Notable Alumni of California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Devin Nunes 1973–

Former US Representative and CEO of Trump Media

Master of Science, Bachelor of Science · Class of 1996

Also attended: College of the Sequoias

Doug LaMalfa 1960–2026

U.S. representative for California's 1st district

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1982

Also attended: Butte College

Jeff Denham 1967–

U.S. Representative from California, Air Force veteran

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1992

Also attended: Victor Valley College

Inonge Mbikusita-Lewanika 1943–

Zambian politician and former ambassador to the US

Also attended: New York University

George Radanovich 1955–

Former US representative from California, 1995–2011

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1978

Mohammad Reza Nematzadeh 1945–

Former Iranian minister of industry

Abel Maldonado 1967–

48th Lieutenant Governor of California

Donald H. Clausen 1923–2015

California U.S. representative for ten terms

Also attended: San Jose State University, Saint Mary's College of California, Weber State University

Katcho Achadjian 1951–2020

California State Assembly member and businessman

Tom Berryhill 1953–2020

Republican politician and Stanislaus County supervisor

Kobsak Sabhavasu 1949–

Former Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand

Peter Oppenheimer 1941–

Former Apple CFO and Goldman Sachs board member

Also attended: Santa Clara University

William H. Swanson 1949–

Former chairman and CEO of Raytheon

Also attended: Golden Gate University

Noel Lee 1948–

Founder and CEO of Monster Inc

Also attended: City College of San Francisco

Farzad Nazem 1961–

Former chief technology officer of Yahoo

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1981

Tory Bruno 1961–

Aerospace executive, president of Blue Origin National Security Group

Bachelor of Science · Mechanical engineering

Victor Glover 1976–

NASA astronaut, Navy captain and test pilot

Bachelor of Science · Engineering · Class of 1999

Also attended: Naval Postgraduate School

Robert L. Gibson 1946–

Retired NASA astronaut and naval aviator

Also attended: Suffolk County Community College

Spouse: Margaret Rhea Seddon (University of California-Berkeley, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center)

Gregory Chamitoff 1962–

Former NASA astronaut and engineer

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Houston--Clear Lake

Burt Rutan 1943–

Aerospace engineer who designed the Voyager aircraft

Sibling: Dick Rutan (Reedley College)

Frederick W. Sturckow 1961–

Former NASA astronaut, four Space Shuttle missions

Amanda Hendrix 1968–

Planetary scientist, CEO of Planetary Science Institute

Also attended: University of Colorado Boulder

Bruce Peterson 1933–2006

NASA test pilot and aeronautical engineer

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Gregory Raleigh 1961–

Radio scientist, inventor of MIMO-OFDM technology

Also attended: Stanford University

Patrick Obi Ngoddy 1940–

Nigerian professor of food engineering

Also attended: Michigan State University

"Weird Al" Yankovic 1959–

Comedy musician known for song parodies

Bachelor of Architecture

Pedro Armendáriz 1912–1963

Mexican film actor

Jay Asher 1975–

Young adult author of Thirteen Reasons Why

Also attended: Cuesta College

Steven Ford 1956–

Actor, youngest son of President Gerald Ford

Also attended: Utah State University

Father: Gerald Ford (Yale University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary)

Mother: Betty Ford (Bennington College)

Taylor Tomlinson 1993–

Stand-up comedian and television presenter

Also attended: California State University-San Marcos

David Ascalon 1945–

Sculptor and stained glass artist

Also attended: California State University-Northridge, Pratt Institute-Main

John Eldredge 1960–

Christian author, counselor and speaker

Also attended: Colorado Christian University

Dylan Efron 1992–

TV personality, younger brother of Zac Efron

Kathy Sierra 1957–

Technology writer and game developer

Teddy Cruz 1962–

Architect and professor at UC San Diego

Also attended: Harvard University

Chuck Liddell 1969–

Mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion

Stephanie Brown Trafton 1979–

2008 Beijing Olympic discus gold medalist

Kip Colvey 1994–

Former professional footballer

Chad Mendes 1985–

Former UFC mixed martial artist and collegiate wrestler

Attended until 2008

David Ugochukwu Nwaba 1993–

American professional basketball player

Sibling: Barbara Nwaba (University of California-Santa Barbara)

Fred Gamble 1932–2024

Racing driver who entered one Formula One Grand Prix

Also attended: University of Florida

Dean Karnazes 1962–

Ultramarathon runner and author

Ariel Lassiter 1994–

Costa Rican winger for the Portland Timbers

Father: Roy Lassiter (Lees-McRae College, North Carolina State University at Raleigh)

Taylor Spivey 1991–

Professional triathlete

Architecture · Attended until 2014

Also attended: California State Polytechnic University-Pomona

Sharon Day-Monroe 1985–

Heptathlete and three-time national champion

Kobe Sanders 2002–

NBA player for the Los Angeles Clippers

Also attended: University of Nevada-Reno

Maggie Vessey 1981–

Middle-distance runner at the 2009 and 2011 World Championships

Efrain Burgos, Jr. 1988–

Salvadoran national team footballer

Dan Janjigian 1972–

Former bobsledder and actor; competed in 2002 Olympics

Emrah Klimenta 1991–

Montenegrin professional footballer

Terry Kubicka 1956–

Figure skater, first American to land a triple Lutz

Also attended: University of California-Davis

Terri Schneider 1961–

Triathlete, 1990 Escape from Alcatraz winner

Patrick McLain 1988–

American soccer goalkeeper

Gina Oceguera 1977–

Mexico women's national football team captain

Evan Reed 1985–

Former MLB pitcher for the Detroit Tigers

Karin Smith 1955–

Retired javelin thrower

Dakota Collins 1991–

American soccer forward

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Elise Krieghoff 1993–

Former forward for the Boston Breakers

Scott Peterson 1972–

American murderer

Maya Higa 1998–

Conservationist and Twitch streamer

Attended until 2020

Katherine Sui Fun Cheung 1904–2003

Aviator, first Chinese woman with international flying license

Also attended: Pomona College, University of Southern California