Notable Alumni of Northwest University

Brad Klippert 1957–

Former Washington state representative

George McGovern 1922–2012

Former US Senator from South Dakota

Also attended: Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Northwestern University, Dakota Wesleyan University

Rahm Emanuel 1959–

Politician, diplomat and former US representative

Also attended: Northwestern University, Sarah Lawrence College

Sibling: Ari Emanuel (Macalester College)

Sibling: Ezekiel Emanuel (Amherst College, Harvard University)

JB Pritzker 1965–

43rd governor of Illinois, businessman

Also attended: Northwestern University, Duke University

Father: Donald Pritzker (University of Chicago, Harvard University)

Sibling: Penny Pritzker (Harvard University, Stanford University)

John Hoeven 1957–

U.S. senator from North Dakota, former governor

Also attended: Northwestern University, Dartmouth College, Minot State University

Pramila Jayapal 1965–

U.S. representative from Washington's 7th district

Also attended: Georgetown University, Northwestern University

Charlie Baker 1956–

NCAA president and former Massachusetts governor

Also attended: Northwestern University, Harvard University

Father: Charles D. Baker (Harvard University)

Hugh Hefner 1926–2017

Founder of Playboy magazine

Also attended: School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University

Spouse: Crystal Harris (San Diego State University)

Child: Cooper Hefner (Chapman University)

Jerry Reinsdorf 1936–

Owner of the Chicago Bulls and White Sox

Also attended: George Washington University, Northwestern University

Andrew Fastow 1961–

Former chief financial officer of Enron

Also attended: Northwestern University, Tufts University

Robert Malone 1960–

Physician and biochemist known for early mRNA research

Also attended: University of California-Davis, University of California-San Diego, Northwestern University

Natalie Grant 1971–

Contemporary Christian music singer-songwriter

David Bazan 1976–

Indie rock singer-songwriter

Saul Bellow 1915–2005

Writer and 1976 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate

Also attended: University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spouse: Alexandra Bellow (Yale University)

Charlton Heston 1923–2008

Hollywood actor and political activist

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Lydia Clarke (Northwestern University)

Warren Beatty 1937–

Actor, filmmaker and Academy Award winner

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Annette Bening (San Diego Mesa College, San Francisco State University)

Child: Ella Beatty (The Juilliard School)

Zooey Deschanel 1980–

Actress and singer

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Ben Gibbard (Western Washington University)

Father: Caleb Deschanel (University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University)

Cindy Crawford 1966–

Supermodel and actress

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Richard Gere (University of Massachusetts-Amherst)

Spouse: Rande Gerber (University of Arizona)

Garry Marshall 1934–2016

Screenwriter, director, producer and actor

Also attended: Northwestern University

Sibling: Penny Marshall (University of New Mexico-Main Campus)

Patricia Neal 1926–2010

Actress, Academy Award winner for Hud

Also attended: Northwestern University

Child: Ophelia Dahl (Wellesley College)

David Schwimmer 1966–

Actor, known as Ross in Friends

Also attended: Northwestern University

Jennifer Jones 1919–2009

Film actress

Also attended: Northwestern University, American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York

Spouse: Norton Simon (University of California-Berkeley)

Spouse: Robert Walker (American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York)

Pharrell Williams 1973–

Record producer, singer and fashion designer

Also attended: Northwestern University

Stephen Colbert 1964–

Comedian and host of CBS The Late Show

Also attended: Northwestern University, Hampden-Sydney College

America Ferrera 1984–

Actress, Emmy and Golden Globe winner

Also attended: University of Southern California, American University, Northwestern University

Spouse: Ryan Piers Williams (The University of Texas at Austin)

Cloris Leachman 1926–2021

Actress and comedian, Academy Award winner

Also attended: Illinois State University, Northwestern University

Spouse: George Englund (University of California-Los Angeles)

Laura Linney 1964–

Actress, four-time Primetime Emmy winner

Also attended: Northwestern University, The Juilliard School, Brown University

Father: Romulus Linney (Yale University, Oberlin College)

Ann-Margret 1941–

Actress, dancer and singer

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Roger Smith (University of Arizona)

Julia Louis-Dreyfus 1961–

Actress, comedian and producer

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Brad Hall (Northwestern University)

Father: Gérard Louis-Dreyfus (Duke University)

Zach Braff 1975–

Actor and filmmaker

Also attended: Northwestern University

Sibling: Jessica Kirson (University of Maryland-College Park, New York University)

Richard Kind 1956–

American actor and comedian

Also attended: Northwestern University

Dermot Mulroney 1963–

American actor and musician

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Catherine Keener (Wheaton College (MA))

Veronica Roth 1988–

Author of the Divergent trilogy

Also attended: Northwestern University

Jerry Springer 1944–2023

Host of The Jerry Springer Show

Also attended: Northwestern University, Tulane University of Louisiana

Jeri Ryan 1968–

Actress known as Seven of Nine in Star Trek

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Jack Ryan (Harvard University, Dartmouth College)

Kristen Schaal 1978–

Actress and comedian, voice of Louise in Bob's Burgers

Also attended: Northwestern University

Marg Helgenberger 1958–

Actress known for television drama roles

Also attended: Northwestern University, University of Nebraska at Kearney

Spouse: Alan Rosenberg (Yale University, Case Western Reserve University)

Seth Meyers 1973–

Host of NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers

Also attended: Northwestern University

Sibling: Josh Meyers (Northwestern University, Northwest University)

Shelley Long 1949–

Actress known as Diane Chambers on Cheers

Also attended: Northwestern University

Megan Mullally 1958–

Actress, Karen Walker in Will & Grace

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Nick Offerman (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)

Jerry Orbach 1935–2004

Actor and singer, Broadway musical leading man

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Northwestern University

Child: Chris Orbach (New York University)

Tony Randall 1920–2004

Actor, comedian and singer

Also attended: Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater

Maude Apatow 1997–

Actress, known for HBO's Euphoria

Also attended: Northwestern University

Father: Judd Apatow (University of Southern California)

Denis O'Hare 1962–

Actor known for True Blood and Dallas Buyers Club

Also attended: Northwestern University

Peter Strauss 1947–

Actor and Emmy winner

Also attended: Northwestern University

Paula Prentiss 1938–

Actress known for Where the Boys Are

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Richard Benjamin (Northwestern University)

Nicole Sullivan 1970–

Actress and comedian, MADtv and King of Queens

Also attended: Northwestern University

Natalie Wynn 1988–

Left-wing YouTuber behind ContraPoints

Also attended: Georgetown University, Northwestern University

Charlotte Rae 1926–2018

Actress known for The Facts of Life

Also attended: Northwestern University

Billy Eichner 1978–

Comedian, actor, creator of Billy on the Street

Also attended: Northwestern University

Katherine MacGregor 1925–2018

Actress, played Harriet Oleson in Little House on the Prairie

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Bert Remsen (Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

Robert Reed 1932–1992

Actor known as Mike Brady in The Brady Bunch

Also attended: Northwestern University

Claude Akins 1926–1994

Actor known for Sheriff Lobo on B.J. and the Bear

Also attended: Northwestern University

McLean Stevenson 1927–1996

American actor and comedian

Also attended: Northwestern University, American Musical and Dramatic Academy

Brian d'Arcy James 1968–

Broadway actor, starred in Shrek the Musical

Also attended: Northwestern University

Bruno Campos 1973–

Brazilian lawyer and former actor

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

Paul Lynde 1926–1982

Comedian and actor, known for Bewitched

Also attended: Northwestern University

Marina Squerciati 1984–

Actress known for Chicago P.D

Also attended: Northwestern University

Josh Meyers 1976–

American actor and comedian

Also attended: Northwestern University

Sibling: Seth Meyers (Northwestern University, Northwest University)

Ira Glass 1959–

Host and producer of This American Life

Also attended: Northwestern University, Brown University

Chet Hanks 1990–

Actor and musician, son of Tom Hanks

Also attended: Northwestern University

Father: Tom Hanks (California State University-Sacramento, Chabot College)

Sibling: Colin Hanks (Chapman University, Loyola Marymount University)

Nicolle Wallace 1972–

Television political commentator, author and news anchor

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Northwestern University

Spouse: Mark Wallace (University of Miami)

Spouse: Michael S. Schmidt (Lafayette College)

Rich Eisen 1969–

NFL Network host and sportscaster

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

Clinton Kelly 1969–

TV personality, author and Emmy winner

Also attended: Northwestern University, Boston College

Lisa Desjardins 1972–

PBS NewsHour political correspondent

Also attended: Northwestern University, College of William and Mary

Phiona Mutesi 1996–

Ugandan chess player

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex 1981–

Duchess of Sussex, former actress

Also attended: Northwestern University

Spouse: Trevor Engelson (University of Southern California)

Mother: Doria Ragland (University of Southern California)