Notable Alumni of University of Delaware

Joe Biden 1942–

46th President of the United States

Bachelor of Arts · Study of history, Political science · Class of 1965

Also attended: Syracuse University

Spouse: Neilia Hunter (Syracuse University)

Spouse: Jill Biden (University of Delaware, Villanova University)

Jill Biden 1951–

Former First Lady of the United States, educator

Bachelor of Arts, Doctor of Education · English, Educational leadership · Class of 2007

Also attended: Villanova University, West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Spouse: Joe Biden (University of Delaware, Syracuse University)

Child: Ashley Biden (Tulane University of Louisiana, University of Pennsylvania)

Chris Christie 1962–

55th Governor of New Jersey

Also attended: Seton Hall University

Spouse: Mary Pat Christie (University of Delaware, Seton Hall University)

Tom Carper 1947–

Former U.S. Senator and Governor of Delaware

Master of Business Administration · Class of 1975

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Louise Mushikiwabo 1961–

Secretary-General of the OIF, former Rwandan foreign minister

Louis McLane 1786–1857

Delaware lawyer, politician and diplomat

Child: Robert Milligan McLane (The United States Military Academy at West Point)

Lisa Blunt Rochester 1962–

U.S. senator from Delaware

Master of Arts · Urban affairs, Public policy · Class of 2003

Also attended: Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus

Spouse: Alex Bradley (Villanova University)

Father: Theodore "Ted" Blunt (Winston-Salem State University)

John Carney 1956–

Former Delaware governor, mayor of Wilmington

Master in Public Administration · Class of 1987

Also attended: Dartmouth College

Bob Filner 1942–2025

Former U.S. representative from California

Master of Arts · Class of 1969

Also attended: Cornell University

James Smith 1719–1806

Irish-born lawyer and Declaration of Independence signer

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

J. Caleb Boogs 1909–1993

Governor of Delaware and US senator

Attended until 1931

Also attended: Georgetown University

David Plouffe 1967–

Campaign manager of Obama's 2008 presidential campaign

Clarence Dill 1884–1978

Washington Democratic politician, served in both houses of Congress

Also attended: Ohio Wesleyan University

Lütfi Elvan 1962–

Former Turkish Minister of Finance and Treasury

Valerie Biden Owens 1945–

Political strategist and sister of Joe Biden

Sibling: James Biden (University of Delaware)

Sibling: Joe Biden (University of Delaware, Syracuse University)

Yeh Kuang-shih 1957–

Taiwanese politician, former interim Mayor of Kaohsiung

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Adam Osborne 1939–2003

Designer of the Osborne 1 portable computer

Wang Xing 1979–

Co-founder, chairman and CEO of Meituan

Robert W. Gore 1937–2020

Engineer, inventor and leader of W. L. Gore & Associates

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Father: Bill Gore (University of Utah)

Larry Probst 1950–

Former CEO of Electronic Arts

Richard F. Heck 1931–2015

Chemist who discovered the Heck reaction

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Daniel Nathans 1928–1999

Microbiologist, 1978 Nobel laureate in Medicine

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Theodore Freeman 1930–1964

NASA astronaut, first astronaut corps fatality

Also attended: United States Naval Academy, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Lodewijk van den Berg 1932–2022

Chemical engineer and Challenger payload specialist

Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Science · Applied science · Class of 1975

Susan Trumbore 1959–

Earth system scientist studying the carbon cycle

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Rein Taagepera 1933–

Estonian-American political scientist

Dana Ulery 1938–

Computer scientist and engineer

Also attended: Grinnell College

Nuno Crato 1952–

Portuguese mathematician, economist and professor

Jacqueline Jones 1948–

Pulitzer Prize-winning historian

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Lorinda Cherry 1944–2022

Computer scientist and original Unix team member

Bachelor of Science · Mathematics · Class of 1966

Also attended: Stevens Institute of Technology

Lawrence M. Principe 1962–

Chemist and historian of science at Johns Hopkins

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Ernie Wasson 1950–

Gardener, horticulturist and author

Also attended: California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt

Donald Marquardt 1929–1997

Statistician who rediscovered Levenberg–Marquardt algorithm

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

George Thorogood 1950–

Blues rock singer and guitarist

Steve Harris 1965–

Actor known for The Practice

Master of Fine Arts

Also attended: Northern Illinois University

Sibling: Wood Harris (Northern Illinois University, New York University)

Page Kennedy 1976–

Actor and rapper known for Blue Mountain State

Also attended: Western Michigan University

Rowena Morrill 1944–2021

Science fiction and fantasy illustrator

Maureen Johnson 1973–

Young adult fiction author

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Steve Alten 1959–

Science fiction author of the Meg series

Also attended: The Pennsylvania State University, Temple University

Marta Flich 1978–

Spanish economist, comedian and TV host

Bryan Gordon 1953–

Film and television director and writer

Spouse: Jessie Nelson (University of California-Santa Cruz)

Matthew Shipp 1960–

Avant-garde jazz pianist, composer and bandleader

Also attended: The New England Conservatory of Music

Susan Stroman 1954–

Theatre director and choreographer

Neil Casey 1981–

Comedian and writer, former Saturday Night Live writer

Modupeola Fadugba 1985–

Nigerian multimedia artist

Carrie Ann Baade 1974–

Painter and professor in Tallahassee, Florida

Also attended: School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Emily Nagoski 1977–

Sex educator and author of Come as You Are

Also attended: Indiana University-Bloomington

J. Paul Boehmer 1965–

Actor known for Star Trek television work

Jeremy Glazer 1978–

Actor and voice artist in Letters from Iwo Jima

Kathleen Cassello 1958–2017

Operatic soprano

Johnny Weir 1984–

Two-time Olympic figure skater and TV commentator

Elena Delle Donne 1989–

Former professional basketball player

Attended until 2013

Raven 1964–

Professional wrestler, formerly of ECW and WWE

Criminal justice

Kęstutis Marčiulionis 1976–

Lithuanian basketball point guard

Divya Singh 1982–

Former captain of Indian women's basketball team

Nicole Enabosi 1997–

Nigerian basketball player born in the US

Jamelle Hagins 1990–

Professional basketball player for Club Africain

Spencer Dunkley 1969–

British former basketball player

Joe Moglia 1948–

Businessman and former Coastal Carolina football coach

Also attended: Fordham University

No Kum-sok 1932–2022

North Korean pilot turned American engineer

Rumaitha Al Busaidi 1901–

Omani climate activist and marine scientist

Also attended: Harvard University