Jacksonville State University: A Legacy Forged Through Notable Alumni
Jacksonville State University (JSU), an institution accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), has a rich history of producing graduates who have made significant contributions across various fields. From arts and athletics to politics and public service, JSU alumni have left an indelible mark on the world. This article highlights the accomplishments of some of the university's most notable alumni.
Arts and Entertainment
JSU has fostered the talents of several individuals who have achieved prominence in the world of arts and entertainment.
Randy Owen: Perhaps one of the most recognizable names associated with JSU, Randy Owen is the lead singer of the legendary country rock band Alabama. The band achieved phenomenal mainstream success throughout the 1980s and 1990s, becoming the most successful in country music history. Alabama boasts over 20 gold and platinum records, numerous number 1 singles, and over 75 million records sold. Owen has also pursued a solo career, releasing his debut album, One on One, in 2008 and charting two singles from it.
Jamey Johnson: A country music artist and recipient of multiple Academy of Country Music (ACM) and Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, Jamey Johnson has made a significant impact on the contemporary country music scene.
Riley Green: Another rising star in country music, Riley Green, gained attention with his song "Single Ladies," which led to a record deal with Big Machine Records.
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Rick Burgess and Bill "Bubba" Bussey: These radio personalities, known for the "Rick & Bubba Show," have entertained audiences with their unique blend of humor and commentary.
R.D. Alba: Also known as José Simplicio Yap Alba III, is a film and television director from the Philippines.
Suzanne Francis: An English science fiction and fantasy author, originally from King's Lynn, Norfolk, now residing in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Athletics
Jacksonville State University has a proud athletic tradition, with alumni achieving success in various sports. JSU is the only school in the nation to lay claim to NCAA national titles in football, men's basketball and baseball at the Division I or Division II levels.
Danny Willett: A professional golfer who plays on the European Tour, Danny Willett achieved international recognition when he won the 2016 Masters Tournament. He was only the second Englishman to accomplish this feat and the first European in 17 years to win at Augusta National.
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Eric Davis: A former professional football player, Eric Davis played cornerback for 13 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the second round of the 1990 NFL draft and played in NFL seasons from 1990 to 2002.
Matt Wallace: Matthew Wallace is an English professional golfer who plays on the European Tour and the PGA Tour.
John Rheinecker: A former professional baseball pitcher, John Rheinecker played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers.
Norbertas Giga: A Lithuanian professional basketball player currently playing for the Prawira Bandung of the Indonesian Basketball League (IBL). He played college basketball for Jacksonville State University and graduated in 2018.
Walker Russell, Jr.: A former professional basketball point guard, Walker Russell Jr. played college basketball for Chipola College and Jacksonville State University.
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Donovan Hand: A former professional baseball pitcher, Donovan Jay Hand played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Milwaukee Brewers and Cincinnati Reds and in the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) for the Brother Elephants.
Torrey Davis: An American former football defensive tackle. He played for the Calgary Stampeders, Hamilton Tiger-Cats and Edmonton Eskimos of the Canadian Football League (CFL). He played college football of the Florida Gators football team for the University of Florida and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks football team of the Jacksonville State University.
Monte Lewis: A former American football defensive lineman. He played college football at Jacksonville State University and attended Abbeville High School in Abbeville, Alabama. He has also been a member of the Washington Redskins, Hamilton Tiger-Cats, Ottawa Redblacks, San Jose SaberCats, Orlando Predators and Tampa Bay Storm.
Politics and Public Service
JSU alumni have also made significant contributions to the political landscape and public service.
Mike Rogers: Serving as the U.S. Representative for Alabama's 3rd congressional district since 2003, Mike Rogers is a member of the Republican Party. He is the Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
James Elisha Folsom, Jr.: An American politician, James Elisha 'Jim' Folsom Jr. served as the 50th governor of Alabama from April 22, 1993, to January 16, 1995. He also served as the Lieutenant Governor of Alabama on two occasions and is a member of the Democratic Party.
Harlan Mathews: An American politician, Harlan Mathews was an appointed interim Democratic United States Senator from Tennessee from 1993 to 1994. He previously served in the executive and legislative branches of state government in Tennessee for more than 40 years beginning in 1950.
Albert Patterson: An American politician and attorney in Phenix City, Alabama. He was assassinated outside his law office shortly after he had won the Democratic nomination for Alabama Attorney General on a platform of reforming the rife corruption and vice in Phenix City.
Sam Jones: An American politician who currently represents District 99 in the Alabama House of Representatives. Jones was the first African-American mayor of Mobile, Alabama, serving from September 2005 until August 2013. He ran on a platform of safety, efficient government, historic preservation and bringing new employers to the city. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
James R. Bennett: An American Republican politician from Alabama. From 1978 to 1983, he served as a member of the Alabama House of Representatives and as a member of the Alabama Senate between 1982 and 1992. He went on to serve as Secretary of State of Alabama, from 1993 to 2003 as a Democrat and later a Republican and from 2013 to 2015 as a Republican.
Virginia Bass Wetherell: An American businesswoman and politician. She was a member of the Florida House of Representatives for the 2nd district between 1982 and 1988, then the first Secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection from 1991-1998.
Ronald Emerson Adams: A retired lieutenant general of the United States Army who served as commander of the Stabilisation Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina from October 1999 to September 2000. He previously served as commanding general of the United States Army Aviation Center from July 1994 to September 1996.
Legal and Judicial Fields
Tomoko Akane: A Japanese jurist and current judge at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for Japan, as well as the president of the court. She graduated with Master of Science in Criminal Justice
Barry Matson: An accomplished Alabama attorney who has served as Executive Director of the Alabama District Attorney’s Association, Alabama Office of Prosecution Services, National Computer Forensic Institute, and the Alabama District Attorneys Foundation.
Other Notable Alumni
Heather Whitestone: An American conservative activist and beauty queen who was the first deaf Miss America title holder, having lost most of her hearing at 18 months.
F. Richard Spencer: An American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Army chaplain, he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services by Pope Benedict XVI on May 22, 2010.
Jeffrey A. Parker: An American businessman and education philanthropist.
Ken Kifer: An American writer, bicyclist and webmaster. Kifer was a Walden scholar and admirer of Henry David Thoreau, and wrote Analysis and Notes on Walden.
Judy Sullivan: An American retired biomedical engineer who worked for NASA during the Apollo 11, Apollo 10, Apollo 9, Apollo 8, and Gemini 12 missions. She was the lead biomedical engineer for the Apollo 9 and Apollo 11 missions. Sullivan was the only woman in her department, and one of only a relative few women working for NASA in a technical role at that time. She was the first woman engineer hired by NASA for spacecraft testing.
James Joyner: A political scientist who runs the weblog Outside the Beltway.
Robert Stacy McCain: An American conservative journalist, writer, and blogger. McCain is a former assistant national editor and reporter for The Washington Times and co-author (with Lynn Vincent) of the 2006 book Donkey Cons: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Democratic Party. He is proprietor of the blog, The Other McCain.
Reynolds Wolf: An American meteorologist and journalist currently employed by The Weather Channel. He formerly worked for CNN, where his forecasts could usually be seen on CNN Saturday Morning, CNN Sunday Morning, and weekend editions of CNN Newsroom. He also served as a weather correspondent and reporter on other CNN programs.
Wenona Jones Switzer: Was the first female in the southeastern United States to become a field agent for the Internal Revenue Service. Mrs. Switzer was named one of the Outstanding Young Women of America and received several superior performance awards from the IRS. After paying her way through college, Mrs. Switzer graduated from Jax State with the highest honors, with a double major in Business and English. In addition to her career accolades, Mrs. Switzer served her community in Huntsville, Alabama, in multiple ways. She was the first female trustee in church history at First Baptist Church Huntsville, serving three terms as Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
Keaton Brooks Glass: A two-time Jax State graduate from Leeds, Alabama. Mr. Glass completed his undergraduate degree in Secondary Education, Mathematics in 2017 and a Master of Business Administration in 2021. As a student, Mr. Glass was heavily involved in campus life and serving Jax State in numerous ways, including becoming a member of Freshman Forum, the JSU Ambassadors, Gamecock Orientation Leader and Coordinator, Kappa Mu Epsilon Mathematics Honor Society, and was named “Intern of the Year” by the Phi Delta Kappa Teacher’s Honor Society. Mr. Glass began his career in higher education in 2018 and currently serves as Director of First and Second Year Experience at Jax State.
Colonel Manuel F. Ramirez: Is the Deputy National Security Agency Senior Representative to United States Central Command. He received a commission as a military officer in 1998 through Jacksonville State University’s ROTC program while earning a master’s degree in biology. As part of the Army’s Branch Detailing program, he initially served as a chemical officer, and in 2002, Col. Ramirez became a military intelligence officer. In 2009, Col. Ramirez was selected by the Army to attend the Air Force School of Advanced Air and Space Studies where he focused on advanced military studies and military strategy. Upon completing the program, he deployed for a year-long combat tour in Iraq as an intelligence planner supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn. In 2011, Col. Ramirez began to work for the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland, and from 2014 to 2016, he acted as a commander of a remote technical site in Alice Springs, Australia. Upon returning to the States, he commanded the 743rd Military Intelligence Battalion, and in 2019, Col.
Jacksonville State University: A Center for Excellence
Jacksonville State University is not only defined by the accomplishments of its alumni but also by its commitment to academic excellence and experiential learning. The university's Longleaf Studios, an Emmy Award-winning unit, provides film and communication students with hands-on learning opportunities. The Houston Cole Library, the state’s tallest academic building, houses a vast collection of resources for students and researchers.
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