Notable Alumni of University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Yoweri Museveni 1944–

President of Uganda

Also attended: Grinnell College

Walter Mondale 1928–2021

42nd Vice President of the United States

Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts · Political science · Class of 1956

Also attended: Macalester College

Spouse: Joan Mondale (Macalester College)

Child: Eleanor Mondale (St. Lawrence University)

Hubert Humphrey 1911–1978

38th Vice President of the United States

Also attended: Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Child: Skip Humphrey (American University, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Nick Clegg 1967–

Former UK Deputy Prime Minister and Facebook executive

Andreas Papandreou 1919–1996

Former Greek prime minister, founder of PASOK

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Margaret Papandreou (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Child: Níkos Papandréou (Yale University, Princeton University)

Geir Haarde 1951–

Former Prime Minister of Iceland

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University, Brandeis University

Eugene McCarthy 1916–2005

US Senator and 1968 presidential candidate

Attended until 1939

Spouse: Abigail McCarthy (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, St. Catherine University)

Keith Ellison 1963–

Minnesota attorney general, former US representative

Juris Doctor · Class of 1990

Also attended: Wayne State University

Jacky Rosen 1957–

U.S. Senator from Nevada

Bachelor of Arts · Psychology · Class of 1979

Also attended: College of Southern Nevada

Camilo Torres Restrepo 1929–1966

Colombian priest, revolutionary and ELN leader

Melissa Hortman 1970–2025

61st Speaker of the Minnesota House of Representatives

Juris Doctor · Law · Class of 1995

Also attended: Boston University, Harvard University

Warren E. Burger 1907–1995

15th Chief Justice of the United States

Ron Johnson 1955–

US senator from Wisconsin

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1977

Tim Pawlenty 1960–

39th Governor of Minnesota

Spouse: Mary Pawlenty (Bethel University, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Dean Phillips 1969–

Former US Representative for Minnesota

Master of Business Administration · Class of 2000

Also attended: Brown University

Everett Dirksen 1896–1969

Republican U.S. Senator from Illinois

Juris Doctor

Habib Essid 1949–

Former Prime Minister of Tunisia

Peggy Flanagan 1979–

Minnesota lieutenant governor and U.S. senator-elect

Bachelor of Arts · Native American studies, Child psychology · Class of 2002

Wendell R. Anderson 1933–2016

33rd Governor of Minnesota and hockey player

Clara Ponsatí i Obiols 1957–

Catalan economist and former education minister

Doctor of Philosophy

Ko Wen-je 1959–

Former Taipei mayor; founder of Taiwan People's Party

Attended until 1994

Patricia Schroeder 1940–2023

First woman US Representative from Colorado

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1961

Also attended: Harvard University

Vera C. Bushfield 1889–1976

U.S. senator from South Dakota in 1948

Also attended: Dakota Wesleyan University, University of Wisconsin-Stout

Spouse: Harlan J. Bushfield (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Dakota Wesleyan University)

Harold Stassen 1907–2001

25th governor of Minnesota and presidential candidate

Robert Bergland 1928–2018

Former US Representative from Minnesota

Floyd B. Olson 1891–1936

22nd governor of Minnesota

Also attended: Mitchell Hamline School of Law

Quentin Burdick 1908–1992

U.S. Senator from North Dakota

Also attended: University of North Dakota

Spouse: Jocelyn Burdick (Northwestern University, Principia College)

Nick Begich 1932–1972

Politician who disappeared in 1972

Master of Arts · Class of 1954

Also attended: Saint Cloud State University, University of North Dakota

Child: Tom Begich (Bard College)

Child: Mark Begich (University of Alaska Anchorage)

Rick Larsen 1965–

US representative for Washington's 2nd district

Master in Public Administration · Class of 1990

Also attended: Pacific Lutheran University

Zhang Baowen 1946–

NPC Standing Committee vice chairman, China Democratic League chairman

Joseph M. Juran 1904–2008

Engineer, management consultant and quality management advocate

Bachelor's degree · Electrical engineering · Class of 1924

Sibling: Nathan Juran (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Earl Bakken 1924–2018

Medtronic founder and wearable pacemaker inventor

Perng Fai-nan 1939–

Longtime former central bank governor of Taiwan

Ernest Lawrence 1901–1958

Physicist, cyclotron inventor, Nobel laureate

Also attended: Yale University, University of Chicago, St. Olaf College

Sibling: John H. Lawrence (Harvard University, University of South Dakota)

Arthur Holly Compton 1892–1962

Physicist, 1927 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate

Also attended: University of Chicago, Princeton University, Bluffton University

Sibling: Karl Taylor Compton (Princeton University, College of Wooster)

Norman Borlaug 1914–2009

Agronomist of the Green Revolution, Nobel Peace laureate

Attended until 1937

Walter Houser Brattain 1902–1987

Physicist who co-invented the point-contact transistor

Also attended: University of Oregon, Whitman College

Melvin Calvin 1911–1997

Biochemist, 1961 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner

Also attended: Michigan Technological University

Christiaan Barnard 1922–2001

Surgeon who performed first human heart transplant

Edward B. Lewis 1918–2004

Geneticist, 1995 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Daniel McFadden 1937–

Econometrician; 2000 Nobel economics laureate

Doctor of Philosophy · Behavioral sciences · Class of 1962

Lars Peter Hansen 1952–

University of Chicago economist, 2013 Nobel laureate

Also attended: Utah State University

Louis Ignarro 1941–

Pharmacologist; 1998 Nobel laureate in Medicine

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Seymour Cray 1925–1996

Father of supercomputing, founder of Cray Research

Deke Slayton 1924–1993

One of the original Mercury Seven astronauts

Kjell Lindgren 1973–

NASA astronaut and surgeon

Master's degree · Health informatics

Also attended: Colorado State University-Fort Collins, United States Air Force Academy, The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston

Arthur Cronquist 1919–1992

Botanist who formulated the Cronquist system

Also attended: Idaho State University, Utah State University

Carl Blegen 1887–1971

Archaeologist who directed excavations at Troy

Also attended: Yale University

Spouse: Elizabeth Blegen (Columbia University in the City of New York, Vassar College)

Sibling: Theodore C. Blegen (Augsburg University, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Sylvia Tamale 1962–

Ugandan academic and human rights activist

Also attended: Harvard University

Alexander Wendt 1958–

Political scientist, founding figure of constructivism

Also attended: Macalester College

August Dvorak 1894–1975

Educational psychologist; co-creator of Dvorak keyboard

Henry M. Morris 1918–2006

Young Earth creationist, Institute for Creation Research cofounder

Also attended: Rice University

Child: John D. Morris (University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus)

Satish Dhawan 1920–2002

Former chairman of ISRO

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Child: Jyotsna Dhawan (Boston University)

Duane G. Carey 1957–

Retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and NASA astronaut

Robert R. Gilruth 1913–2000

Aerospace engineer, first director of NASA Manned Spacecraft Center

Rebecca Blank 1955–2023

Economist, ninth chancellor of UW–Madison

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Arthur Fry 1931–

Co-creator of the Post-it Note at 3M

Jeff Dean 1968–

Computer scientist known for his work at Google

Bachelor of Science · Computer science, Economics · Class of 1990

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

James Cooke Brown 1921–2000

Sociologist and author who created Loglan

Robert Joseph White 1926–2010

Neurosurgeon known for head transplant experiments

Also attended: Harvard University

Jack Halberstam 1961–

Academic and author of Female Masculinity

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Yum-Tong Siu 1943–

Mathematician and Harvard professor

Also attended: Princeton University

Rudolph Pariser 1923–2021

Physical and polymer chemist

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Tai Tsun Wu 1933–2024

Chinese-born physicist in high-energy nuclear physics

Also attended: Harvard University

Jeffrey Chuan Chu 1919–2011

Pioneer computer engineer

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Xiang Zhang 1963–

President of the University of Hong Kong, mechanical engineer

Master of Science

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Te-Tzu Chang 1927–2006

Agricultural and environmental scientist

Also attended: Cornell University

Lin Fanghua 1959–

Chinese-born mathematician, professor at NYU Courant Institute

Lau Siu Kai 1947–

Hong Kong sociologist

Doctor of Philosophy

Ed H. Chi 1970–

Computer scientist and research scientist at Google

Doctor of Philosophy, Bachelor's degree · Computer science · Class of 1999

Paul Thompson 1931–2007

British sinologist, Chinese computing pioneer

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Sun Kwok 1949–

Hong Kong astronomer known for planetary nebulae research

Immanuel C.Y. Hsü 1923–2005

Sinologist and historian, UC Santa Barbara professor

Also attended: Harvard University

Lila Downs 1968–

Mexican-American singer-songwriter and actress

Also attended: DePaul University

Henry Fonda 1905–1982

Actor of Broadway and Hollywood

Child: Peter Fonda (University of Nebraska--Omaha)

Child: Jane Fonda (Vassar College)

Jessica Lange 1949–

Actress and photographer

Child: Shura Baryshnikov (Marlboro College)

Ron Perlman 1950–

Actor known for Hellboy

Master's degree · Class of 1973

Also attended: CUNY Lehman College

Poul Anderson 1926–2001

Science fiction and fantasy author

Kate Millett 1934–2017

Feminist writer, educator and activist

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Yanni 1954–

Greek pianist, keyboardist and composer

Valerie Solanas 1936–1988

Radical feminist, author of the SCUM Manifesto

Also attended: University of Maryland-College Park

Robert Vaughn 1932–2016

Actor best known as secret agent Napoleon Solo

Also attended: California State University-Los Angeles, Los Angeles City College, University of Southern California

Thomas Friedman 1953–

New York Times columnist, three-time Pulitzer winner

Also attended: Brandeis University

Loni Anderson 1945–2025

Actress known for WKRP in Cincinnati

Spouse: Burt Reynolds (Florida State University, Palm Beach State College)

Peter Graves 1926–2010

Actor who played Jim Phelps in Mission: Impossible

Sibling: James Arness (Beloit College)

Kevin Sorbo 1958–

Actor, star of Hercules

Also attended: Minnesota State University Moorhead

Spouse: Sam Jenkins (Duke University)

James Rosenquist 1933–2017

Artist and pop art proponent

Also attended: Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Eddie Albert 1906–2005

Actor with two Academy Award nominations

James Hong 1929–

Actor with over 600 productions

Also attended: University of Southern California

Pete Docter 1968–

Animator, director and Pixar chief creative officer

Also attended: California Institute of the Arts

Peter MacNicol 1954–

Actor

Also attended: University of Dallas

Robert M. Pirsig 1928–2017

Author of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Also attended: University of Chicago

Father: Maynard Pirsig (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

T. R. Knight 1973–

Actor

David Soul 1943–2024

Actor known for Starsky & Hutch

Also attended: Augustana University

Spouse: Karen Carlson (University of Arkansas)

Arlene Dahl 1925–2021

Actress in MGM films from the late 1940s

Spouse: Lex Barker (Princeton University)

Child: Lorenzo Lamas (Santa Monica College)

Kevin McCarthy 1914–2010

Actor, male lead of Invasion of the Body Snatchers

Spouse: Augusta Dabney (University of California-Berkeley)

Sibling: Mary McCarthy (Vassar College)

Tay Zonday 1982–

YouTube personality and bass singer

Also attended: The Evergreen State College, Seattle Central College

Doug Hutchison 1960–

Actor, Satellite Award nominee for The Green Mile

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Richard Dix 1893–1949

Film actor of the silent and sound eras

Cheryl Strayed 1968–

Writer, author of Wild

Also attended: Syracuse University

Kimberly Elise 1967–

Actress known for Beloved

Gordon R. Dickson 1923–2001

Science fiction writer

Richard Riehle 1948–2026

Character actor in Office Space

Master of Fine Arts

Also attended: University of Notre Dame, University of Notre Dame -

Dave Arneson 1947–2009

Game designer, co-developer of Dungeons & Dragons

Garrison Keillor 1942–

Author and host of A Prairie Home Companion

Sibling: Steven Keillor (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Eric Bischoff 1955–

Television producer and pro wrestling booker

Bachelor of Science · Business administration · Class of 1977

Aya Cash 1982–

Actress, star of The Boys

Mother: Kim Addonizio (San Francisco State University, Georgetown University)

Maria Schneider 1960–

Jazz composer and orchestra leader

Also attended: University of Miami, University of Rochester

Maria Bamford 1970–

Actress and stand-up comedian

Bachelor of Arts · Creative writing

Also attended: Bates College

Richard Carlson 1912–1977

Actor, director and screenwriter

Kristen Pfaff 1967–1994

Bassist for Hole and Janitor Joe

Santino Fontana 1982–

Actor and singer

Samina Ali 1969–

Indian-born author and Muslim women's rights activist

Also attended: University of Oregon

Brad Beyer 1973–

Actor in the CBS series Jericho

Debra Mooney 1947–

Character actress known for Everwood

David Zinman 1936–

American conductor and violinist

Also attended: Oberlin College

Nathan Juran 1907–2002

Film director and Oscar-winning art director

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Sibling: Joseph M. Juran (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Scott Z. Burns 1962–

Screenwriter and director, wrote Contagion

Dong Dayou 1899–1973

Architect, chief architect of the Greater Shanghai Plan

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Brock Lesnar 1977–

Professional wrestler and mixed martial artist

Also attended: Lassen Community College, Bismarck State College

Ric Flair 1949–

Retired professional wrestler

Child: Charlotte Flair (Appalachian State University, North Carolina State University at Raleigh)

Barbora Špotáková 1981–

Czech javelin thrower and two-time Olympic champion

Kevin McHale 1957–

Former NBA player, entire career with Boston Celtics

Shelton Benjamin 1975–

Professional wrestler

Also attended: Lassen Community College

Kris Humphries 1985–

Former NBA power forward

Kelly Catlin 1995–2019

Cyclist, three-time team pursuit world champion

Also attended: Stanford University

Phil Kessel 1987–

Professional ice hockey winger

Sibling: Amanda Kessel (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Sibling: Blake Kessel (University of New Hampshire-Main Campus)

Sara McMann 1980–

Wrestler, 2004 Olympic silver medalist, and MMA fighter

Also attended: Gardner-Webb University, Lock Haven University

John Kundla 1916–2017

First head coach of the Minneapolis Lakers

Gable Steveson 2000–

Freestyle wrestler and mixed martial artist

Bachelor of Science · Business · Class of 2025

Erik Haula 1991–

Finnish NHL forward

Thomas Vanek 1984–

Austrian ice hockey winger who played in the NHL

Blake Wheeler 1986–

Former NHL ice hockey player

Bobby Jackson 1973–

Former NBA player, Sacramento Kings assistant coach

Also attended: Western Nebraska Community College

Fortune Gordien 1922–1990

Discus thrower who set four world records

Erik Johnson 1988–

Former NHL ice hockey defenseman

Verne Gagne 1926–2015

Professional wrestler and founder of the American Wrestling Association

Child: Greg Gagne (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, University of Wyoming)

Mychal Thompson 1955–

Top pick of 1978 NBA draft, sports commentator

Child: Mychel Thompson (Pepperdine University)

Child: Klay Thompson (Washington State University)

Flip Saunders 1955–2015

Basketball coach of Timberwolves, Pistons and Wizards

Child: Ryan Saunders (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Bill Christian 1938–

Ice hockey player, 1960 Olympic gold medalist

Child: Dave Christian (University of North Dakota)

Sibling: Gordon Christian (University of North Dakota)

Neal Broten 1959–

Former NHL player, 1980 Olympic gold medalist

Sibling: Paul Broten (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Sibling: Aaron Broten (University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Kyle Okposo 1988–

Former NHL right winger, 17 seasons

Vern Mikkelsen 1928–2013

Professional basketball player, early power forward

Also attended: Hamline University

Nick Bjugstad 1992–

NHL forward

Colton Iverson 1989–

Former professional basketball player

Brock Faber 2002–

Minnesota Wild defenseman in the NHL

Joel Przybilla 1979–

Former NBA center

Bowe Becker 1997–

Swimmer, 2020 Olympic 4x100m freestyle relay gold medalist

Dick Garmaker 1932–2020

NBA player and four-time All-Star

Jim Brewer 1951–

Former NBA player

John Shuster 1982–

Curler who led Team USA to 2018 Olympic gold

Tom Lehman 1959–

Professional golfer, 1996 Open Championship winner

Brady Skjei 1994–

NHL defenseman

Brandon Paulson 1973–

Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler and wrestling coach

Mike Ramsey 1960–

Former NHL defenseman and 1980 Olympic gold medalist

Tahesia Harrigan 1982–

British Virgin Islands sprinter and Olympian

Also attended: The University of Alabama

Herb Brooks 1937–2003

Coach of the 1980 gold medal US Olympic hockey team

Patty Berg 1918–2006

Professional golfer and LPGA founding member

Daniel Oturu 1999–

Nigerian-American basketball player

Nate Schmidt 1991–

Professional NHL ice hockey defenseman

Alan Page 1945–

NFL player and former Minnesota Supreme Court judge

Also attended: University of Notre Dame, University of Notre Dame -

Ellen Church 1904–1965

First female flight attendant, nurse and pilot

Stephen Chow 1959–

Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong

Also attended: Loyola University Chicago, Harvard University

Russell M. Nelson 1924–2025

17th President of the LDS Church and surgeon

Doctor of Philosophy

Also attended: University of Utah

Kenneth Arnold 1915–1984

Aviator who reported the first modern UFO sighting

Margaret Papandreou 1923–2026

Women's rights activist and writer

Spouse: Andreas Papandreou (Harvard University, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities)

Child: Níkos Papandréou (Yale University, Princeton University)