This is a list of notable people associated with Bowling Green State University, located in the American city of Bowling Green, Ohio.

• Fernando Alegría, Chilean poet
• Tony Ardizzone, novelist
• James Baldwin, author, poet (writer in residence)
• Matt Bell, author
• Mary Biddinger, poet
• James Carlos Blake, author
• Philana Marie Boles, author of Glitz, Little Divas, In the Paint, and Blame It on Eve
• Scott Cairns, poet
• Gary Cohn, comic book writer
• Jennifer Crusie, writer
• Jim Daniels, poet and writer
• Tom De Haven, writer
• Anthony Doerr, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer^[1]
• Frank Dungan, television producer and writer
• Edmundo Farolan, author and actor
• David Feldman, author of Imponderables
• Robert Ferrigno, writer
• Carolyn Forche, writer
• Charles Fort, poet
• Sally Miller Gearhart, science fiction writer, women's studies pioneer, and early gay rights activist
• Diana Pavlac Glyer, author and expert on J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and the Inklings
• Darrell Hamamoto, writer
• Joseph D. Haske, author
• Alan Heathcock, fiction writer
• Steve Heller, fiction author
• Brad Hurtado, television producer
• Jack LoGiudice, television writer and producer
• Sandra Markle, children's book author
• Susan Neville, short story writer
• Charles Nicol, writer, expert on Vladimir Nabokov
• William Patrick Patterson, author and fourth way teacher
• Barbara Paul, author
• James Purdy, author
• Arnold Rampersad, Pulitzer Prize-nominated author
• Terry Ryan, writer
• Marc Sumerak, freelance writer, often works on Marvel Comics series
• Jean Thompson, fiction writer
• Anne Valente, author
• Allen Wier, author
• Dara Wier, poet
• Kayla Williams, linguist and author
• Theresa Williams, writer

• Lexi Allen, singer, actress, television personality
• Bernie Casey, former professional football player, actor, and visual artist
• Tim Conway, Emmy Award-winning actor^[1]
• Frank Dungan, television producer and Primetime Emmy Award winner
• Quinton Flynn, voice actor
• Robert Patrick, actor
• James Pickens, Jr., actor^[1]
• Ric Reitz, actors
• Kathia Rodriguez, actress
• Eva Marie Saint, Academy Award-winning actress^[1]
• Ron Sweed, television actor
• Matt Zimmerman, actor

• Uzee Brown Jr, composer
• Chris Castle, folk musician
• David Conte, composer
• Hildward Croes, Aruban musician
• Joseph Dangerfield, composer
• Minnita Daniel-Cox, soprano
• Ray Davis, bass singer and founding member of The Parliaments
• John Douglas, conductor
• Tim Hagans, jazz musician
• Bob Hartman, Christian rock artist and founder of the band Petra
• Jennifer Higdon, Grammy Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning classical music composer^[1]
• Michael Holmes, saxophonist
• Eglė Janulevičiūtė, Lithuanian classical pianist
• Marian McPartland, jazz musician
• Mildred Miller, mezzo-soprano, received an honorary degree
• Ric Ocasek, rhythm guitarist and songwriter for The Cars
• Griffen Palmer, country singer-songwriter
• Rich Perry, jazz musician
• Bill Randle, DJ, received an honorary doctorate
• James Swearingen, concert band literature composer
• William Takacs, musician

• Robert Archambeau, ceramic artist; worked in the studio of Jun Kaneko; colleague of painter Don Reichert
• Kathrine Baumann, handbag designer, model, and actress
• Barbara Bosworth, large format photographer
• George O. Hughes, painter, poet, performance artist
• Tony Kern, film director, directed A Month of Hungry Ghosts
• Dominick Labino, glass artist, scientist, honorary doctorate
• Tim McCreight, metal smith
• Jason Nelson, pioneering net artist, digital poet
• Ed Sayles, theater director
• William Silvers, wildlife artist, painter for Walt Disney, Industrial Light and Magic, Sony Pictures, DreamWorks, and Warner Brothers
• Douglas Steakley, metal smith and photographer; winner of the 2003 Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography
• Rick Valicenti, graphic designer

• Mary Jo Freshley, Korean dance instructor at University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
• Judson Laipply, creator of the "Evolution of Dance"

• Rob Blake, Hall of Fame ice hockey player, won Stanley Cup in 2001; three-time member of the Canadian Olympic hockey team, winning a gold medal in 2002
• Scott Hamilton, professional figure skater and Olympic gold medalist
• Margarita Kalmikova, two-time Olympian swimmer from Latvia
• Ken Morrow, former professional ice hockey player and member of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team
• Mark Wells, former professional ice hockey player and member of the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team
• Dave Wottle, won an Olympic gold medal for the 800 meter run at the 1972 Summer Olympics^[1]

• Bud Lewis, former professional soccer player and head coach at Wilmington College 1975–2017
• Dennis Mepham, former professional soccer player for the Cleveland Force (1978–1988)
• Dana Veth, former professional soccer player

• Harold Anderson, former college basketball coach; Basketball Hall of Fame member
• Tom Collen, collegiate basketball coach
• Antonio Daniels, former professional basketball player
• Tom Hancock, basketball coach
• Bob Hill, professional basketball coach
• Richaun Holmes, professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards
• Howard Komives, former professional basketball player for the New York Knicks, Detroit Pistons, Buffalo Braves, and Kansas City Kings
• Jay Larranaga, former professional basketball player and current member of the Los Angeles Clippers coaching staff
• Keith McLeod, former professional basketball player
• Steve Merfeld, basketball coach
• Charlie Parker, basketball coach
• Isaac Rosefelt, American-Israeli former basketball player
• Richard Skeel, basketball coach
• Nate Thurmond, former professional basketball player; seven-time NBA All-Star; member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame; named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History^[1]

• Larry Arndt, infielder for the Oakland Athletics; BGSU Baseball Hall of Fame member
• Burke Badenhop,^[2] former MLB pitcher
• Doug Bair,^[3] former professional baseball player
• Jon Berti,^[4] professional baseball player currently with the Miami Marlins
• Orel Hershiser,^[5] former professional baseball player, currently an analyst for the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Jim Joyce, former MLB umpire
• Roger McDowell,^[6] former professional baseball player and coach
• Nolan Reimold,^[7] former MLB baseball player
• Andy Tracy,^[8] former professional baseball player; current manager for the Columbus Clippers of the International League
• Chet Trail, former professional baseball player

• Martin Bayless, former professional football player
• Karl Brooks, professional football player currently with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League
• Khary Campbell, former professional football player
• Jeff Genyk, current tight ends coach and special teams coordinator for the University of Wisconsin football team
• Joe Green, former professional player for the New York Giants
• Jeff Groth, former professional football player
• Josh Harris, professional football player, last with the New York Giants
• Omar Jacobs, professional football player currently with the Jacksonville Sharks of the Arena Football League
• Chris Jones, professional football player with the New England Patriots^[1]
• Kamar Jorden, professional football player currently with the Calgary Stampeders of the Canadian Football League
• Kory Lichtensteiger, professional football player currently with the Washington Redskins
• Scotty Miller, professional football player, Super Bowl LV champion
• Quintin Morris, professional football player currently with the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League
• Scott Mruczkowski, professional football player
• Don Nehlen, former player who became a highly successful coach at West Virginia University and college football hall of fame member^[1]
• Kevin O'Brien, former professional football player
• Dean Pees, NFL Defensive Coordinator
• Doyt Perry, former college football coach and college football hall of fame member
• Dave Preston, former professional football player
• Robert Redd, professional football player
• Bob Reynolds, former professional football player
• Jamie Rivers, former professional football player
• Bob Schnelker, former professional football player
• Bob Seaman, football coach
• Doug Smith, former professional football player
• Fred Sturt, former professional football player
• Shaun Suisham, professional football player currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers
• Vince Villanucci, former professional football player
• Phil Villapiano, former professional football player; four-time Pro Bowler
• Mike Weger, former professional football player
• Charlie Williams, former professional football player
• Bob Wolfe, football coach

• Kevin Bieksa, professional ice hockey player currently with the Anaheim Ducks
• Aris Brimanis, professional ice hockey player currently with the Hannover Scorpions
• Dan Bylsma, former professional ice hockey player and current head coach of the Seattle Kraken
• Gino Cavallini, former professional hockey player, scorer for the Falcons NCAA National Championship, winning overtime goal
• Greg de Vries, former professional ice hockey player, won Stanley Cup in 2001
• Dave Ellett, former professional ice hockey player
• Nelson Emerson, former professional ice hockey player
• Alex Foster, professional ice hockey player
• Mark Friedman (born 1995), NHL player
• Garry Galley, former professional ice hockey player
• Andrew Hammond, professional ice hockey player
• Brian Hills, former professional ice hockey player, current associate head coach of the RIT Tigers men's hockey team
• Brian Holzinger, former professional ice hockey player and Hobey Baker Award winner^[1]
• Mike Johnson, former professional ice hockey player, currently an analyst for the NHL Network, and TSN and color commentator for the Winnipeg Jets
• Dan Kane, former professional ice hockey player
• Ken Klee, former professional ice hockey player
• Mike Liut, former professional ice hockey player
• Brian MacLellan, professional ice hockey player, won Stanley Cup in 1989; current General Manager of the Washington Capitals^[1]
• Jon Matsumoto, professional hockey player currently with the San Jose Sharks
• George McPhee, former professional ice hockey player, Hobey Baker Award winner, General Manager of NHL's Vegas Golden Knights and former GM of Washington Capitals^[1]
• Todd Reirden, former professional ice hockey player and current head coach for the Washington Capitals; won Stanley Cup in 2018
• Dan Sexton, professional ice hockey player currently with the Tampa Bay Lightning
• Jonathan Sigalet, professional ice hockey player playing for Brynäs IF in the Swedish Hockey League
• Jordan Sigalet, former professional ice hockey player; currently the goaltending coach for the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League
• Wayne Wilson, current head coach of the RIT Tigers men's hockey team
• Paul Ysebaert, former professional ice hockey player

• Alissa Czisny, figure skater and 2009 US Figure Skating National Champion
• Mike McCullough, professional golfer
• Nick Mileti, former owner of Cleveland Cavaliers, Cleveland Indians, Cleveland Crusaders, and writer of Closet Italians
• Kurt Weaver, rugby match official

• Daniel Ayalon, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S.^[1]
• Leonardo Neher, US Ambassador to Upper Volta

• John R. Adams, federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio^[1]
• James Henry Gorbey, United States federal judge
• Brenda Hollis, Chief persecutor in the Special Court for Sierra Leone
• James R. Knepp II, United States District Judge
• Sara Elizabeth Lioi, United States District Judge
• James H. Wakatsuki, Justice of the Supreme Court of Hawaii

• Dominick Evans, activist, transferred to Wright State
• Sam Pollock, labor activist, did not graduate
• Baldemar Velasquez, labor activist, received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

• Elizabeth M. Boyer, lawyer, writer, publisher, and feminist founder of WEAL
• Dan Greenberg, former politician, Heritage Foundation analyst, and writer for Cato Institute; leader of the Advance Arkansas Institute
• Nick Licata, Seattle politician and activist
• Mike Reichenbach, South Carolina politician
• Pierre-Célestin Rwigema, 7th Prime Minister of Rwanda
• Edmond Spaho, Democratic Party of Albania MP
• Robin Weirauch, politician

• Robert P. Hanrahan, former U.S. Congressional Representative (R-IL)
• Gene Krebs, former Ohio State Representative (R-OH, 1993–2000)
• Bob Latta, U.S. Congressional Representative (R-OH)^[1]
• Tom Luken, former mayor of Cincinnati, Ohio and U.S. Congressional Representative (D-OH)
• Tim Ryan, U.S. Congressional Representative (D-OH)^[1]

• Janeé Ayers, labor organizer, member of the Detroit city council
• Hou Chong-wen, deputy mayor of Chiayi City, Taiwan
• Sandi Jackson, Chicago alderman
• Paul Muenzer, former mayor of Naples, Florida (1992–1996)^[9]
• Don Plusquellic, 59th mayor of Akron, Ohio
• Kathy Sheehan, mayor of Albany, New York (D)

• Bruce Johnson, 63rd Lieutenant governor of Ohio^[1]
• Betty Montgomery, former Ohio Attorney General and State Auditor (R)
• Scott Nein, former Republican member of the Ohio General Assembly

• Robin Belcher, former Democrat member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• Terry Boose, former Republican Member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• Tim Brown, former Republican member of the Ohio House of Representative
• Rex Damschroder, former Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• Charlie Earl, former Ohio state representative, Libertarian candidate in the 2014 Ohio gubernatorial election
• Bruce Goodwin, former Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• Charles Kurfess, former member of the Ohio House of Representatives and judge^[10]
• Derek Merrin, Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives
• Chris Redfern, former Ohio state Representative and former chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party (D)^[11]
• Douglas Swearingen, Jr., Republican member of the Ohio House of Representatives and former baseball player

• Steve Buehrer, former member of the Ohio Senate and former director of the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation
• Kevin Coughlin, former Republican member of the Ohio Senate
• M. Ben Gaeth, former member of the Ohio Senate
• Randy Gardner, Ohio state senator (R) and Chancellor of the Ohio Department of Higher Education
• Theresa Gavarone, Republican member of the Ohio Senate

• Tim Berry, Indiana State Auditor (R)^[12]
• Arnold E. Brown, first African American elected to represent Bergen County in the New Jersey Legislature
• Dan Carter, State Representative, Connecticut 2nd Assembly District
• Tal Hutchins, Democrat member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
• Sue Rocca, former republican member of the Michigan House of Representatives
• John Villapiano, former Democrat member of the New Jersey General Assembly and former professional football player

• Karen T. Borchers, former photojournalist for The Mercury News; shared a Pulitzer Prize for covering the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake
• Ken W. Clawson, journalist and spokesman for President Richard Nixon
• David Dietz, science journalist, 1937 Pulitzer Prize winner, honorary degree
• Beth Macy, journalist and non-fiction writer; author of Truevine
• Jason Schmitt, journalist, director of Paywall: The Business of Scholarship

• Leon Bibb, WEWS news anchor
• Herb Clarke, weatherman
• Steve Hartman, CBS News correspondent^[1]
• Allison Payne, journalist and anchorwoman
• Wilma Smith, former television anchor, Lower Great Lakes Emmy Awards winner

• Jay Crawford, ESPN sportscaster^[1]
• Jim Day, sportscaster
• Mike Emrick, NHL on NBC play-by-play announcer
• Jason Jackson, ESPN sportscaster
• Steve Mason, sports journalist with ESPN
• Steve Mears, NHL Network sportscaster
• Grant Napear, sports journalist and former lacrosse player

• Conrad Allen, geologist and inventor
• Barbara Bedette, paleontologist, cataloged 30,860 Cenozoic molluscs

• Jie Chen, statistician with interdisciplinary biology research
• Andrew Ogg, mathematician, creator of Ogg's formula, and involved in the creation of the Grothendieck–Ogg–Shafarevich formula, and the Néron–Ogg–Shafarevich criterion

• Howard E. Aldrich, sociologist and business theorist
• Anthony Walsh, criminologist and author
• William Julius Wilson, university professor at Harvard, sociologist, and author; 80th president of the American Sociological Association; advisor to Sudhir Venkatesh

• Russell Barkley, clinical psychologist
• Ralph Blair, psychotherapist and LGBT advocate
• J. Bruce Overmier, experimental psychologist
• Charlie Reeve, professor of psychology

• John E. Dohms, biologist specializing in avian disease pathology; member of the BGSU lacrosse team
• William Eugene Evans, marine biologist and 5th National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration president
• Dan O'Brien, wildlife biologist and author
• Sally Rockey, entomologist and former deputy director of the National Institutes of Health
• Seymour Van Gundy, nematologist

• James G. Nell, electrical engineer involved in the development of GERAM
• George Sweigert, first inventor to patent the cordless telephone, radio engineer
• Jeremy Zawodny, computer technologist, MySQL promoter, Linux Magazine columnist

• Gary Keck, organic chemist specialized in synthesis of natural products;^[13] developer of Keck asymmetric allylation
• John Michael Ramsey, analytical chemist specializing in microfluidics and nanofluidics

• Arthur P. Bochner, communications scholar
• Suresh Canagarajah, Sri Lankan linguist specializing in translanguaging and linguistic imperialism
• Bradley S. Greenberg, communications theorist
• Joan Kaderavek, speech language pathologist

• William Easterly, development economist, author of The Elusive Quest for Growth and The Tyranny of Experts
• Paul Chongkun Hong, professor of operations management

• David J. Jackson, political science professor at BGSU
• W. Wesley McDonald, political scientist, author of Russell Kirk and the Age of Ideology

• Jeffrey Boutelle, CEO of Pharmavite
• Judith Craven, leadership roles in Luby's and Sysco
• Otara Gunewardene, Sri Lankan founder of Odel^[1]
• Michael C. Heim, CIO of Eli Lilly and Company
• Carole Kariuki, CEO of the Kenyan Private Sector Alliance ^[14][15]
• Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe Systems^[1]
• Deborah Thigpen, entrepreneur and publicist

• Mary Beckinsale, art historian, President Emeritus of Studio Arts College International, honorary degree
• Robert Hugh Ferrell, historian focusing on World War I and American foreign policy
• Stanley Kutler, historian who sued for the release of tapes relating to Watergate
• Robert L. Paquette, historian, cofounder of the Alexander Hamilton Institute for the Study of Western Civilization
• William J. Reese, education historian
• H. Micheal Tarver, Latin American historian; Commissioner on the Arkansas History Commission and Arkansas Historical Records Advisory Board

• John N. Abrams, four star general and commander of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command
• Niles Fulwyler, former US Army major general and former commanding general of the White Sands Missile Range

• Victor Boschini, chancellor of Texas Christian University^[1]
• Dean L. Bresciani, president of North Dakota State University^[1]
• Rosa Roberto Carter, former president of the University of Guam
• Erma Johnson Hadley, first African American chancellor of Tarrant County College
• Sarah Harder, feminist and former president of the American Association of University Women
• William N. Johnston, 16th president of Wesley College (Delaware)
• Adena Williams Loston, president of St. Philip's College, San Antonio, Texas; former Chief Education Officer at NASA
• Kathleen M. Murray, 14th president of Whitman College, 21st president of Hamline University, acting president of Macalester College
• Jack Ohle, president of Gustavus Adolphus College^[1]
• Everett Piper, former president of Oklahoma Wesleyan University and political columnist^[1]

• Robert Balling, climate change denier
• Peter Manto, bishop of the Reformed Episcopal Church's Diocese of the Central States