Notable Alumni of Utah State University

Harry Reid 1939–2021

US senator from Nevada from 1987 to 2017

Attended until 1961

Also attended: George Washington University, Southern Utah University

Hesham Qandil 1962–

Former Prime Minister of Egypt, engineer

Also attended: North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Spencer Cox 1975–

18th Governor of Utah

Bachelor of Arts · Political science

Also attended: Snow College

Ezra Taft Benson 1899–1994

US Secretary of Agriculture and 13th LDS Church president

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Iowa State University, Brigham Young University-Provo

Mike Simpson 1950–

US Representative for Idaho's 2nd district

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1972

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Ardeshir Zahedi 1928–2021

Former Iranian foreign minister and ambassador to US

Paula Hawkins 1927–2009

Florida's first female US Senator

Norah Al Faiz 1954–

Saudi Arabia's first female cabinet-level official

Evan Mecham 1924–2008

17th Governor of Arizona and businessman

Also attended: Arizona State University-Tempe

Chris Stewart 1960–

Former US representative from Utah and author

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1984

Kenny Guinn 1936–2010

27th Governor of Nevada

Also attended: California State University--Fresno

Sonia Johnson 1936–

Feminist activist and writer

Richard H. Stallings 1940–2025

Former U.S. Representative from Idaho

Also attended: Colorado College, Weber State University

William Marion Jardine 1879–1955

Secretary of Agriculture and minister to Egypt

K. Gunn McKay 1925–2000

US Congressman from Utah

Also attended: Weber State University

Elizabeth Dowdeswell 1944–

29th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario

Laurence J. Burton 1926–2002

US Representative from Utah

Also attended: George Washington University, University of Utah, Weber State University

George Dewey Clyde 1898–1972

10th Governor of Utah

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Nolan Bushnell 1943–

Founder of Atari and Chuck E. Cheese

Also attended: University of Utah

Sondhi Limthongkul 1947–

Thai media mogul and political activist

Master of Arts · Study of history

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Lars Peter Hansen 1952–

University of Chicago economist, 2013 Nobel laureate

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Mary L. Cleave 1947–2023

Engineer and NASA astronaut

Master of Science, Doctorate · Microbial ecology, Environmental engineering · Class of 1979

Also attended: Colorado State University-Fort Collins

Arthur Cronquist 1919–1992

Botanist who formulated the Cronquist system

Also attended: Idaho State University, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

James L. Reveal 1941–2015

Botanist known for work on genus Eriogonum

Mary Higby Schweitzer 1955–

Paleontologist who found soft tissue in dinosaur fossils

Also attended: Montana State University

Shang Fa Yang 1932–2007

Biochemist and botanist, UC Davis professor

Julia F. Knight 1940–

Mathematician, professor at University of Notre Dame

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

George Piranian 1914–2009

Mathematician known for complex analysis

Also attended: Rice University

Christine Cavanaugh 1963–2014

Voice actress, original voice of Chuckie in Rugrats

Steven Ford 1956–

Actor, youngest son of President Gerald Ford

Also attended: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

Father: Gerald Ford (Yale University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary)

Mother: Betty Ford (Bennington College)

Mark Walton 1968–

Storyboard artist, voice actor and animator

Peter "Navy" Tuiasosopo 1963–2025

Actor and football player, E. Honda in Street Fighter

R. D. Call 1950–2020

Film and television actor

Also attended: Weber State University

Rick Bass 1958–

Writer and environmental activist

Larry Correia 1977–

Fantasy and science fiction writer

Kit Armstrong 1992–

Pianist, composer and organist

Also attended: Chapman University, Curtis Institute of Music

May Swenson 1913–1989

American poet and playwright

Bachelor's degree · Class of 1934

Jaycee Carroll 1983–

Naturalized Azerbaijani former professional basketball player

Jay Silvester 1937–

Discus thrower and four-time Olympian

Sam Merrill 1996–

NBA player, Milwaukee Bucks champion

Neemias Queta 1999–

Portuguese basketball player for the Boston Celtics

Dick Motta 1931–

NBA coach, won 1978 championship with Washington Bullets

Bryan Fletcher 1986–

Nordic combined skier

Alice McKennis 1989–

Former World Cup alpine ski racer

Phil Johnson 1941–

Former professional basketball coach

Ime Akpan 1972–

Nigerian hurdler and 1996 Olympian

Also attended: Arizona State University-Tempe

Max Shulga 2002–

Ukrainian basketball player for Real Madrid

Spencer Butterfield 1992–

Professional basketball player

Jim Boatwright 1951–2013

Basketball player, two-time EuroLeague champion with Maccabi Tel Aviv

Freddy Deeb 1955–

Lebanese-born professional poker player

Spencer Nelson 1980–

Former professional basketball player for Azerbaijan

Desmond Penigar 1981–

Former professional power forward

Shaler Halimon 1945–2021

American basketball player

LaDonna Antoine-Watkins 1974–

Canadian sprinter and two-time Olympian

Donald Penn 1983–

Former NFL offensive tackle

Boyd K. Packer 1924–2015

President of the LDS Church's Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Brigham Young University-Provo, Weber State University

Quentin L. Cook 1940–

Member of the LDS Church Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Also attended: Stanford University

L. Tom Perry 1922–2015

Member of the LDS Church Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Mark Hofmann 1954–

Forger and convicted murderer