Alfred University - Notable Alumni and Faculty

Notable Alumni and Faculty

Notable alumni include:
In art:

• Award-winning ceramic artist Robert Archambeau
• Arthur Eugene Baggs, ceramic artist and glaze chemist
• Siona Shimshi, Israeli painter, sculptor, ceramist, and textile designer
• Nathan Lyons, founder, Director Emeritus of Visual Studies Workshop, Rochester, NY
• Arnold Zimmerman, modern sculptor

In politics and law:

• Cathy Bissoon, United States District Judge, United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
• George P. Darrow, United States Congressman from Pennsylvania (1914–37, 1939–41)
• William Wallace Brown, United States Congressman from Pennsylvania (1883–87)
• Henry Moore Teller, United States Congressman from Colorado (1876–82, 1885–1909), Secretary of the Interior (1882–85)
• Tom Reed, United States Congressman, currently representing New York's 29th District.
• David Chesnoff, Criminal Defense Attorney
• Nancy Nadel, City Councilmember, Oakland, California

In literature and literary arts:

• Librarian Melvil Dewey, creator of the Dewey Decimal System, who attended in 1870 but did not graduate
• American writer and political activist Ward Churchill received an honorary doctorate in 1992.
• Author Richard Dolan, whose works include UFOs and the National Security State.
• Author Peter Jenkins, whose book "A Walk Across America" begins in Alfred
• Spy Novelist Robert Littell

In science and technology:

• Biomedical engineer Samuel Hulbert, pioneer in ceramic devices and president of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
• Katja Lindenberg, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, University of California, San Diego
• Inventor and businessman Clarence W. Spicer, student 1891–1894, invented a type of Universal joint and founded Spicer Manufacturing Company, now the Dana Corporation.

In entertainment:

• Eric Harvey, musician for the critically acclaimed band Spoon.
• Actor and comedian Robert Klein
• Bob Keeshan, better known as Captain Kangaroo, received an honorary doctorate from Alfred in 1969.

In business:

• Bob Benmosche '66, CEO, American International Group; Chairman, former President and Chief Executive Officer of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
• Peter Cuneo '67, Chairman of Cuneo and Co., and Marvel Enterprises, Inc
• Jeffery S. Maurer '69, CEO, Lehman Brothers Trust Company
• Robert R. McComsey '66, Founding Shareholder, Neuberger Berman, LLC
• Joel P. Moskowitz '61, President & Chairman of the Board, Ceradyne, Inc.

Notable faculty and staff include:

• Artist Robert C. Turner, an influential ceramics artist and teacher who founded the ceramics program at Black Mountain College. Along with Val Cushing, Wayne Higby, and Daniel Rhodes, Turner was a key member of the Alfred ceramics faculty in the 50's-70's, which is considered by some to be the "golden age" of the Alfred ceramics program.
• Artist Wayne Higby, considered to be one of the defining ceramic artists of the 80's. Known for his work in Raku ceramics, Higby attained considerable attention with his large bowl forms that toyed with the notion of vessel and landscape imagery.
• Poet Ben Howard, author of six books of poetry.
• Graphic Designer Rudolph de Harak, 1992 AIGA Medealist
• Coach Alexander (Alex) Joseph Yunevich, head football coach from 1937–1941 and 1946–1976, posting a 177-85-12 record with six undefeated seasons.