Notable Alumni of Rice University

Annise Parker 1956–

61st Mayor of Houston

Alberto Gonzales 1955–

80th United States Attorney General

Also attended: Harvard University

Glenn Youngkin 1966–

74th Governor of Virginia, former Carlyle Group co-CEO

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering · Class of 1990

Also attended: Harvard University

Jim Bridenstine 1975–

13th NASA administrator and former congressman

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1998

Also attended: Cornell University

Josh Earnest 1975–

White House press secretary under Obama

George P. Bush 1976–

Former Texas land commissioner

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Father: Jeb Bush (The University of Texas at Austin)

John Kline 1947–

Former U.S. representative from Minnesota

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1969

Also attended: Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania

William Reynolds Archer 1928–2026

Lawyer and politician

Attended until 1946

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Ben Rhodes 1977–

Former Deputy National Security Advisor under Obama

Also attended: New York University

Sibling: David Rhodes (Rice University)

Pete Olson 1962–

U.S. Representative from Texas, 2009–2021

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1985

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Dominic Lee Tsz-king 1984–

Hong Kong Legislative Council member, New People's Party

Charles Duncan, Jr. 1926–2022

Second US Secretary of Energy

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Howard Hughes 1905–1976

Aviator, business magnate and film producer

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Spouse: Jean Peters (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Ohio State University-Main Campus)

Father: Howard R. Hughes Sr. (Iowa State University, University of Iowa)

Maryana Iskander 1975–

Former CEO of the Wikimedia Foundation

Bachelor's degree · Sociology · Class of 1997

Also attended: Yale University

Steve Jackson 1953–

Game designer behind GURPS and Munchkin

Fred Chase Koch 1900–1967

Founder of the refinery firm that became Koch Industries

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Child: Charles Koch (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Child: David Koch (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Ali Koç 1967–

Turkish businessman from the Koç family

Also attended: Harvard University

Father: Rahmi Koç (Johns Hopkins University)

John Doerr 1951–

Venture capitalist at Kleiner Perkins

Also attended: Harvard University

Hector Ruiz 1945–

Former CEO of Advanced Micro Devices

Also attended: The University of Texas at Austin

Tim League

Founder of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

Brian Armstrong 1983–

Co-founder and CEO of Coinbase

Robert Wilson 1936–

Astronomer and 1978 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1957

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Robert Curl 1933–2022

Chemist and professor at Rice University

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Louis E. Brus 1943–2026

Chemist and co-discoverer of quantum dots

Bachelor of Science · Chemical physics · Class of 1965

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Peggy Whitson 1960–

Astronaut and biochemist, former NASA chief astronaut

Doctor of Philosophy · Biochemistry · Class of 1985

Also attended: Iowa Wesleyan University

Dennis Sullivan 1941–

Mathematician known for algebraic and geometric topology

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: Princeton University

Shannon Walker 1965–

Former NASA astronaut and physicist

Janice E. Voss 1956–2012

NASA astronaut who flew in space five times

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University-Main Campus

Jiankui He 1984–

Biophysicist who first used genome editing in humans

Doctor of Philosophy · Biophysics · Class of 2010

Also attended: Stanford University

Tamara E. Jernigan 1959–

Former NASA astronaut, five Space Shuttle missions

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Stanford University

Spouse: Peter Wisoff (University of Virginia-Main Campus, Stanford University)

Takao Doi 1954–

Japanese astronaut and engineer

Herman Daly 1938–2022

Ecological economist and former World Bank senior economist

Also attended: Vanderbilt University

John Danny Olivas 1966–

Former NASA astronaut, two space shuttle missions

Master's degree · Mechanical engineering · Class of 1996

Also attended: University of Houston, University of Texas--El Paso

Jeffrey A. Hoffman 1944–

Former NASA astronaut and MIT professor

Also attended: Amherst College, Harvard University

Henry M. Morris 1918–2006

Young Earth creationist, Institute for Creation Research cofounder

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

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

James H. Newman 1956–

Former NASA astronaut on four Space Shuttle missions

Also attended: Dartmouth College

Krystyna Kuperberg 1944–

Polish-American mathematician and Auburn University professor

Child: Greg Kuperberg (University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University)

James E. Gunn 1938–

Astronomer, Princeton professor of astronomy

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Spouse: Gillian R. Knapp (University of Maryland-College Park)

John S. Bull 1934–2008

Navy test pilot and NASA astronaut

Also attended: Stanford University

E. D. Hirsch 1928–

Educator, literary critic and theorist

Also attended: Cornell University, The University of Texas at Austin

Joyce Carol Oates 1938–

Writer

Also attended: University of Detroit Mercy, Syracuse University, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spouse: Raymond J. Smith (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Candace Bushnell 1958–

Author of Sex and the City

Also attended: New York University

Larry McMurtry 1936–2021

Novelist, essayist and screenwriter

Master of Arts · English studies · Class of 1960

Also attended: University of North Texas

Elizabeth Moon 1945–

Science fiction and fantasy writer

Peter Masterson 1934–2018

American actor, director, producer and writer

Child: Mary Stuart Masterson (New York University)

James Craig 1912–1985

Actor in Kitty Foyle and MGM films

Jeff Abbott 1963–

Author of mysteries and thrillers

Lynn Harrell 1944–2020

American classical cellist

Also attended: The Juilliard School, Curtis Institute of Music

Father: Mack Harrell (The Juilliard School, Oklahoma City University)

Caroline Shaw 1982–

Composer, violinist and singer

Also attended: Yale University, Princeton University

Elizabeth Avellán Ochoa 1960–

Film producer

Spouse: Robert Rodriguez (The University of Texas at Austin)

Lola Astanova 1982–

Uzbek-born American pianist

Annie Lin 1980–

Taiwanese-American songwriter and entertainment lawyer

Joe Wong 1970–

Chinese American comedian with a biochemistry PhD

Steve Sailer 1958–

Far-right political writer and blogger

Bachelor of Arts · History, Economics · Class of 1980

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

William Broyles, Jr. 1944–

Screenwriter and former Marine Corps officer

E. Fay Jones 1921–2004

Architect, AIA Gold Medalist and Wright apprentice

Also attended: University of Arkansas

Gus Sorola 1978–

Actor and podcast host

John Graves 1920–2013

Writer, author of Goodbye to a River

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Fred Hansen 1940–

1964 Olympic pole vault gold medalist

Harold Solomon 1952–

Former professional tennis player

Sibling: Shelley Solomon (Nova Southeastern University)

Ricky Pierce 1959–

Former NBA player, two-time Sixth Man of the Year

Kareem Streete-Thompson 1973–

Caymanian long jump and sprint athlete

Morris Almond 1985–

Former professional basketball player

Heather McDermid 1968–

Canadian rower

Suleiman Braimoh 1989–

Nigerian professional basketball player

David Roberts 1951–

Pole vaulter, 1976 Olympic bronze medalist

Anthony Rendon 1990–

MLB third baseman for the Nationals and Angels

Allison Beckford 1979–

Jamaican 400 metres sprinter

Lance Berkman 1976–

Former MLB player and college baseball coach

Funmi Jimoh 1984–

Long jumper at the 2008 Olympics

Mike Wilks 1979–

Former pro basketball player, Thunder assistant coach

David Aardsma 1981–

Former Major League Baseball pitcher

Also attended: The Pennsylvania State University, The Pennsylvania State University

Philip Humber 1982–

Former Major League Baseball pitcher

Brock Holt 1988–

Former MLB utility player for Red Sox

Chris Boswell 1991–

Placekicker for the NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers

Luke Willson 1990–

Canadian NFL tight end, Super Bowl XLVIII champion

O. J. Brigance 1969–2026

Linebacker, Super Bowl XXXV champion with Ravens

Vance McDonald 1990–

Former NFL tight end for eight seasons

José Cruz, Jr. 1974–

Puerto Rican former professional baseball outfielder

Bubba Crosby 1976–

Former MLB outfielder for the Dodgers and Yankees

Larry Izzo 1974–

NFL special teams coordinator and former linebacker

N. D. Kalu 1975–

Former NFL defensive end who played for Rice

Mariah Riddlesprigger 1992–

Former volleyball player, wife of Giannis Antetokounmpo

William Luther Pierce 1933–2002

Neo-Nazi and white nationalist activist

Bachelor of Science · Physics · Class of 1955

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, University of Colorado Boulder

René Henry Gracida 1923–2026

Catholic bishop of Corpus Christi, 1983–1997

Also attended: Saint Vincent Seminary, University of Houston