Notable Alumni of Purdue University-Main Campus

Mike Pence 1959–

48th US Vice President, former Indiana governor

Juris Doctor · Class of 1986

Also attended: Hanover College, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Spouse: Karen Pence (Butler University)

Child: Charlotte Pence (DePaul University)

Dan Quayle 1947–

44th Vice President of the United States

Also attended: DePauw University, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Spouse: Marilyn Quayle (Northwestern University, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis)

Child: Ben Quayle (Duke University, Vanderbilt University)

Essam Sharaf 1952–

Former Prime Minister of Egypt, academic

Abigail Spanberger 1979–

75th governor of Virginia, former US representative

Master of Business Administration · Class of 2002

Also attended: University of Virginia-Main Campus

Dan Coats 1943–

5th Director of National Intelligence, former Indiana senator

Juris Doctor · Class of 1971

Also attended: Wheaton College (IL), Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Todd Young 1972–

United States Senator from Indiana

Juris Doctor · Class of 2006

Also attended: University of Chicago, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, United States Naval Academy

Oksana Markarova 1976–

Former Ukrainian ambassador to the US and finance minister

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Indiana University-Bloomington

Paul H. O'Neill 1935–2020

72nd U.S. Secretary of the Treasury

Also attended: California State University--Fresno, Claremont Graduate University, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Marilyn Quayle 1949–

Lawyer, novelist and Second Lady 1989–1993

Also attended: Northwestern University, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Spouse: Dan Quayle (DePauw University, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis)

Child: Ben Quayle (Duke University, Vanderbilt University)

Akinwumi Adesina 1960–

Nigerian economist, former African Development Bank president

Sun Li-jen 1900–1990

National Revolutionary Army general in the Second Sino-Japanese War

Also attended: Virginia Military Institute

Joe Barton 1949–

Former Republican U.S. Representative for Texas

Master of Science · Class of 1973

Also attended: Texas A & M University-College Station

Susan Brooks 1960–

Former U.S. Representative from Indiana

Juris Doctor · Class of 1985

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Miami University-Oxford

Otis R. Bowen 1918–2013

Governor of Indiana and Reagan's health secretary

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Indiana University-Bloomington, Baylor University

Ghassan Hitto 1963–

First head of Syrian opposition interim government

Also attended: Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion

David McKinley 1947–2026

Former US representative from West Virginia

Bachelor of Engineering · Civil engineering · Class of 1969

Julia Carson 1938–2007

Former US Representative from Indiana

Also attended: Purdue University Fort Wayne, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Martin University

Birch Bayh 1928–2019

Former U.S. Senator from Indiana

Bachelor of Science · Agricultural science

Also attended: Indiana State University, Indiana University-Bloomington

Spouse: Marvella Bayh (Indiana State University, Indiana University-Bloomington)

Child: Evan Bayh (Indiana University-Bloomington, University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Jerome Adams 1974–

20th Surgeon General of the United States

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, University of Indianapolis

Earl Butz 1909–2008

Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

Todd Rokita 1970–

Indiana Attorney General, former U.S. representative

Juris Doctor · Class of 1995

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Wabash College

Adnan Kahveci 1949–1993

Turkish politician, co-founder of the Motherland Party

Edgar Whitcomb 1917–2016

43rd Governor of Indiana

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Indiana University-Bloomington

John W. Rose 1965–

U.S. representative for Tennessee's 6th district

Also attended: Tennessee Technological University, Vanderbilt University

Clifford M. Hardin 1915–2010

First University of Nebraska president, US agriculture secretary

Doctor of Philosophy · Economics · Class of 1941

Also attended: Michigan State University, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Curt Clawson 1959–

Former U.S. representative from Florida

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1984

Also attended: Harvard University, University of Utah

Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa 1964–

Indonesian economist and former finance minister

Varsen Aghabekian 1958–

Palestinian minister of foreign affairs and expatriates

Attended until 1983

Also attended: University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus

Mark Chen 1935–

Taiwanese politician and former foreign minister

Doctorate · Class of 1972

Also attended: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Chen Ching-min 1966–

Taiwanese nurse, health scientist and politician

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 2007

Also attended: University of Illinois at Chicago, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Chang Chia-juch 1950–

Former Taiwan economic affairs minister

Also attended: San Jose State University

Herman Cain 1945–2020

Businessman and Tea Party movement activist

Master of Science

Also attended: Morehouse College

Eleanor Lambert 1903–2003

Fashion publicist who promoted American fashion

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Child: Bill Berkson (Columbia University in the City of New York, The New School)

Don Thompson 1963–

Former CEO of McDonald's

Gerald D. Hines 1925–2020

Real estate developer, founder of Hines

Bachelor's degree · Mechanical engineering · Class of 1948

Mok Charles Peter 1964–

Hong Kong internet entrepreneur and former legislator

Chan Wing-kee 1947–

Hong Kong businessman and CPPCC standing committee member

Neil Armstrong 1930–2012

Apollo 11 commander, first person on the Moon

Bachelor of Science · Aeronautics · Class of 1955

Also attended: University of Southern California

Edward Mills Purcell 1912–1997

Physicist, 1952 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate

Also attended: Harvard University

Ben Roy Mottelson 1926–2022

Nuclear physicist, 1975 Nobel laureate in Physics

Also attended: Harvard University

Akira Suzuki 1930–

Japanese chemist and 2010 Nobel laureate

Ward Cunningham 1949–

Developer of the first wiki

Eugene Cernan 1934–2017

NASA astronaut, eleventh person to walk on the Moon

Also attended: Naval Postgraduate School

Gus Grissom 1926–1967

Astronaut, one of the Mercury Seven

Roger Bruce Chaffee 1935–1967

NASA astronaut in the Apollo program

Also attended: Illinois Institute of Technology, United States Naval Academy

Ian Murdock 1973–2015

Founder of the Debian project

Bachelor's degree · Computer science · Class of 1996

Chintamani Nagesa Ramachandra Rao 1934–

Indian solid-state and structural chemist

David Starr Jordan 1851–1931

Ichthyologist and founding president of Stanford University

Also attended: Butler University, Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Indiana University-Bloomington

Child: Edith Jordan Gardner (Cornell University, Stanford University)

Mary Ellen Weber 1962–

Former NASA astronaut

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Southern Methodist University

Janice E. Voss 1956–2012

NASA astronaut who flew in space five times

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rice University

David Wolf 1956–

Retired astronaut, physician and engineer

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Jerry L. Ross 1948–

Former NASA astronaut, seven Space Shuttle missions

Mark L. Polansky 1956–

Former NASA astronaut and research pilot

Andrew J. Feustel 1965–

Former NASA astronaut and geophysicist

Also attended: Oakland Community College

Richard O. Covey 1946–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force officer

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Donald E. Williams 1942–2016

NASA astronaut and naval aviator

Loren Shriver 1944–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force colonel

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Seymour Benzer 1921–2007

Molecular biologist and behavioral geneticist

Also attended: CUNY Brooklyn College

John Casper 1943–

Former astronaut and Air Force pilot

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

John E. Blaha 1942–

NASA astronaut with five space missions

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Loral O'Hara 1983–

Engineer and NASA astronaut

Also attended: University of Kansas

Harry K. Daghlian, Jr. 1921–1945

Manhattan Project physicist who died of radiation poisoning

Attended until 1942

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Yitang Zhang 1955–

Chinese-American number theorist

James Samuel Coleman 1926–1995

Sociologist and American Sociological Association president

Bachelor's degree · Chemical engineering · Class of 1949

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Guy Gardner 1948–

Former NASA astronaut and Air Force colonel

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Charles D. Walker 1948–

Engineer and astronaut on three Space Shuttle missions

Elizabeth J. Feinler 1931–

Information scientist, led SRI's Network Information Systems Center

Michael J. McCulley 1943–

Former NASA astronaut, first submariner in space

Rita R. Colwell 1934–

Environmental microbiologist and scientific administrator

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Martin “John” M. Atalla 1924–2009

Semiconductor pioneer and "Father of the PIN"

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1949

Mark N. Brown 1951–

Former NASA astronaut and retired Air Force colonel

Scott D. Tingle 1965–

NASA astronaut

Also attended: University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth, Blue Hills Regional Technical School

Roy D. Bridges Jr. 1943–

Former astronaut and Kennedy Space Center director

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Gregory J. Harbaugh 1956–

Retired NASA astronaut

Also attended: University of Houston--Clear Lake

Gary Payton 1948–

USAF colonel and Space Shuttle astronaut

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Michael J. Flynn 1934–2025

Stanford professor emeritus and computer scientist

Also attended: Manhattan University, Syracuse University

Fritz Leonhardt 1909–1999

German structural engineer, cable-stayed bridge pioneer

Carolyn S. Gordon 1950–

Mathematician, Dartmouth College professor

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Sirisha Bandla 1988–

Aeronautical engineer and commercial astronaut

Bachelor of Science · Engineering · Class of 2011

Also attended: George Washington University

Wolfgang Smith 1930–2024

Austrian mathematician and philosopher of science

Master of Science · Physics · Class of 1950

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, Cornell University

James Tour 1959–

Rice University chemist and nanotechnologist

Doctor of Philosophy · Organic chemistry · Class of 1986

Also attended: Syracuse University, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Stanford University

Jeffrey Lang 1954–

Mathematician, writer and university teacher

John C. Reynolds 1935–2013

American computer scientist

Also attended: Harvard University

Katherine Bitting 1869–1937

Food chemist specializing in food preservation

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Linda Katherine Escobar 1940–1993

Botanist noted for study of Passiflora

Also attended: University of New Hampshire-Main Campus, The University of Texas at Austin

Deng Jiaxian 1924–1986

Chinese nuclear physicist

Liang Sili 1924–2016

Aerospace engineer and Chinese Academy of Sciences academician

Bachelor's degree

Also attended: University of Cincinnati-Main Campus

Sibling: Liang Siyong (Harvard University)

Sibling: Liang Sicheng (Harvard University, University of Pennsylvania)

Henry T. Yang 1940–

5th Chancellor of UC Santa Barbara

Also attended: Cornell University, West Virginia University

Mu-ming Poo 1948–

Neuroscientist, founding director of Shanghai's Institute of Neuroscience

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Spouse: Yang Dan (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Wang Buxuan 1922–2019

Chinese thermal physicist and engineer

Chen Xuejun 1919–2017

Thermal engineer, former vice president of Xi'an Jiaotong University

Meixiang He 1950–

Taiwanese epidemiologist and physician

Bachelor's degree

Also attended: Harvard University

Hugo F. Sonnenschein 1940–2021

Economist, 11th president of the University of Chicago

Also attended: University of Rochester

George Peppard 1928–1994

Actor who starred in Breakfast at Tiffany's

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Spouse: Elizabeth Ashley (Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

Spouse: Sherry Boucher (University of Southern California, Northwestern State University of Louisiana)

Margaret Bourke-White 1904–1971

Documentary photographer and photojournalist

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, Columbia University in the City of New York, Cornell University

Spouse: Erskine Caldwell (Erskine College)

Booth Tarkington 1869–1946

Novelist, two-time Pulitzer Prize for Fiction winner

Also attended: Princeton University

Jim Gaffigan 1966–

Stand-up comedian, actor and author

Also attended: Georgetown University

Dulquer Salmaan 1983–

Indian actor and producer

Kenneth Choi 1971–

Actor in The Wolf of Wall Street and Sons of Anarchy

Bob Peterson 1961–

Pixar animator, screenwriter, director and voice actor

Also attended: Ohio Northern University

Vija Celmins 1938–

Latvian-American visual artist

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Stephen McKinley Henderson 1949–

Actor trained at Juilliard

Also attended: The Juilliard School, University of North Carolina School of the Arts

Monte Blue 1887–1963

Film actor from the silent era

Daniel von Bargen 1950–2015

Character actor of film, stage and television

Mercedes Lackey 1950–

Fantasy novelist

George Ade 1866–1944

Writer, newspaper columnist and playwright

Bachelor of Science

Bill Peet 1915–2002

Disney animator, story writer and children's book author

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Mariam Kamara 1979–

Nigerien architect

Licentiate · Computer science · Class of 2001

Also attended: New York University, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Norman Bridwell 1928–2014

Author and creator of Clifford the Big Red Dog

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

Karen Marie Moning 1964–

Novelist with New York Times bestsellers

Lebbeus Woods 1940–2012

Architect known for experimental designs

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Jeff Grubb 1957–

Author and game designer who worked on Dragonlance

Mike Winkelmann 1981–

Digital artist known as Beeple, known for NFTs

Bill Justice 1914–2011

Disney animator and Imagineer

Portrait painting · Attended until 1935

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Ted Allen 1965–

TV host and author, Queer Eye food expert

Also attended: New York University

John Wooden 1910–2010

UCLA basketball coach with ten NCAA titles

Also attended: Indiana State University

Ray Ewry 1873–1937

Track athlete with eight Olympic gold medals

Drew Brees 1979–

Former NFL quarterback for the New Orleans Saints

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Trischa Zorn 1964–

Paralympic swimmer, blind from birth

Juris Doctor · Class of 2005

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis

Terry Dischinger 1940–2023

NBA player, 1963 Rookie of the Year

Brad Miller 1976–

Former NBA player and two-time All-Star

David Boudia 1989–

Diver, 2012 Olympic 10m platform gold medalist

Zach Edey 2002–

Canadian basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies

Glenn Robinson 1973–

Former professional basketball player

Child: Glenn Robinson III (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor)

Lauren Sesselmann 1983–

Soccer defender and Olympic bronze medalist for Canada

Jaden Ivey 2002–

Basketball player, formerly of the Chicago Bulls

Mother: Niele Ivey (University of Notre Dame)

Devynne Charlton 1995–

Bahamian hurdler, World Indoor 60 m hurdles champion

E'Twaun Moore 1989–

Former NBA player drafted by the Celtics in 2011

Carl Landry 1983–

Former pro basketball player, Purdue alumnus

Also attended: Vincennes University

Sibling: Marcus Landry (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Ryan Newman 1977–

NASCAR driver, 2008 Daytona 500 winner

Amanda Elmore 1991–

Rower and 2016 Olympic women's eight gold medalist

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Andrea Drews 1993–

Volleyball player, 2019 Nations League MVP

Doug Sharp 1969–

Bobsledder, 2002 Olympic four-man bronze medalist

Caleb Swanigan 1997–2022

NBA player who played for Purdue

JaJuan Johnson 1989–

Basketball player who played for Purdue

Lacey Hearn 1881–1969

Runner, 1904 Olympic bronze medallist

Howie Williams 1927–2004

Basketball player at the 1952 Olympics

Stephan Bonnar 1977–2022

UFC light heavyweight mixed martial artist

Kara Winger 1986–

Javelin thrower and American record holder

Chet Jastremski 1941–2014

Swimmer, 1964 Olympic bronze medalist

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Indiana University-Bloomington

Robbie Hummel 1989–

Former basketball player and TV commentator

Joe Barry Carroll 1958–

Former NBA player, wealth advisor and author

Bachelor of Arts · Business economics

Carsen Edwards 1998–

Pro basketball player and Purdue All-American

Rebecca Smith 1981–

New Zealand women's football defender and former captain

Master of Business Administration · Class of 2010

Also attended: Duke University

Carlos Septién 1923–1978

Mexican footballer at the 1950 and 1954 World Cups

Jon Fitch 1978–

Retired mixed martial artist, former UFC fighter

Matt Mitrione 1978–

Mixed martial artist and former NFL player

Len Dawson 1935–2022

NFL quarterback, mainly with the Kansas City Chiefs

Brian Cardinal 1977–

NBA player, 2011 champion with Mavericks

Matt Hamill 1976–

Former UFC mixed martial artist and wrestler

Also attended: Rochester Institute of Technology

Keith Carter 1924–2013

Olympic silver medal swimmer

Gary Dilley 1945–

Swimmer and 1964 Tokyo Olympic silver medalist

Also attended: Indiana University-Purdue University-Indianapolis, Michigan State University

Dakota Mathias 1995–

Professional basketball player

Nedžad Mulabegović 1981–

Croatian shot putter

Rod Woodson 1965–

Former NFL cornerback and coach

Joan Rosazza 1937–

Swimmer, 1956 Olympic relay silver medalist

Also attended: Boston College

Jerry Sichting 1956–

Former NBA player and basketball coach

Kyle Macy 1957–

Former NBA player and basketball commentator

Also attended: University of Kentucky

Billy Keller 1947–

Former professional basketball player and coach

Chris Booker 1981–

Former professional basketball player

Jimmy Oliver 1969–

Former NBA basketball player

Chesley Sullenberger 1951–

Captain of US Airways Flight 1549 Hudson River landing

Master's degree · Industrial and organizational psychology · Class of 1973

Also attended: University of Northern Colorado, United States Air Force Academy