Notable Alumni of Michigan State University

Gretchen Whitmer 1971–

49th Governor of Michigan

Bachelor of Arts · Marketing · Class of 1993

Also attended: Michigan State University-College of Law

Debbie Stabenow 1950–

Michigan's first female US senator

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Social Work · Class of 1975

Kamal Ganzouri 1933–2021

Former Prime Minister of Egypt and economist

Doctor of Philosophy · Economics

Gary Peters 1958–

US senator from Michigan

Master of Arts · Philosophy · Class of 2007

Also attended: Alma College, University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University

Tim Johnson 1946–2024

Former U.S. senator from South Dakota

Attended until 1971

Also attended: University of South Dakota

Child: Brendan Johnson (University of South Dakota, University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Moussa Koussa 1949–

Former Libyan foreign minister and intelligence chief

Spencer Abraham 1952–

Former U.S. Secretary of Energy and senator

Attended until 1974

Also attended: Harvard University

Ali Tarhouni 1951–

Libyan economist, former NTC oil and finance minister

George Ariyoshi 1926–2026

3rd Governor of Hawaii

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Lee Wan-koo 1950–2021

Former Prime Minister of South Korea

Ulana Suprun 1963–

Physician and Ukraine's acting health minister

Also attended: Wayne State University

Paul Mitchell 1956–2021

Businessman and former US representative from Michigan

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1978

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Kwame Kilpatrick 1970–

Former mayor of Detroit

Also attended: Florida A&M University, Michigan State University-College of Law

Marta Suplicy 1945–

Brazilian politician, former Mayor of São Paulo

Also attended: Stanford University

Spouse: Eduardo Suplicy (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Michigan State University)

Brian Sims 1978–

Former Pennsylvania state representative and attorney

Also attended: Michigan State University-College of Law, Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania

John Engler 1948–

46th Governor of Michigan

Also attended: Thomas M Cooley Law School

Gérardine Mukeshimana 1970–

Rwandan scientist and former agriculture minister

Jack Kingston 1955–

Former U.S. representative from Georgia

Attended until 1974

Also attended: University of Georgia

Tony Earl 1936–2023

41st governor of Wisconsin

Also attended: University of Chicago

James Blanchard 1942–

45th Governor of Michigan and ambassador to Canada

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Richard Cordray 1959–

First director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Also attended: University of Chicago

Kerry Bentivolio 1951–

Republican U.S. representative from Michigan

Also attended: Madonna University, Marygrove College, Oakland Community College

Ko Chih-en 1962–

Taiwanese legislator of the Kuomintang

Master's degree

Also attended: University of Southern California

Sun Lih-chyun 1961–

Taiwanese economist, former Executive Yuan spokesperson

Ben Carson 1951–

Neurosurgeon and former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Also attended: Yale University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Spouse: Candy Carson (Yale University, Johns Hopkins University)

Verghese Kurien 1921–2012

Indian dairy engineer behind the White Revolution

Vinita Bali 1955–

Indian businesswoman, former Britannia Industries managing director

Dan Gilbert 1962–

Billionaire, co-founder and chairman of Rocket Mortgage

Eli Broad 1933–2021

Businessman, philanthropist and art collector

Bob Chapek 1960–

Former CEO of the Walt Disney Company

Also attended: Indiana University-Bloomington

Alfred Hershey 1908–1997

Nobel Prize-winning bacteriologist and geneticist

Charles Bachman 1924–2017

Computer scientist, database management pioneer

Bachelor of Science · Mechanical engineering · Class of 1948

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Father: Charlie Bachman (University of Notre Dame)

Rollo May 1909–1994

Existential psychologist, author of Love and Will

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, Teachers College at Columbia University, Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York

Liberty Hyde Bailey 1858–1954

Horticulturist and botanist

Child: Ethel Zoe Bailey (Smith College)

Eugene Parker 1927–2022

Solar physicist who proposed the solar wind

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Kenneth D. Cameron 1949–

NASA astronaut and retired Marine Corps colonel

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Theda Skocpol 1947–

Harvard professor of government and sociology

Also attended: Harvard University

Akhtar Hameed Khan 1914–1999

Development practitioner and social scientist

Charles Edwin Bessey 1845–1915

Botanist and mycologist

Also attended: Harvard University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Robert L. Carroll 1938–2020

Vertebrate paleontologist of Paleozoic amphibians and reptiles

Edgar Anderson 1897–1969

Botanist who introduced introgressive hybridization

Also attended: Harvard University

Lyman James Briggs 1874–1963

Third director of the National Bureau of Standards

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Child: Isabel Briggs Myers (Swarthmore College)

David Sloan Wilson 1949–

Evolutionary biologist, Binghamton University professor emeritus

Also attended: University of Rochester

William Frederick Friedman 1891–1969

US Army cryptographer who led Signal Intelligence Service research

Also attended: Cornell University

Spouse: Elizebeth Smith Friedman (Hillsdale College, College of Wooster)

Minakata Kumagusu 1867–1941

Japanese naturalist, biologist and ethnologist

Jan Harold Brunvand 1933–

Folklorist who popularized the urban legend concept

Also attended: Indiana University-Bloomington

Myrtelle Canavan 1879–1953

Pathologist who described Canavan disease in 1931

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Drexel University

Mary Ruwart 1949–

Biomedical researcher and libertarian activist

Gary Starkweather 1938–2019

Engineer who invented the laser printer

Also attended: University of Rochester

N. Katherine Hayles 1943–

Literary scholar of science, literature and technology

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, Rochester Institute of Technology, University of Rochester

William John Sullivan 1976–

Software freedom activist, former FSF executive director

Also attended: Naropa University

John A. McDougall 1947–2024

Physician and low-fat vegan diet author

Doctor of Medicine

Walter C. Willett 1945–

Harvard nutrition and epidemiology professor

Also attended: Harvard University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

John Merton Aldrich 1866–1934

Entomologist at the United States National Museum

Attended until 1890

Also attended: University of Kansas, South Dakota State University, Stanford University

Chuan-Chih Hsiung 1915–2009

Chinese-born mathematician, Lehigh University professor

Doctor · Class of 1948

Nan Lin 1938–

Duke sociology professor, social networks researcher

Fang Zhouzi 1967–

Popular science writer, co-founder of New Threads

Doctor of Philosophy · Biochemistry · Class of 1995

Annping Chin 1950–

Taiwan-born historian and sinologist at Yale

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Jonathan Spence (Yale University)

Zhu Zuxiang 1916–1996

Soil scientist

Jizhong Zhou 1959–

Microbial ecologist and National Academy of Sciences member

Also attended: Washington State University

James Caan 1940–2022

Actor, Sonny Corleone in The Godfather

Also attended: Hofstra University, Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater

Sam Raimi 1959–

Filmmaker who directed the Spider-Man trilogy

Sibling: Ted Raimi (University of Detroit Mercy, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor)

Michael Cimino 1939–2016

American film director, screenwriter and producer

Also attended: Yale University

Tom Sizemore 1961–2023

Actor

Also attended: Wayne State University, Temple University

Spouse: Maeve Quinlan (University of Southern California)

Chris Hansen 1959–

TV journalist, host of To Catch a Predator

Vernor Vinge 1944–2024

Science fiction author and computer science professor

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: University of California-San Diego, San Diego State University

Spouse: Joan D. Vinge (San Diego State University)

Richard Ford 1944–

Novelist, author of the Frank Bascombe novels

Also attended: University of California-Irvine, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Washington University in St Louis

Walter Hill 1942–

Film director known for action films and Westerns

Dee Dee Bridgewater 1950–

Jazz singer and actress

Robert Urich 1946–2002

Film, television and stage actor and producer

Also attended: Florida State University

Russell Kirk 1918–1994

Political theorist, author of The Conservative Mind

Also attended: Duke University

John Varley 1947–2025

Science fiction author, Hugo and Nebula winner

Christopher Showerman 1971–

Actor in George of the Jungle 2

Ted Raimi 1965–

Character actor in the Spider-Man trilogy

Also attended: University of Detroit Mercy, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, New York University

Sibling: Sam Raimi (Michigan State University)

Timothy Zahn 1951–

Science fiction author of the Star Wars Thrawn trilogy

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Milt Jackson 1923–1999

Jazz vibraphonist of the Modern Jazz Quartet

Tyler Oakley 1989–

YouTuber, author and LGBTQ rights activist

Bachelor of Arts · Communication

Geoff Johns 1973–

Comic book writer, screenwriter and producer

Jon-Erik Hexum 1957–1984

Actor and model, star of Voyagers!

Also attended: Case Western Reserve University

Jim Harrison 1937–2016

Poet, novelist and essayist

Master of Arts · Comparative literature · Class of 1964

Nicola Griffith 1960–

British-American novelist and Nebula winner

Spouse: Kelley Eskridge (University of South Florida-Main Campus, Northwestern University)

Andrey Malakhov 1972–

Russian television presenter

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Paul Stookey 1937–

Singer-songwriter of folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary

Anthony Heald 1944–

Actor in The Silence of the Lambs and Boston Public

Rose Abdoo 1962–

Actress and comedian known for Gilmore Girls

Charles Cioffi 1935–2026

Film and television actor

Master of Arts

Rob Tapert 1955–

Producer, co-creator of Xena: Warrior Princess

Richa Gangopadhyay 1986–

Actress in Telugu films

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Sarah Habel 1982–

Actress known for Riverdale and Underemployed

Michael Talbot 1953–1992

Author who wrote about the holographic universe model

Mary Jackson 1910–2005

Character actress known for The Waltons

Also attended: Western Michigan University

Dorothy DeLay 1917–2002

Violin instructor at the Juilliard School

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Sarah Mkhonza 1957–

Swazi writer, educator and women's rights activist

Also attended: Illinois State University

David Maslanka 1943–2017

Composer best known for wind ensemble works

David Magee 1962–

Screenwriter nominated for an Oscar for Finding Neverland

Bob Murawski 1964–

Film editor known for work with Sam Raimi

Spouse: Chris Innis (University of California-Berkeley, California Institute of the Arts)

James Chance 1953–2024

Saxophonist and singer, key no wave figure

Clare Fischer 1928–2012

Keyboardist, composer, arranger and bandleader

Susan Goldberg 1960–

Former editor in chief of National Geographic Magazine

Dick Martin 1922–2008

Comedian, co-host of Laugh-In

Thom Hartmann 1951–

Radio host and progressive political commentator

Also attended: Lansing Community College

Zororo Makamba 1990–2020

Zimbabwean journalist and television presenter

Also attended: New York Film Academy

Magic Johnson 1959–

Former NBA player and businessman

Attended until 1979

Child: EJ Johnson (New York University)

Draymond Green 1990–

NBA player, four-time champion with Golden State Warriors

Jason Richardson 1981–

Former NBA player with 14 seasons

Child: Jase Richardson (Michigan State University)

Bubba Smith 1945–2011

NFL defensive end and actor

Sibling: Tody Smith (University of Southern California, Michigan State University)

Zach Randolph 1981–

Former NBA player and two-time All-Star

Steve Smith 1969–

Former NBA player and 1998 All-Star

Duncan Keith 1983–

NHL defenceman, three-time Stanley Cup champion

Jaren Jackson Jr. 1999–

NBA basketball player

Father: Jaren Jackson (Georgetown University)

Mother: Terri Jackson (Georgetown University)

Clarke Scholes 1930–2010

1952 Olympic 100m freestyle champion

Erazem Lorbek 1984–

Slovenian basketball player

Alan Anderson 1982–

Former NBA player for Bobcats, Raptors and others

Judi Brown 1961–

1984 Olympic silver medalist in 400m hurdles

Also attended: Western Michigan University

Miles Bridges 1998–

NBA basketball player

Ryan Miller 1980–

NHL goaltender for the Buffalo Sabres

Spouse: Noureen DeWulf (Boston University)

Sibling: Drew Miller (Michigan State University)

Shannon Brown 1985–

Former professional basketball player

Fred Alderman 1905–1998

Sprinter; 1928 Olympic 4x400m relay gold medalist

Kevin Willis 1962–

NBA power forward, mostly with the Atlanta Hawks

Rod Brind'Amour 1970–

Hockey player and Carolina Hurricanes head coach

Child: Skyler Brind'Amour (Quinnipiac University)

Gary Harris 1994–

Professional basketball player in the NBA

Rashad Evans 1979–

Former mixed martial artist, light heavyweight

Also attended: Niagara County Community College

Savatheda Fynes 1974–

Bahamian sprinter and Olympic relay gold medalist

Also attended: Eastern Michigan University

Adreian Payne 1991–2022

Former NBA player for Hawks, Timberwolves and Magic

Scott Skiles 1964–

Former basketball player and coach

George Steele 1937–2017

Professional wrestler, actor and teacher

Also attended: Central Michigan University

Ken Walsh 1945–

Swimmer, two-time 1968 Olympic gold medalist

Morris Peterson 1977–

Former NBA player with 11 seasons

Emily Regan 1988–

Rower and 2016 Olympic women's eight gold medalist

Denzel Valentine 1993–

Basketball player, played at Michigan State

Attended until 2016

Nick Foles 1989–

Former NFL quarterback who led Eagles to Super Bowl title

Also attended: University of Arizona, Liberty University

Mike York 1978–

Former professional ice hockey left winger

Torey Krug 1991–

NHL defenseman with the St. Louis Blues

Charlie Bell 1979–

Former NBA player from Michigan State

Bryn Forbes 1993–

Professional basketball player and three-point shooter

Also attended: Cleveland State University

Kevan Gosper 1933–2024

Sprinter and IOC Vice President

Xavier Tillman 1999–

Basketball player for Trabzonspor

Johnny Green 1933–2023

NBA player nicknamed Jumpin' Johnny

Kirk Cousins 1988–

NFL quarterback

Eric Snow 1973–

Former NBA point guard, three-time Finals participant

Justin Abdelkader 1987–

Former Detroit Red Wings NHL winger

John-Michael Liles 1980–

Former NHL defenseman

David Booth 1984–

Professional ice hockey forward

Le'Veon Bell 1992–

Former football running back and professional boxer

Stan Albeck 1931–2021

ABA and NBA basketball coach

Also attended: Bradley University

Brian Glennie 1946–2020

Canadian NHL defenceman

DeJuan Jones 1997–

US national team soccer defender

David Lean 1935–

Australian hurdler at the 1956 Olympics

Shawn Horcoff 1978–

Former NHL centre and Edmonton Oilers captain

Marcia Jones-Smoke 1941–

Sprint canoeist, 1964 Olympic bronze medalist

Tori Franklin 1992–

Triple jumper

Jeff Petry 1987–

NHL defenseman

Andrew Hutchinson 1980–

Former NHL defenseman

Maurice Ager 1984–

Former professional basketball player

Fatai Alashe 1993–

Professional soccer player

Matt Costello 1993–

Ivorian basketball player, formerly of Michigan State

Percy Snow 1967–

Former NFL linebacker

Robert Ressler 1937–2013

FBI agent, criminal profiling pioneer and author

Bachelor's degree, Master of Science

Andrew Kehoe 1872–1927

Michigan farmer, mass murderer and bomber

Ivan Raimi 1956–

Emergency physician and screenwriter

Also attended: Des Moines University-Osteopathic Medical Center