Notable Alumni of University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Rafael Correa 1963–

Former President of Ecuador

Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Science · Class of 2001

Jesse Jackson 1941–2026

Civil rights leader and Baptist minister

Also attended: Chicago Theological Seminary, North Carolina A&T State University

Child: Jesse Jackson Jr. (Chicago Theological Seminary, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Child: Jonathan Jackson (Northwestern University, North Carolina A&T State University)

Fidel Ramos 1928–2022

12th President of the Philippines

Also attended: The United States Military Academy at West Point

Sibling: Leticia Ramos-Shahani (Wellesley College, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Giorgi Kvirikashvili 1967–

Former Prime Minister of Georgia

Sri Mulyani Indrawati 1962–

Indonesian economist and former finance minister

Master's degree, Doctor of Philosophy · Economics

Kelly Loeffler 1970–

SBA administrator and former Georgia senator

Spouse: Jeffrey Sprecher (Pepperdine University, University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Jon Corzine 1947–

Former New Jersey governor and US senator

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1969

Also attended: University of Chicago

John B. Anderson 1922–2017

Former US Representative from Illinois

Also attended: Harvard University, University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Atef Ebeid 1932–2014

Former Prime Minister of Egypt

James Brady 1940–2014

White House Press Secretary under Ronald Reagan

Spouse: Sarah Brady (College of William and Mary)

Lin Chuan 1951–

Former head of Taiwan's executive branch

Jan Schakowsky 1944–

U.S. Representative from Illinois

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1965

Jesse Jackson Jr. 1965–

Former US Congressman from Illinois

Juris Doctor · Class of 1993

Also attended: Chicago Theological Seminary, North Carolina A&T State University

Spouse: Sandi Jackson (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bowling Green State University-Main Campus)

Father: Jesse Jackson (Chicago Theological Seminary, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Juliana Stratton 1965–

Lieutenant Governor of Illinois, US senator-elect

Bachelor of Science · Broadcast journalism · Class of 1987

Also attended: DePaul University

Scott Turner 1972–

US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Peter Roskam 1961–

Former U.S. representative from Illinois

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1983

Also attended: Illinois Institute of Technology

Alan J. Dixon 1927–2014

Former U.S. Senator from Illinois

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Yi Gang 1958–

Economist, governor of People's Bank of China 2018–2023

Also attended: Hamline University

Tien Pei Chun James 1947–

Former Liberal Party leader and Hong Kong legislator

Bachelor of Science · Chemical engineering · Class of 1968

Also attended: San Jose State University

Sibling: Michael Tien (Harvard University, Cornell University)

Tien-Fong Cheng 1899–1967

Educator, politician and diplomat

Chen Ying 1972–

Taiwanese DPP legislator

Master's degree · Class of 2002

Also attended: Brigham Young University-Provo

Chao Shou-po 1941–

Former Governor of Taiwan Province, lawyer

Hugh Hefner 1926–2017

Founder of Playboy magazine

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University, Northwest University

Spouse: Crystal Harris (San Diego State University)

Child: Cooper Hefner (Chapman University)

Larry Ellison 1944–

Co-founder of Oracle Corporation

Mathematics · Attended until 1964

Also attended: University of Chicago

Spouse: Melanie Craft (Oberlin College)

Child: David Ellison (Pepperdine University, University of Southern California)

Jawed Karim 1979–

Co-founder of YouTube

Also attended: Stanford University

Steve Chen 1978–

Co-founder of YouTube

Jack Welch 1935–2020

Former CEO of General Electric

Also attended: University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Spouse: Suzy Welch (Harvard University)

Marc Andreessen 1971–

Netscape co-founder and venture capitalist

Bachelor's degree · Computer science · Class of 1993

Spouse: Laura Arrillaga-Andreessen (Stanford University)

Shahid Khan 1950–

Owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham F.C

Bachelor of Science · Industrial engineering · Class of 1971

Child: Tony Khan (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Ray Ozzie 1955–

Lotus Notes creator, former Microsoft chief software architect

Arvind Krishna 1962–

Chairman and CEO of IBM

Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Science · Electrical engineering · Class of 1991

Martin Eberhard 1960–

Co-founder and first CEO of Tesla

Arnold Beckman 1900–2004

Chemist, inventor of the pH meter, Beckman Instruments founder

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, Illinois State University

Robert Mercer 1946–

Hedge fund manager, former Renaissance Technologies co-CEO

Also attended: University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Child: Rebekah A. Mercer (Stanford University)

Max Levchin 1975–

PayPal co-founder and Affirm CEO

Attended until 1997

Rosalyn Sussman Yalow 1921–2011

Medical physicist, 1977 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine

Doctor of Philosophy

Also attended: CUNY Hunter College, New York University

Jack Kilby 1923–2005

Electrical engineer; co-realized the first integrated circuit

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison, University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee

Polykarp Kusch 1911–1993

Physicist, shared the 1955 Nobel Prize in Physics

Also attended: University of Illinois at Chicago, Case Western Reserve University

John Robert Schrieffer 1931–2019

Physicist; 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1957

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Wendell Meredith Stanley 1904–1971

American biochemist and Nobel laureate in Chemistry

Doctor of Philosophy · Chemistry · Class of 1929

Also attended: Earlham College

James Tobin 1918–2002

Yale economist and Keynesian scholar

Also attended: Harvard University

Child: Christina Tobin (Saint Mary's University of Minnesota)

Edward Adelbert Doisy 1893–1986

Biochemist, 1943 Nobel Prize winner for vitamin K

Master's degree

Also attended: Harvard University

Robert W. Holley 1922–1993

Biochemist, 1968 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Also attended: Cornell University, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Vincent du Vigneaud 1901–1978

Biochemist; 1955 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner

Hamilton Smith 1931–2025

Microbiologist and Nobel laureate

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Johns Hopkins University

Temple Grandin 1947–

Animal scientist and advocate for humane livestock handling

Also attended: Arizona State University-Tempe, University of Arizona, Franklin Pierce University

Omar M. Yaghi 1965–

Chemist, 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1990

Also attended: SUNY at Albany

Edwin G. Krebs 1918–2009

Biochemist, 1992 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Bachelor of Science · Chemistry · Class of 1940

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Phillip Sharp 1944–

Molecular biologist, 1993 Nobel laureate

Also attended: Union Commonwealth University

Richard Hamming 1915–1998

Mathematician known for the Hamming code

Doctor of Philosophy · Mathematics · Class of 1942

Also attended: University of Chicago, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Paul Halmos 1916–2006

Hungarian-born American mathematician

Doctorate · Class of 1938

Brendan Eich 1961–

Creator of JavaScript; co-founder of Mozilla

Also attended: Santa Clara University

Robert Whittaker 1920–1980

Ecologist who proposed five-kingdom classification

Scott Altman 1959–

Retired Navy captain and NASA astronaut

Also attended: Naval Postgraduate School

Michael S. Hart 1947–2011

Founder of Project Gutenberg, e-book inventor

Andrew Yao 1946–

Computer scientist and Tsinghua University professor

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Frances Yao (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Lee Archambault 1960–

Former NASA astronaut and test pilot

Mike Hopkins (astronaut) 1968–

Retired NASA astronaut and Space Force colonel

Bachelor of Science · Aerospace engineering · Class of 1991

Also attended: Stanford University

Nick Holonyak 1928–2022

American electrical engineer and inventor

Fazlur Khan 1929–1982

Structural engineer and skyscraper architect

Master of Engineering, Doctor of Philosophy · Applied mechanics, Structural engineering

Dale Gardner 1948–2014

NASA astronaut who flew two Space Shuttle missions

Eugene Odum 1913–2002

Ecologist, pioneer of ecosystem ecology

Father: Howard W. Odum (Emory University, Clark University)

Sibling: Howard T. Odum (Yale University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Allan Sandage 1926–2010

Astronomer at the Carnegie Observatories

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Donald Johanson 1943–

Paleoanthropologist who discovered the fossil Lucy

Also attended: University of Chicago

Charles David Keeling 1928–2005

Scientist behind the Keeling Curve

Also attended: Northwestern University

Child: Ralph Keeling (Yale University, Harvard University)

Richard N. Frye 1920–2014

Iranologist and Harvard professor emeritus

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Eden Naby (Columbia University in the City of New York, Temple University)

Steven R. Nagel 1946–2014

Air Force colonel and astronaut

Also attended: California State University--Fresno

Joseph R. Tanner 1950–

Former NASA astronaut

Joanne Chory 1955–2024

Plant biologist and Salk Institute professor

Doctor of Philosophy

Also attended: Harvard University, Oberlin College

Katharine Hayhoe 1972–

Canadian atmospheric scientist and Texas Tech professor

Doctor of Philosophy · Atmospheric sciences · Class of 2010

Vasiliki Kalogera 1975–

Greek astrophysicist, professor at Northwestern University

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1997

Christine Korsgaard 1952–

Philosopher and Harvard professor emerita

Also attended: Harvard University

Marcia Neugebauer 1932–

Geophysicist, pioneer of direct solar wind measurements

Also attended: Cornell University

Spouse: Gerald Neugebauer (California Institute of Technology, Cornell University)

John Houbolt 1919–2014

Aerospace engineer behind lunar orbit rendezvous

Also attended: Joliet Junior College

Eugenio Calabi 1923–2023

Mathematician and University of Pennsylvania professor

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University

Leon O. Chua 1936–

Electrical engineer, professor emeritus at UC Berkeley

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Child: Amy Chua (Harvard University)

David Blackwell 1919–2010

Mathematician and statistician

Attended until 1941

David A. Johnston 1949–1980

USGS volcanologist killed in Mount St. Helens eruption

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Sidney Drell 1926–2016

Theoretical physicist and arms control expert

Also attended: Princeton University

Susan Lindquist 1949–2016

Molecular biologist and MIT professor

Bachelor of Arts · Microbiology · Class of 1971

Also attended: Harvard University

Gene H. Golub 1932–2007

Stanford professor of computer science and numerical analyst

Attended until 1959

Also attended: University of Chicago, City Colleges of Chicago-Wilbur Wright College

Alfred Y. Cho 1937–

Chinese-American electrical engineer and inventor at Bell Labs

Ven Te Chow 1919–1981

Hydrologist and hydraulic engineer

Also attended: The Pennsylvania State University

Steve Chen 1944–

Taiwanese computer engineer and supercomputer architect

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1975

Also attended: Villanova University

Chu Coching 1890–1974

Meteorologist, founder of modern meteorology in China

Also attended: Harvard University

Chih-Tang Sah 1932–2025

Electronics engineer who co-invented CMOS logic

Bachelor of Science · Physics, Electrical engineering · Class of 1953

Also attended: Stanford University

Der-Tsai Lee 1949–

Computer scientist known for computational geometry

Milton Feng 1950–

Engineering professor, co-creator of the transistor laser

Chien Shih-Liang 1908–1983

Chemist; president of Academia Sinica and National Taiwan University

Child: Shu Chien (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Child: Fredrick Chien (Yale University)

Roger Ebert 1942–2013

Film critic for the Chicago Sun-Times

Also attended: University of Chicago

Spouse: Chaz Ebert (University of Wisconsin-Platteville)

Gene Hackman 1930–2025

Actor and novelist, New Hollywood figure

Spouse: Betsy Arakawa (University of Southern California, St. John's College (NM))

Ang Lee 1954–

Taiwanese film director, screenwriter and producer

Also attended: New York University

Child: Mason Lee (New York University)

Walter Burley Griffin 1876–1937

Architect who designed Canberra

Attended until 1899

Spouse: Marion Mahony Griffin (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio 1958–

Actress known for Scarface

Barbara Bain 1931–

Actress known for Mission: Impossible

Spouse: Martin Landau (Pratt Institute-Main)

César Pelli 1926–2019

Architect of the Petronas Towers

Spouse: Diana Balmori Ling (University of California-Los Angeles, Harvard University)

Nick Offerman 1970–

Actor known as Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation

Spouse: Megan Mullally (Northwestern University, Northwest University)

Andy Richter 1966–

Comedian, sidekick to Conan O'Brien

Also attended: Columbia College Chicago

Jerry Orbach 1935–2004

Actor and singer, Broadway musical leading man

Also attended: Northwestern University, Northwest University

Child: Chris Orbach (New York University)

Nelson Algren 1909–1981

Novelist, author of The Man with the Golden Arm

Betsy Brandt 1973–

Actress known for Marie Schrader in Breaking Bad

Also attended: Harvard University

Dave Eggers 1970–

Writer, editor and publisher

Spouse: Vendela Vida (Columbia University in the City of New York, Middlebury College)

Arden Cho 1985–

Actress known for MTV's Teen Wolf

Iris Chang 1968–2004

Chinese-American author of The Rape of Nanking

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Richard Powers 1957–

Novelist, National Book Award winner for The Echo Maker

Alan Ruck 1956–

Actor known for Ferris Bueller's Day Off and Succession

Spouse: Mireille Enos (Brigham Young University-Provo)

Ned Luke 1958–

Actor who voiced Michael in Grand Theft Auto V

George Crumb 1929–2022

Avant-garde contemporary classical composer

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Child: Ann Crumb (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor)

Larry Parks 1914–1975

Actor blacklisted by Hollywood studios

Spouse: Betty Garrett (Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

Timothy Zahn 1951–

Science fiction author of the Star Wars Thrawn trilogy

Also attended: Michigan State University

Ann Bannon 1932–

Author of the Beebo Brinker Chronicles

Bachelor's degree · French · Class of 1954

Also attended: California State University-Sacramento, Stanford University

Ben Falcone 1973–

Actor, comedian and filmmaker, husband of Melissa McCarthy

Spouse: Melissa McCarthy (Southern Illinois University-Carbondale)

Donna Mills 1940–

American film and television actress

Dan Fogelberg 1951–2007

Singer-songwriter known for soft rock hits

Ryan McPartlin 1975–

Film and television actor

Andrew Davis 1946–

Film director known for action and thriller films

Jeffrey Lieber 1969–

Screenwriter and co-creator of Lost

George Will 1941–

Conservative columnist for The Washington Post

Also attended: Trinity College, Princeton University

Spouse: Mari Maseng (University of Pennsylvania, University of South Carolina-Columbia)

Carolee Schneemann 1939–2019

Visual experimental artist

Also attended: Bard College

Spouse: James Tenney (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Bennington College)

Lynne Thigpen 1948–2003

Stage and screen actress

Dee Brown 1908–2002

Historian and novelist, author of Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee

Also attended: University of Central Arkansas, George Washington University

Lee Falk 1911–1999

Creator of Mandrake the Magician and The Phantom

Jeremih 1987–

American R&B singer

Also attended: Parkland College, Columbia University in the City of New York

Carl Foreman 1914–1984

Screenwriter and producer blacklisted in Hollywood

Child: Jonathan Foreman (University of Pennsylvania)

Child: Amanda Foreman (Columbia University in the City of New York, Sarah Lawrence College)

Ed Boon 1964–

Co-creator of the Mortal Kombat series

Bachelor of Science · Computer science, Mathematics

Gertrude Abercrombie 1909–1977

Chicago-based painter

Romance

Also attended: American Academy of Art College, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Illinois at Chicago

Jeanne Gang 1964–

Architect and founder of Studio Gang

Also attended: Harvard University

Jonathan Kite 1979–

Actor known for 2 Broke Girls

Mark Van Doren 1894–1972

Poet, literary critic and Columbia professor

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Dorothy Graffe Van Doren (Barnard College)

Child: Charles Van Doren (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Dan Savage 1964–

Sex advice columnist and gay rights campaigner

Max Abramovitz 1908–2004

Architect with Harrison & Abramovitz

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Christopher Denham 1985–

Actor and director in Oppenheimer and Argo

Philip Ng 1977–

Hong Kong-based actor and martial artist

Richmond Lattimore 1906–1984

Poet and classicist, translator of Iliad and Odyssey

Also attended: Dartmouth College

Sibling: Owen Lattimore (Harvard University)

Avery Brundage 1887–1975

Fifth president of the International Olympic Committee

Kevin Anderson 1986–

South African professional tennis player

Deron Williams 1984–

Former NBA player, third pick in the 2005 draft

Bob Richards 1926–2023

Pole vaulter and three-time Olympian

David Otunga 1980–

Former WWE wrestler, actor and lawyer

Bachelor of Applied Science · Psychology · Class of 2002

Also attended: Harvard University

Susanna Kallur 1981–

Swedish hurdler, 2006 European 100m hurdles champion

Sibling: Jenny Kallur (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Harold Osborn 1899–1975

1924 Olympic decathlon and high jump champion

Also attended: Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Robert Archibald 1980–2020

Scottish basketball player drafted by Memphis Grizzlies

Herb McKenley 1922–2007

Jamaican sprinter

Also attended: Boston College

Perdita Felicien 1980–

Canadian hurdler, 2003 world champion

Belal Muhammad 1988–

Mixed martial artist, former UFC welterweight champion

Ashley Spencer 1993–

Sprinter, 2016 Olympic 400m hurdles bronze medalist

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Dan Kinsey 1902–1970

Hurdler and physical education scholar

Also attended: Oberlin College

Derek Harper 1961–

Former NBA point guard for Mavericks and Knicks

Morolake Akinosun 1994–

Sprinter, 2015 Pan American Games relay gold medalist

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Meyers Leonard 1992–

Former NBA player, 11th pick in 2012

Kendrick Nunn 1995–

Basketball player for Panathinaikos

Attended until 2016

Also attended: Oakland University

Nick Anderson 1968–

Former NBA player with the Orlando Magic

James Augustine 1984–

Former pro basketball player, 2006 NBA draft pick

Eddie Johnson 1959–

Former NBA basketball player

Jordyn Poulter 1997–

Volleyball player and Olympic gold medalist

Horatio Fitch 1900–1985

American 400 metres runner

Michelle Bartsch-Hackley 1990–

Volleyball player for the US women's national team

Tonja Buford-Bailey 1970–

Olympian who competed mainly in the 400m hurdles

Red Grange 1903–1991

Football halfback who starred for the Chicago Bears

George Kerr 1937–2012

Jamaican runner, 1960 Olympic 800m bronze medalist

Kendall Gill 1968–

Former NBA player and TV basketball analyst

Dorothy Day 1897–1980

Journalist, social activist and Catholic convert

Steven Best 1955–

Philosopher and animal rights activist

Also attended: University of Chicago, College of DuPage, The University of Texas at Austin