Joe Paterno

Joe Paterno has been the coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions football team since 1966, compiling a 401-143-3 record and winning two national championships. A legendary figure in the game, he has won numerous coaching awards and is a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. Paterno is also a major philanthropist in central Pennsylvania, having donated more than four million dollars despite drawing a relatively small salary in light of his stature. He is the namesake of a wing of Penn State's main library building.

Paterno has espoused conservative political positions. He was a close friend of former presidents Gerald Ford and George H.W. Bush, delivering a spirited endorsement speech for the latter at the 1988 RNC. Paterno stresses conservative values among his players, and his teams regularly boast the highest graduation rates and lowest crime rates in the Big Ten.