Notable ACU ALumni
Graduates of ACU have become best-selling Christian authors, ministers, members of Congress, state judges, big-city mayors, researchers, Hollywood movie producers, teachers and superintendents, top Nashville musicians and music producers, distinguished university professors, business owners, internationally renowned physicians, Pulitzer Prize winners, and winners of Emmy, Telly, Dove, Grammy, Inventor of the Year and Teacher of the Year awards. Notable alumni include:
For nearly 30 years, Max Lucado has been a best-selling Christian author and minister of the Oak Hills Church in San Antonio, Texas. His books have sold more than 100 million copies across 54 languages worldwide.
Kent Brantly, M.D., a family medicine physician working as a medical missionary for Samaritan’s Purse, became the first American to survive the Ebola virus disease in 2014 when he contacted it while serving in Monrovia, Liberia. He was later named Time magazine’s Person of the Year for 2014 and one of three Texans of the Year for 2014 by the Dallas Morning News.
April Anthony is the award-winning CEO of Encompass Health, and the first woman to chair ACU Board of Trustees. The recipient of Ernst & Young’s prestigious 2006 Entrepreneur of the Year award, she has led the company’s long-standing culture, growing it to become an industry leader, the country’s fourth-largest Medicare-approved provider of home healthcare, and a nationally acclaimed best place to work.
In the last six years, seven ACU alumni have served as university presidents or chancellors. Among them, Dr. Jack Scott is a former chancellor of the California Community College System, which serves 2.6 million students in 109 colleges.
Dr. Joe Shirley was twice elected president of the Navajo Nation.
Three ACU alumni have been members of Congress: U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (Houston, Texas), U.S. Rep. Janice Hahn (Los Angeles, California) and the late Sen. Omar Burleson (Texas).
Janice Massey, M.D., is a neurologist who serves on the faculty of Duke University Medical School and is former vice chair of the Board of Directors for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
Tammy Camp, M.D., is president of the Texas Pediatric Society.
David Dean Halbert is an entrepreneur who owns Caris, Ltd., a privately held investment partnership. He previously was co-founder, chair, president and CEO of Advance PCS, a leading pharmacy benefit management service company.
The late Jack Pope was a former chief justice and Jeffrey Boyd is a current justice of the Texas Supreme Court.
Elise Mitchell is CEO and founder of Mitchell PR firm and CEO of Dentsu Aegis PR Network.
The late Dr. Robert Page was dean of American choral music conductors, multiple winner of Grammy awards, and director emeritus of choral activities at the Carnegie Mellon School of Music and Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.
Gen. Paul Selva, now retired from the Air Force, was vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and former commander of the U.S. Transportation Command.
B. David Vanderpool, M.D., is former president of the Texas Medical Association and American Board of Surgeons, and a pioneer in the use of lithotripsy.
The late Orbin V. Melton was president of WED Enterprises and executive of Walt Disney Productions who helped create Disneyland and Disneyworld.