Notable Alumni of University of Missouri-Columbia

Tim Kaine 1958–

U.S. Senator from Virginia and former governor

Bachelor of Arts · Economics · Class of 1979

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Anne Holton (Harvard University, Princeton University)

Claire McCaskill 1953–

Former US senator from Missouri

Bachelor of Arts, Juris Doctor · Class of 1978

Also attended: Georgetown University

Martin Heinrich 1971–

U.S. senator from New Mexico

Bachelor of Science · Mechanical engineering · Class of 1995

Also attended: University of New Mexico-Main Campus

Jay Nixon 1956–

55th Governor of Missouri

Kent Conrad 1948–

Former U.S. senator from North Dakota

Attended until 1967

Also attended: George Washington University, Stanford University

Ann Wagner 1962–

US Representative from Missouri, former ambassador to Luxembourg

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science · Class of 1984

Conrad Burns 1935–2016

Former U.S. senator from Montana

Attended until 1954

Themba Nhlanganiso Masuku 1950–

Deputy Prime Minister of Eswatini

Billy Long 1955–

Former U.S. representative and IRS commissioner

Attended until 1976

Vicky Hartzler 1960–

Former US Representative from Missouri

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1983

Also attended: University of Central Missouri

Thomas Eagleton 1929–2007

US senator and 1972 Democratic vice presidential nominee

Also attended: Amherst College, Harvard University, Washington University in St Louis

Mel Carnahan 1934–2000

51st Governor of Missouri

Juris Doctor · Class of 1959

Also attended: George Washington University

Spouse: Jean Carnahan (George Washington University)

Father: A. S. J. Carnahan (University of Missouri-Columbia, Southeast Missouri State University)

Ted Kulongoski 1940–

36th Governor of Oregon

Martha Griffiths 1912–2003

U.S. Representative, first woman on Ways and Means

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Gustav Lombard 1895–1992

High-ranking SS officer in World War II

Chris Anyanwu 1951–

Nigerian journalist and politician

Also attended: Florida State University

Duke Cunningham 1941–2025

Former U.S. Representative jailed for bribery

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts · Class of 1965

Also attended: National University

Sam Graves 1963–

US Representative from Missouri

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1986

Sibling: Todd Graves (University of Missouri-Columbia, University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Helen Delich Bentley 1923–2016

Maryland congresswoman and maritime journalist

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1944

Also attended: George Washington University

Enex Jean-Charles 1960–

Former Prime Minister of Haiti

Jason T. Smith 1980–

U.S. representative for Missouri

Bachelor of Science · Class of 2001

Russ Carnahan 1958–

Former U.S. Representative from Missouri

Bachelor of Arts, Juris Doctor · Class of 1983

Father: Mel Carnahan (George Washington University, University of Missouri-Columbia)

Mother: Jean Carnahan (George Washington University)

Stephen Benton Elkins 1841–1911

Former U.S. Secretary of War and industrialist

Child: Davis Elkins (Harvard University)

Paul Coverdell 1939–2000

US senator from Georgia, former Peace Corps director

Attended until 1961

Also attended: Georgia State University

Neal Edward Smith 1920–2021

Iowa congressman, served in the House 1959–1995

Also attended: Drake University

Ike Skelton 1931–2013

Missouri congressman, House Armed Services chairman

Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1956

George Scratchley Brown 1918–1978

Air Force general, eighth Chairman of Joint Chiefs

Also attended: The United States Military Academy at West Point

Forrest C. Donnell 1884–1980

40th governor of Missouri and US senator

Juris Doctor · Class of 1907

James F. Hinkle 1862–1951

6th Governor of New Mexico and banker

William J. Stone 1848–1918

28th governor of Missouri and US senator

Roscoe C. Patterson 1876–1954

US Senator from Missouri

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

James P. Kem 1890–1965

US Senator from Missouri, 1947 to 1953

Attended until 1910

Also attended: Harvard University

Thomas B. Catron 1840–1921

One of New Mexico's first US senators

Frank P. Briggs 1894–1992

Missouri US senator who succeeded Harry Truman

William L. Hungate 1922–2007

U.S. Representative from Missouri and federal judge

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

Kenny Hulshof 1958–

Former US Representative from Missouri and lawyer

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1980

Also attended: University of Mississippi

Pietro Fiocchi 1964–

Italian entrepreneur and politician

Edward V. Long 1908–1972

Former U.S. Senator from Missouri

Also attended: Culver-Stockton College

Lin Chun-hsien 1965–

Taiwanese legislator and DPP member

Master of Business Administration

Yao Leeh-ter 1962–

Taiwanese engineer and former deputy education minister

Christine Tsung 1948–

Businesswoman and former Taiwan economic affairs minister

Lai Feng-wei 1953–

Former magistrate of Penghu County

Doctorate, Master's degree · Department of Industrial Management

Tien Chung-chin 1899–1977

Judge and politician who led Taiwan's Judicial Yuan

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Tony Wong 1948–2009

Ontario legislator and lawyer born in Hong Kong

Computer science

Also attended: University of San Diego

James Shen 1909–2007

Diplomat; last Taiwan ambassador to the US before 1979

Sam Walton 1918–1992

Co-founder of Walmart and Sam's Club

Spouse: Helen Walton (University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus)

Child: Alice Walton (Trinity University)

Stan Kroenke 1947–

Owner of Arsenal, Los Angeles Rams and other teams

Spouse: Ann Walton Kroenke (Lincoln University)

Child: Josh Kroenke (University of Missouri-Columbia)

Kenneth Lay 1942–2006

Former chairman and CEO of Enron

Also attended: University of Houston

Andrew Cherng 1947–

Founder and chairman of Panda Restaurant Group

Also attended: Baker University

Jason Chen 1960–

Chairman and CEO of Acer

Barbara McClintock 1902–1992

Cytogeneticist and 1983 Nobel Prize winner

Also attended: Cornell University

Frederick Chapman Robbins 1916–2003

Pediatrician and virologist

Also attended: Harvard University

Harlow Shapley 1885–1972

Astronomer and head of Harvard College Observatory

Attended until 1911

Also attended: Princeton University

Spouse: Martha Betz Shapley (University of Missouri-Columbia, Bryn Mawr College)

Child: Mildred Shapley Matthews (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor)

David McClelland 1917–1998

Psychologist known for motivation need theory

Also attended: Wesleyan University

Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann 1916–2010

German political scientist, spiral of silence theorist

Linda M. Godwin 1952–

Retired NASA astronaut

Also attended: Southeast Missouri State University

Virginia E. Johnson 1925–2013

Sexologist of the Masters and Johnson team

Also attended: Drury University, University of Missouri--Kansas City, Washington University in St Louis

Spouse: William H. Masters (Hamilton College, University of Rochester)

Eugenie Scott 1945–

Physical anthropologist opposing creationism teaching

Also attended: University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee

Charles Stark Draper 1901–1987

Father of inertial navigation; founded MIT Instrumentation Laboratory

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University

Anna J. Harrison 1912–1998

Organic chemist, first female president of the ACS

Doctor of Philosophy · Physical chemistry

Richard N. Richards 1946–

Former NASA astronaut and naval officer

Also attended: University of West Florida

Thomas Jefferson Jackson See 1866–1962

American astronomer whose theories were later disproven

Attended until 1889

Walter Dandy 1886–1946

Neurosurgeon, a founding father of neurosurgery

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

William F. Baker 1953–

Structural engineer of the Burj Khalifa

Benjamin Anderson 1886–1949

Economist of the Austrian School

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Columbia University in the City of New York

Craig Tracy 1945–2026

Mathematician, co-developer of the Tracy–Widom distribution

Also attended: Stony Brook University

Svitlana Mayboroda 1981–

Ukrainian mathematician and professor

Gerald Jerry Fishman 1943–

Astrophysicist specializing in gamma-ray astronomy

Also attended: Rice University

Suisheng Zhao 1954–

University of Denver professor of Chinese politics

Also attended: University of California-San Diego

Brad Pitt 1963–

Actor and producer, two-time Academy Award winner

Spouse: Angelina Jolie (New York University)

Spouse: Jennifer Aniston (CUNY LaGuardia Community College)

Tennessee Williams 1911–1983

Playwright and screenwriter

Also attended: University of Iowa, Washington University in St Louis, The New School

George C. Scott 1927–1999

Actor, film director and producer

Spouse: Colleen Dewhurst (American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York)

Spouse: Trish Van Devere (Ohio Wesleyan University)

Sheryl Crow 1962–

Singer-songwriter, producer and guitarist

Richard Matheson 1926–2013

Author of I Am Legend and screenwriter

Child: Chris Matheson (University of California-Los Angeles)

Chris Cooper 1951–

Actor known for Lonesome Dove

Tom Berenger 1949–

Actor who won a Golden Globe for Platoon

Jon Hamm 1971–

Actor known for Don Draper in Mad Men

Bachelor of Arts · English

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Kate Capshaw 1953–

Actress in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom

Spouse: Steven Spielberg (California State University--Long Beach)

Child: Jessica Capshaw (Brown University)

Robert Loggia 1930–2015

Actor, Oscar nominee for Jagged Edge

Journalism · Attended until 1951

Also attended: Northwestern University, Wagner College

David Koechner 1962–

Actor and comedian

Also attended: Benedictine College

John Edward Williams 1922–1994

Author of Stoner and Augustus

Also attended: University of Denver

Jeffery Deaver 1950–

Mystery and crime novelist

Also attended: Fordham University

Edgar Snow 1905–1972

Journalist who reported on China's communist revolution

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Helen Foster Snow (University of Utah)

Hayley McFarland 1991–

Actress known for Lie to Me

Phyllis Smith 1949–

Actress in The Office and Inside Out

Also attended: University of Missouri--St. Louis

Margaret Weis 1948–

Fantasy author, co-creator of Dragonlance

James Rollins 1961–

Thriller novelist and former veterinarian

Kelly Stables 1978–

Actress in Superstore and Two and a Half Men

Bachelor's degree · Communication studies

Lee Strobel 1952–

Christian author and former investigative journalist

Also attended: Yale University, Harvard University

Chris Connor 1927–2009

American jazz singer

Brent Briscoe 1961–2017

Character actor and screenwriter, played JJ on Parks and Recreation

Mort Walker 1923–2018

Cartoonist, creator of Beetle Bailey

James Lee Burke 1936–

Author of the Dave Robicheaux series

Also attended: University of Louisiana--Lafayette

Child: Alafair Burke (Reed College, Stanford University)

Al Lowe 1946–

Game designer who created Leisure Suit Larry

Melanie Paxson 1972–

Actress known for Cupid and Happy Family

Allen Steele 1958–

Science fiction writer and journalist

Also attended: New England College

William Manchester 1922–2004

Author, journalist and historian

Master of Arts · Class of 1947

Also attended: University of Massachusetts-Amherst

Cleo King 1962–

Actress known for Mike & Molly

Jim Lehrer 1934–2020

PBS NewsHour anchor and presidential debate moderator

Also attended: Victoria College

Spouse: Kate Lehrer (Texas Christian University)

Rex Everhart 1920–2000

Actor who appeared in the 1978 film Superman

Eugene Field 1850–1895

Writer known for children's poetry and humorous essays

Also attended: Knox College, Williams College

Brent Huff 1961–

Actor, writer and director in The Rookie

Steve Gerber 1947–2008

Comic writer, creator of Marvel's Howard the Duck

Also attended: University of Missouri--St. Louis

Ed Sanders 1939–

Poet, activist and member of the Fugs

Suniti Namjoshi 1941–

Indian poet and fabulist

Dorothy B. Hughes 1904–1993

Crime novelist and literary critic

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Beatriz Sheridan 1934–2006

Mexican actress and director

Marijane Meaker 1927–2022

American writer who also wrote as Vin Packer

Jake Adelstein 1969–

Journalist and author of Tokyo Vice

Philosophy · Attended until 1988

Elizabeth Vargas 1962–

Television journalist, former ABC 20/20 anchor

Spouse: Marc Cohn (Oberlin College)

Louie Psihoyos 1957–

Photographer and documentary film director

Ibtisam Barakat 1963–

Palestinian-American author and poet

Neal E. Boyd 1975–2018

Opera singer, winner of America's Got Talent season 3

Also attended: The New England Conservatory of Music, Southeast Missouri State University

Ike Amadi 1979–

Voice actor in Halo and Mortal Kombat games

Also attended: University of Missouri--Kansas City

Chris Crawford 1950–

Video game designer and writer

Also attended: University of California-Davis

Ying Da 1960–

Chinese actor and director

Hollington Tong 1887–1971

Chinese journalist and diplomat

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Feng Xiliang 1920–2006

Chinese journalist

Raymond R. Wong 1937–

Hong Kong journalist

Also attended: Stanford University

Ma Hsin-yeh 1909–1991

Journalist, educator and diplomat known as King of Journalism

Lindsey Vonn 1984–

Alpine skier, four-time World Cup overall champion

Spouse: Thomas Vonn (St. Lawrence University)

Evan Bourne 1983–

Professional wrestler, ring name Matt Sydal

Linas Kleiza 1985–

Lithuanian basketball player and executive

Christian Cantwell 1980–

Shot put world champion, 2008 Olympic silver medalist

Spouse: Teri Steer (Southern Methodist University)

Jackson Scholz 1897–1986

Olympic sprinter and author

Jordan Clarkson 1992–

NBA player for the New York Knicks

Also attended: University of Tulsa

Michael Porter Jr. 1998–

NBA basketball player

Sibling: Jontay Porter (University of Missouri-Columbia)

Tyron Woodley 1982–

Former UFC Welterweight Champion

Bachelor's degree · Agricultural economics · Class of 2005

DeMarre Carroll 1986–

Former NBA player and assistant coach

Also attended: Vanderbilt University

Sophie Cunningham 1996–

WNBA player for the Indiana Fever

Gene Snitsky 1970–

Professional wrestler and actor, formerly with WWE

J'den Cox 1995–

Freestyle wrestler and Olympic bronze medalist

Ben Askren 1984–

Olympic wrestler and former MMA champion

Geography · Attended until 2007

Sammie Henson 1971–

Wrestler, 2000 Olympic silver medalist

Larry Drew 1958–

NBA assistant coach and former player

Child: Larry Drew II (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)

Chidi Imoh 1963–

Nigerian sprinter, Olympic relay silver medalist

Michael Chandler 1986–

Professional mixed martial artist

Bachelor's degree · Financial literacy · Class of 2009

Michael Sam 1990–

Former football defensive lineman and coach

Natasha Kaiser-Brown 1967–

400m sprinter and University of Missouri head track coach

Max Scherzer 1984–

MLB pitcher nicknamed "Mad Max"

Carl Edwards 1979–

Former professional NASCAR stock car racing driver

Ajayi Agbebaku 1955–

Nigerian Olympic triple jumper

Ian Kinsler 1982–

Former MLB second baseman for 14 seasons

Also attended: Arizona State University-Tempe, Central Arizona College

David Freese 1983–

Former MLB third baseman

Also attended: University of South Alabama

Phil Pressey 1991–

Basketball player and Maine Celtics head coach

Father: Paul Pressey (University of Tulsa)

Keyon Dooling 1980–

Former NBA player with 13 seasons

Dan Pippin 1926–1965

Basketball player, captain of 1952 Olympic team

Roman Sludnov 1980–

Russian breaststroke swimmer

Stefan Janković 1993–

Serbian-Canadian professional basketball player

Grigoriy Oparin 1997–

Russian-American chess grandmaster

Steve Stipanovich 1960–

Former NBA center from University of Missouri

Yusuf Alli 1960–

Nigerian long jumper and three-time Olympian

Kobe Brown 2000–

NBA player for the Indiana Pacers

Dru Smith 1997–

NBA player for the Miami Heat

Also attended: University of Evansville

Anthony Peeler 1969–

Former NBA player known for defense

Karmen Bruus 2005–

Estonian high jumper, 2022 U20 world champion

Clay Johnson 1956–

Former NBA guard for the Lakers and SuperSonics

Dick Cochran 1938–

Discus thrower, 1960 Olympic bronze medalist

Troy Hudson 1976–

Former NBA point guard

Also attended: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Kareem Rush 1980–

Former NBA basketball player

Sibling: Brandon Rush (University of Kansas)

John Brown 1951–

Former NBA forward from University of Missouri

Doug Smith 1969–

Former pro basketball player, sixth pick in 1991 NBA draft

Karissa Schweizer 1996–

Long-distance runner and Olympian

Jon Sundvold 1961–

Former NBA guard, 1983 first-round pick

Melvin Booker 1972–

Former professional basketball point guard

Child: Devin Booker (University of Kentucky)