Notable Alumni of Tennessee State University

Tennessee State University graduates become local, regional, national, and international leaders:

Valerie Love, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, North America for the Coca-Cola Company she also serves as the Chair of the TSU Foundation Board, a Board Trustee at Clark Atlanta University, a member of the Board of Directors at Kimball International and on the NASCAR Diversity Council.

State Representative Harold M. Love, Jr., Member of the Tennessee House of Representatives, 58th District; Pastor of Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church.

Obie L. McKenzie, retired managing director at BlackRock in the Account Management Group, one of the largest publicly traded investment firms in the United States. He ranks among the Top 10 African-Americans on Wall Street.

Dr. Edith Peterson Mitchell, former President of the National Medical Association and Clinical Professor of Medicine and Medical Oncology at Jefferson Medical College of Thomas Jefferson University.

Lloyd W. “Fig” Newton, 4-star general, retired as highest ranking African-American in the Air Force.

Amos Otis, Retired U.S. Air Force Officer, Founder, President and Chairman of the Board for SoBran, Incorporated and Former TSU Foundation Board Chairman.

Clarice Phelps, an American nuclear chemist who was the first Black woman to help discover a new element in the periodic table-Tennessine (Ts).

Dominique Rogers-Cromartie An American professional football cornerback who was the first round draft pick for the Arizona Cardinals, played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 years and selected twice to play in the Pro Bowl in the years 2009 and 2015.

Jesse Russell, an American inventor, a pioneer in the field of cellular and wireless communications. In 1988, he led the first team from Bell Laboratories to introduce digital cellular technology in the United States.

Dr. Catana Starks, former faculty member and department chair, was the first female head coach of an NCAA Division I men’s golf team, and coached the team to the National Minority Golf Championship in 2005. Starks story has been captured and shared with the world in the feature film, From the Rough.

Coach Ed Temple was the Head Women’s Track and Field Coach from 1950 to 1994 at Tennessee State University. Under his coaching the legendary Tigerbelles won 23 Olympic medals. In all he led more than 40 athletes to the Olympics and his athletes also accumulated more than 30 national titles.

Carla Venita Thomas, an American singer, who is often referred to as the ‘Queen of Memphis Soul.’

Dr. Maria Thompson, former president, Coppin State University, Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Levi Watkins, Jr., M.D., obtained worldwide recognition for implanting the first defibrillator for the heart; former associate dean and cardiac surgeon at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

A.C. Wharton, former mayor of Memphis, Tennessee, and former mayor of Shelby County (TN) – first AfricanAmerican to serve.

Kevin Williams, immediate past president and managing director of General Motors Canadian operations; a TSU Foundation Board of Trustees member.

Oprah Winfrey, owner of Oprah Winfrey Network, Talk Show Host, Television Producer, Philanthropist, and Actress.

Brenda Wynn, Davidson County Clerk, first AfricanAmerican female to win an election to a constitutional office in the county.