.: Collaborated in leading Neonatal programs.
- Margaret participated in the founding of the August Wilderness program. In 2000, Margaret left Earlham to lead Richmond’s Conflict Resolution Center. This connected her with the Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP), which she still facilitates in communities, prisons and schools. Margaret has continued to play a pivotal role working with wilderness alumni and faculty leaders leading up to the program’s 50th anniversary in 2021.
- Daniel graduated from Earlham in 2001. PATRIOT Act, worked to build more affordable housing in Philadelphia, and fought for public sector employees with the Canadian Union of Postal Workers.
- Randall and Alice met at Earlham as students. Both Quakers and history majors with an interest in teaching, they graduated from Earlham in 1968. history, helped found Earlham’s Master of Arts in Teaching program. Through their long and dedicated service to Earlham, Randall and Alice both directed fellowships and mentored many history majors.
- Charles “Chuck” Meyer ’69 used his intellectual gifts to help people. Ordained as an Episcopal priest, he became a medical ethicist, working on end-of-life care and related issues, and eventually becoming a hospital administrator.
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