Notable Alumni of Ohio University-Main Campus

George Voinovich 1936–2016

Former Ohio governor and U.S. senator

Bachelor of Arts · Government · Class of 1958

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Thomas Ewing 1789–1871

Ohio Whig politician

Child: Charles Ewing (University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Child: Thomas Ewing Jr. (Brown University)

Edward James Roye 1815–1872

Fifth President of Liberia

Kao Kim Hourn 1966–

ASEAN Secretary-General; founder of University of Cambodia

Also attended: University of Hawaii at Manoa, Baylor University

Wilson Shannon 1803–1877

14th and 16th governor of Ohio

Also attended: Transylvania University

Kamil Idris 1954–

Prime minister of Sudan; former WIPO director general

Mohammad Eslami 1956–

Iranian vice president, head of Atomic Energy Organization

William Sharon 1821–1885

Nevada senator and banker

Samuel S. Cox 1824–1889

U.S. congressman and ambassador to the Ottoman Empire

Also attended: Brown University

Hsu Shu-hsiang 1961–

Vice President of Taiwan's Examination Yuan

Also attended: Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Roger Ailes 1940–2017

Chairman and CEO of Fox News

Bachelor of Arts

Byrraju Ramalinga Raju 1954–

Founder of Satyam Computer Services

Also attended: Harvard University

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan 1952–

Structural biologist, 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Doctor of Philosophy · Physics · Class of 1976

Also attended: University of California-San Diego, Ohio State University-Main Campus

Sibling: Lalita Ramakrishnan (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Tufts University)

Marie Tharp 1920–2006

Oceanographic cartographer who mapped the Atlantic ocean floor

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

Fred Singer 1924–2020

Atmospheric physicist, University of Virginia professor emeritus

Also attended: Princeton University, Ohio State University-Main Campus

Zheng Ji 1900–2010

Nutritionist, founder of modern nutrition science in China

Also attended: Yale University

Harold E. Robinson 1932–2020

American botanist and entomologist

Bachelor of Science · Zoology, Botany · Class of 1955

Also attended: Duke University, The University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Paul Newman 1925–2008

Actor, filmmaker, racecar driver and philanthropist

Also attended: Yale University, Kenyon College

Spouse: Joanne Woodward (Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

Child: Nell Newman (College of the Atlantic)

Ed O'Neill 1946–

Actor and former football player

Also attended: Youngstown State University

Roy Lichtenstein 1923–1997

Leading Pop Art painter

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Child: Mitchell Lichtenstein (Yale University, Bennington College)

Richard Dean Anderson 1950–

Actor, lead of MacGyver

Also attended: Saint Cloud State University

Logan Paul 1995–

YouTuber, professional wrestler and boxer

Nancy Cartwright 1957–

Voice actress of Bart Simpson

Attended until 1977

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Piper Perabo 1976–

Actress known for Coyote Ugly

Bachelor's degree · Theatre

Eileen Heckart 1919–2001

Stage and screen actress, Academy Award winner

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Rob Garrison 1960–2019

Actor known for Tommy in The Karate Kid

Tony Musante 1936–2013

Actor known for the TV series Toma

Also attended: Northwestern University, Oberlin College

Arsenio Hall 1956–

Comedian, actor and talk show host

Jenny Holzer 1950–

Neo-conceptual artist

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: University of Chicago, Rhode Island School of Design

Betty Thomas 1948–

Actress and director of Hill Street Blues

Jim Dine 1935–

Painter, sculptor and printmaker

Also attended: University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Matthew Glave 1963–

Actor known for The Wedding Singer

Spouse: Anita Barone (University of Detroit Mercy, Wayne State University)

Ilmar Raag 1968–

Estonian film director and screenwriter, The Class

Ronny Yu 1950–

Hong Kong film director, producer and screenwriter

Vanessa Bell Calloway 1957–

Actress known for Coming to America

Tommy Lee Wallace 1949–

Film director of Halloween III: Season of the Witch

Spouse: Nancy Kyes (Northwestern University)

Patti Harrison 1990–

Actress and comedian

Edward Lachman 1948–

Cinematographer with four Oscar nominations

Also attended: Harvard University

Joe Eszterhas 1944–

Hungarian-American screenwriter and writer

David Smith 1906–1965

Abstract expressionist sculptor and painter

Jonathan Freeman 1950–

Actor, voice of Jafar in Aladdin

Matt Lauer 1957–

Former NBC Today show news anchor

Telecommunications

Bernadette Sanou Dao 1952–

Burkinabé author and politician

Jerry Heller 1940–2016

Music manager of N.W.A and Eazy-E

Also attended: University of Southern California

Zakes Mda 1948–

South African novelist, poet and playwright

Thomas F. Duffy 1955–

Actor who appeared in Death Wish II

Nujoom Al-Ghanem 1962–

Emirati film director, poet and writer

Chris Hondros 1970–2011

War photographer, twice Pulitzer finalist

Also attended: North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Maureen F. McHugh 1959–

Science fiction writer, author of China Mountain Zhang

Jo Andres 1954–2019

Choreographer, filmmaker and artist

Spouse: Steve Buscemi (Nassau Community College)

Keith McDermott 1953–

Actor, theater director and writer

Sansan Chien 1967–2011

Taiwanese contemporary classical composer

Also attended: University of Toledo

Abyss 1973–

Professional wrestler

Maurice Ndour 1992–

Senegalese professional basketball player

Also attended: Monroe University

Lester Carney 1934–

Sprinter, 1960 Olympic 200 m silver medalist

Maximilien Chastanet 1996–

French fencer, 2024 Olympic team foil bronze medalist

Mike Schmidt 1949–

Phillies third baseman, three-time NL MVP

D. J. Cooper 1990–

Professional basketball player

Brandon Hunter 1980–2023

Former NBA player drafted by the Celtics in 2003

Frank Baumholtz 1918–1997

Baseball and basketball player, MLB outfielder

Mike Schuler 1940–2022

Former NBA head coach of Trail Blazers, Clippers

Alex Pacheco 1958–

Animal rights activist and PETA co-founder

Also attended: George Washington University