Even though DJ Tanner didn’t actually go to Ship (but her sweatshirt did!), there are still other Ship alumni who have graced the silver screen. Among our faves are a reality TV star, a horror writer and a pro-football star.
1. Dean Koontz
Before his name was synonymous with horror stories and suspense-packed thrillers, Dean Koontz was one of us. Originally from Everett, Pennsylvania, the award-winning author received his Bachelor’s degree in English from Shippensburg University in 1967. Since then he has gone on to author dozens of bestsellers, many of which have been turned into film adaptations. Fun Fact: Before he started scaring the pants off your parents with his books, he was an English teacher at nearby Mechanicsburg High School.
2. Chris Raab “Raab Himself”
MTV star Chris Raab enrolled in Ship in 2003 to pursue a business degree, but left once his and his friend’s antics led to the hit reality show, Viva La Bam, where he starred as part of the “CKY crew.” The success of the show and the opportunities it led to (opportunities like appearances on Jackass), made it difficult to balance school. However, who could resist Shippensburg’s allure for that long? He eventually returned and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in communication/journalism in 2007.
3. Brent Grimes
Next time you’re flipping through the channels and come across a Miami Dolphins game, pay special attention to Miami Dolphins player No. 21, Brent Grimes. Grimes played football for SU during his time here. He was drafted to the Atlanta Falcons in 2006, but was not re-signed after a brutal Achilles heel injury (ouch!) in 2012. He recovered and his perseverance paid off, literally. The following year he signed a one-year contract with the Dolphins, which lead to a cool $32 million four-year contract in 2014.
4. Alisa Murray
Alisa Murray isn’t really a killer; she just plays one on TV. The SU alumna got her on-camera start on SUTV (just like Campus Celeb Emily Larsen!) and her career has only grown from there. After graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in communication/journalism in 2009, she started taking on roles in media, on and off camera. Her skills didn’t go unnoticed. She was cast in an episode of Deadly Devotions, on Investigation Discovery.