▁Louisiana ▁Te ch ▁University . ▁ ▁Julia ▁T ut w iler , ▁ 1 9 th - century ▁champion ▁of ▁equal ▁educational ▁opportun ities ▁for ▁Alabama ▁women , ▁secured ▁the ▁fund ing ▁that ▁enabled ▁AG IS ▁to ▁open ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 6 . ▁She ▁also ▁served ▁as ▁the ▁first ▁president ▁of ▁Alabama ▁Normal ▁College ▁( now ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁West ▁Alabama ) ▁and ▁wrote ▁a ▁poem , ▁" Al abama ", ▁that ▁was ▁later ▁adapted ▁as ▁the ▁official ▁state ▁song . ▁ ▁John ▁R . ▁Ste el man , ▁soci ologist ▁at ▁U M ▁from ▁ 1 9 2 8 ▁to ▁ 1 9 3 4 ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁first ▁Ass istant ▁to ▁the ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁( today ▁called ▁White ▁House ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ) ▁for ▁Harry ▁S . ▁Tr uman ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 6 ▁to ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁ ▁Notable ▁al umn i ▁John ▁Am ari , ▁former ▁member ▁of ▁both ▁houses ▁of ▁the ▁Alabama ▁State ▁Legisl ature ▁and ▁District ▁ 1 0 ▁circuit ▁court ▁judge ▁S lade ▁Black well , ▁Republican ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Alabama ▁Senate ▁Beth ▁Chap man , ▁Secretary ▁of ▁State ▁of ▁Alabama , ▁ 2 0 0 7 – 2 0 1 3 ▁R ust y ▁Gre er , ▁former ▁Major ▁League ▁Baseball ▁player ▁for ▁the ▁Texas ▁R angers ▁Pol ly ▁H oll iday , ▁American ▁actress ▁best ▁known ▁for ▁the ▁character ▁of ▁Flo ▁from ▁the ▁hit ▁television ▁show ▁Alice ▁Jo ▁K itting er , ▁children