# Who is/was the Most Famous Person to graduate from your Alma Mater? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 18, 2011, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962 "2011-06-18T19:34:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/101 "2011-06-20T17:19:59Z")
Another alum of a big state school here (Texas A&M) … we have lots of famous people. As a relatively small sample: Performing arts: Rip Torn Lyle Lovett Robert Earl Keen Military: Gen. George Moore Gen. Michael Moseley Gen. Bernard Schriever 7 Medal of Honor winners Gen. James Earl Rudder Business: Lowry Mays HB Zachry Khalid Al-Falih Politics: Rick Perry Henry Cisneros Clayton Williams Other: Roland Martin Dr. James “Red” Duke Sports: Chuck Knoblauch Davey Johnson Ray Childress Gary Kubiak Randy Barnes ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/102 "2011-06-20T17:45:07Z")
High School - Booker T. Washington, Tulsa OK [Wayman Tisdale](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wayman_Tisdale) - Basketball god [Amber Valletta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amber_Valletta) - Girl from _Hitch_ [Heather Langenkamp](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Langenkamp) - Girl from _Nightmare on Elm Street_ or [Dan Piraro](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Piraro) - Guy who draws _Bizarro_ College - University of Oklahoma Sam Bradford Brian Bosworth :rolleyes: Blake Griffin (if he graduated) James Garner Ed Harris Dennis Weaver Fred Haise Michael Price ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/103 "2011-06-20T17:56:15Z")
I can’t decide who is famouser, Amelia Earhart or Neil Armstrong. (Purdue’s aerospace program is a pretty big deal, apparently) ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/104 "2011-06-20T18:36:40Z")
Here is the list for [The University of Texas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_University_of_Texas_at_Austin_alumni). Some very famous folks attended but never graduated like Farrah Fawcett and Janis Joplin. There is an Apollo astronaut and a space shuttle pilot in there though. ---
**Author:** ![Orionizer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/orionizer/32/4442_2.png) [@Orionizer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orionizer)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/105 "2011-06-20T18:41:26Z")
This is the list I got from the wikipedia entry of High Point Central High School: [ul] [li][Drew Weaver](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drew_Weaver)- professional golfer[/li][li][Heather Richardson](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heather_Richardson)- member of US Olympic Speedskating Team[/li][li][[Comedian t-ray sanders-appearances on b.e.t comic view,the robert townsend show and eddie murphys documentary…Murphys law[/li][/ul] This is the list I got from the wikipedia entry of High Point University: [ul] [li]Billy Alvino - Professional baseball player in [Detroit Tigers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Tigers) organization[/li][li][Dick Culler](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Culler) - [Major League Baseball](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball) player[/li][li][Lauch Faircloth](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauch_Faircloth) - former United States Senator ([R](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_Party_%28United_States%29)-[NC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina))[/li][li][Donna Fargo](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Fargo) - Grammy-winning country music singer/songwriter[/li][li][Christopher M. Fetner](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Christopher_M._Fetner&action=edit&redlink=1) - American Television Executive. Currently, Vice President for [BBC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC)[/li][li][Jonathan Griffith](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jonathan_Griffith&action=edit&redlink=1) - general manager of the [Potomac Nationals](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potomac_Nationals)[/li][li][Issa Konare](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Issa_Konare) - PBL Basketball player for the [Vermont Frost Heaves](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vermont_Frost_Heaves) and plays for Senegal’s national team[/li][li][Gene Littles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Littles) - former ABA basketball player and NBA coach[/li][li][Donald Marriott](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Donald_Marriott&action=edit&redlink=1) - Professional tennis Player[/li][li][Ken Mckay](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_Mckay&action=edit&redlink=1) - [Republican National Committee](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republican_National_Committee) Chief of Staff[/li][li][Jack Lucas](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Lucas) - youngest Marine to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor[/li][li][Robert “50” Martin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_%2250%22_Martin) - professional basketball player [Atlanta Vision](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlanta_Vision); former [And1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And1) streetballer[/li][li]Jonathan Miller - [West Virginia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Virginia) Member of the [House of Delegates](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/House_of_Delegates)[/li][li]Taylor Milne - 2008 Olympian and Canadian 1500-meter champion[/li][li][Nido Qubein](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nido_Qubein) - President of High Point University, and world renowned speaker[/li][li][Arizona Reid](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arizona_Reid) - professional basketball player, ([Geneve Devils](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geneve_Devils))[/li][li][Kevyn Settle](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kevyn_Settle&action=edit&redlink=1) - actor, _[The Wire](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wire)_[/li][li][Tubby Smith](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tubby_Smith) - NCAA coach and assistant coach of the 2000 U.S. Men’s Basketball Team[/li][li][Bryan Stockdale](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bryan_Stockdale&action=edit&redlink=1) - Executive Vice President, [R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.J._Reynolds_Tobacco_Company)[/li][li][John Taylor](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Taylor)- Reality show star, physical trainer featured on the [Style Network](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Style_Network) series [Too Fat for 15: Fighting Back](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Too_Fat_for_15:_Fighting_Back&action=edit&redlink=1)[/li][li][Jermaine Wallace](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jermaine_Wallace&action=edit&redlink=1) - Professional basketball player[/li][/ul] ---
**Author:** ![Haunted\_Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/94ad74/32.png) [@Haunted\_Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Haunted_Pasta)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/106 "2011-06-20T19:11:44Z")
High school: [Rachael Harris](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachael_Harris). She was in the class behind me. Never knew her at all, but I remember her from when she had the lead role in the school’s production of _Brigadoon_. College: Alberto Gonzales. You know, GWB’s pro-torture, the-Geneva-Convention-is-“quaint” Attorney General. We’re so very, very proud. ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/107 "2011-06-20T19:40:04Z")
HS: Nobody. College: Earl Warren, Jimmy Doolittle, Alice Waters, Gregory Peck, Steve Wozniak (Apple), Scott Adams (Dilbert), Stephen Chu (Sec’ of Energy and Nobel Laureate) and Aaron Rodgers. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/108 "2011-06-20T20:03:34Z")
College? Too many to list. Kevin Eubanks was there when I was. Howard Shore is the one I think is the coolest. High School: B-Movie actress Karen Mistal, stage actor Cory English. I was in musicals with both of them, and in a rock band with the former. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/109 "2011-06-20T20:09:36Z")
University High School in Los Angeles This thread prompted me to look it up, and there have been quite a few. For most famous, I’ve got to go with **Marilyn Monroe** or **Elizabeth Taylor**. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/110 "2011-06-20T20:23:11Z")
According to Wikipedia, these people (who I have never heard of) graduated from my high school: - Josh Banks, San Diego Padres pitcher \* Steve Bisciotti, owner of the Baltimore Ravens \* James W. Campbell, former member of the Maryland House of Delegates \* Tracey Adams, AVN award-winning adult film actress \* Ronald Malfi, horror novelist \* Billy Martin, guitarist and keyboardist for Good Charlotte Antioch College, on the other hand, has a bunch of notable alums. The most famous from the list: ``` * Jorma Kaukonen (1962), guitarist/vocalist Jefferson Airplane * Cliff Robertson (1946), Academy Award-winning actor * Eleanor Holmes Norton (1960) Congressional Delegate, representing the District of Columbia * Mario Capecchi (B.S. 1961), co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2007eer * Clifford Geertz (1950), anthropologist * Stephen Jay Gould (1963), biologist, author * Coretta Scott King (1951), human rights activist ``` ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/111 "2011-06-20T20:28:57Z")
> [@wheresgeorge04](#): > > College - anyone who graduated from Georgia Tech. Present! 😃 But I aint famous. Jimmy Carter went to GT, didn’t graduate. [del]Jeff Foxworthy[/del] Oops did not mean to mention that. golfer Bobby Jones. Astronauts Dick Truly and John Young And ESPN CFB analyst Mark May graduated from my High School. A couple years before me. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/112 "2011-06-20T22:04:04Z")
Cyclist [Tyler Farrar](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyler_Farrar) was born and raised here in Wenatchee, WA, so I assume he graduated from Wenatchee HS (I see he was actually born a week or two after _I_ graduated). Chris DeGarmo, former Queensryche guitarist, was born here, but I can’t verify that he remained here long enough to attend my high school. He’s only three years older than me, but I moved to this town the summer before my senior year of HS so wouldn’t have met him even if he did attend the same HS. Not to mention that, at the time I graduated, it was only a 3-year school (10-12) so I would have still been at the junior high school (7-9) when he was a senior and probably wouldn’t have know who he was. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2011, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/113 "2011-06-20T22:04:28Z")
College: Lyndon B. Johnson (Southwest Texas State Teachers’ College, now Texas State University-San Marcos) High School: Hmmm…probably either mystery author James Lee Burke or race driver A. J. Foyt (M. B. Lamar High School, Houston, TX) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/114 "2011-06-21T02:06:36Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > Chris DeGarmo, former Queensryche guitarist, was born here, but I can’t verify that he remained here long enough to attend my high school. He’s only three years older than me, but I moved to this town the summer before my senior year of HS so wouldn’t have met him even if he did attend the same HS. Not to mention that, at the time I graduated, it was only a 3-year school (10-12) so I would have still been at the junior high school (7-9) when he was a senior and probably wouldn’t have know who he was. I would give up all the famous people on my lists for Chris DeGarmo. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Uncle\_Jocko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uncle_jocko/32/2932_2.png) [@Uncle\_Jocko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncle_Jocko)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/115 "2011-06-21T02:56:03Z")
Central College in Pella, Iowa. A small, out-of-the-way private college which had about 1500 students when I was there in the 1980s. Yet, three graduates I can think of that a lot of people may have heard of. First, [Harry Smith](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Smith_%28television%29), senior correspondent for CBS News. Also, former television news anchor [Steve Bell](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Bell_(anchorman)), whom I got to meet personally at a communications department event 25-some years ago. And sports-wise, there’s [Vern Den Herder](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vern_Den_Herder), who played both basketball and football for the Central Flying Dutchmen (and was actually of teammate of Harry Smith’s!). Den Herder went on to play 11 seasons for the Miami Dolphins, including their undefeated season of 1972. Less famous, but perhaps a familiar name to those who know small-college football (I realize there’s not a whole lot of those people out there) is [Ron Schipper](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Schipper), who coached the Dutch for 35 years and is in the top ten for lifetime victories over all NCAA divisions. I hung out with his son now and then during my college years (we were in the same class). ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/116 "2011-06-21T02:57:55Z")
Isn’t John Wayne from Pella? ETA: Never mind, that was Wyatt Earp. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/117 "2011-06-21T04:19:26Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > I would give up all the famous people on my lists for Chris DeGarmo. 🆒 It occurred to me after I posted that he probably did graduate from my high school — several musician friends of mine (fellow HS seniors) who had actually grown up here were Queensryche fans when all the band had released so far was their debut EP and they were still relatively unknown. ETA: And I just remembered that one of the guys I graduated with, and I still have contact with, was three years older than the rest of us, so would be Chris’ age. I’ll have to ask him. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/118 "2011-06-21T04:54:34Z")
Not very famous, but some football player. Can’t remember the team he played for even. He’s from Service HS and his name is Mark Schlereth (sp?). A few years behind me so I didn’t really know him, but my little sister was in 4-H with his sister. ---
**Author:** ![sitchensis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sitchensis/32/4892_2.png) [@sitchensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sitchensis)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/119 "2011-06-21T05:10:11Z")
Very famous, if a football player can be such a thing. He won a 3 super bowls with the Redskins and the Broncos, and is now a prominent figure in NFL broadcasting with ESPN. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2011, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962/120 "2011-06-21T05:13:30Z")
> [@sitchensis](#): > > Very famous, if a football player can be such a thing. He won a 3 super bowls with the Redskins and the Broncos, and is now a prominent figure in NFL broadcasting with ESPN. Well I’ll be doggoned! (My little sister is the one with all the football knowledge, I lost interest after HS :D). Cool thanks! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-was-the-most-famous-person-to-graduate-from-your-alma-mater/585962.md?page=7)