List of University of Iowa People - Accomplished Alumni

Accomplished Alumni

• Archie Alexander, first African-American graduate (in engineering); and, governor of the Virgin Islands
• B.J. Armstrong, former NBA point guard for the Chicago Bulls
• Tom Arnold, actor (Roseanne, True Lies) and host of Fox Sports Net's talk show, Best Damn Sports Show Period
• M. M. Ayoub, a pioneer in the field of ergonomics
• Alfred Marshall Bailey, ornithologist and long-term Director of the Denver Museum of Natural History
• Ed Banach, Light Heavyweight Olympic Gold medalist 1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, CA
• Lou Banach, Heavyweight Olympic Gold Medalist 1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, CA
• Theodore J. Bauer, former head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
• Mildred Benson, writer under penname Carolyn Keene of Nancy Drew books
• Bret Bielema, former football player and assistant coach. Now head coach of University of Wisconsin–Madison
• Sidney W. Bijou (1908–2009), developmental psychologist
• Fred H. Blume, Justice of the Wyoming Supreme Court for 42 years.
• David E. Bonior, formerly representing Michigan in the United States House of Representatives, now is member of president Obama's Economic Advisory Board.
• T.C. Boyle, PEN/Faulkner award-winning writer, World's End and Drop City
• Terry Brands, Olympic Bronze medalist 2000 Olympic Games, Sydney, Australia
• Tom Brands, Olympic Gold Medalist 1996 Olympic Games Atlanta, Georgia, currently University of Iowa wrestling coach.
• Terry E. Branstad, Former and returning Governor of Iowa, and longest-tenured Governor in the nation
• Helen Brockman, fashion designer
• Tom Brokaw, broadcast journalist, former anchor NBC Nightly News, author "The Greatest Generation"
• "Downtown" Freddie Brown, former NBA guard for the Seattle SuperSonics where he was captain of the 1978-79 World Championship team.
• John Burke (politician), tenth Governor of North Dakota
• Paul Burmeister, former NFL quarterback, current NFL Network anchor
• Robert Olen Butler Jr., Won the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for fiction, among other literary awards
• Jim Caldwell, head coach of Indianapolis Colts, 2009–present.
• Macdonald Carey, film and television actor (Days of our Lives)
• James Cartwright, U.S. Marine Corps General and currently the 8th Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
• Elizabeth Catlett, Acclaimed painter who studied under Grant Wood, first African American woman to earn an MFA from the University of Iowa
• Marquis Childs, Pulitzer Prize-winning commentator
• Sandra Cisneros, author "The House on Mango Street"
• Dallas Clark, tight end for the NFL's Indianapolis Colts
• Diablo Cody, Screenwriter and winner of the 2008 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for "Juno"
• Norm Coleman, former Democratic mayor of St. Paul, former Junior Republican U.S. Senator of Minnesota.
• Max Allan Collins, Writer of the comic strip "Dick Tracy." (Chester Gould was the creator of the strip and Collins took over in 1977 when Gould retired.) Collins also writes mystery novels
• Paul Conrad, Former editorial cartoonist for the Los Angeles Times who won the Pulitzer Prize in 1964, 1971, and 1984
• Sean Considine, Safety for the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Kerry Cooks, former NFL defensive back
• Francis X. Cretzmeyer, track and field coach 1948-1978, coached Ted Wheeler and Deacon Jones (1956 and 1960 Olympics)
• Michael Cunningham, award-winning American writer/novelist, best known for his Pulitzer Prize novel The Hours
• Chuck Darling, member of the 1956 Summer Olympics gold medal basketball team.
• Barry Davis, Bantamweight Olympic Silver medalist 1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, CA
• Keno Davis, current men's basketball coach at Providence College
• Ricky Davis, NBA player currently with the Los Angeles Clippers
• John Derby, former NFL linebacker
• Ellen Dolan, soap opera actress in Guiding Light and As the World Turns
• Martha Angle Dorsett, the first woman admitted to the Bar of Minnesota (in 1878)
• James Dooge, Irish Senator and Academic in the area of Hydrology. Served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Irish Government. Also instrumental in forming the framework of the modern European Union and beginning the debate on climate change.
• Rita Dove, 1993 Poet Laureate of the United States
• David Drake, Science fiction writer who wrote Hammer's Slammers series.
• Jeff Drost, former NFL defensive tackle
• Andre Dubus, renowned short story writer who wrote "Killings" adapted into 2001 film In the Bedroom.
• Duck's Breath Mystery Theater (Dan Coffey, Bill Allard, Merle Kessler, Leon Martrell, and Jim Turner), touring comedy troupe also featured on National Public Radio's All Things Considered
• Wayne Duke, Former and now retired Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference 1971-1989.
• Tim Dwight, former NFL player
• Acie Earl, retired professional basketball player
• Rinde Eckert, singer, actor, dancer, composer, musicians, playwright. Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.
• David Eigenberg, actor that plays Steve Brady on HBO series Sex and the City
• Cal Eldred, retired Major League Baseball pitcher who played for 14 years
• Simon Estes, bass baritone opera singer, formerly of the New York Metropolitan Opera
• Dick Evans, former NFL player
• Ettore Ewen, professional wrestler for WWE
• Jeannette Eyerly, writer of young adult fiction
• Mildred Adams Fenton, geologist, palentolologist & writer on palentology
• Joshua Ferris, novelist
• Leon Festinger, social psychologist who was responsible for the theory of Cognitive dissonance.
• R. William Field, Associate Professor, College of Public Health, University of Iowa
• Tanna Frederick, stage and independent film actress
• Bruce French, actor in Mr. Mom, Legal Eagles, Fletch.
• Wesley Fry, former general manager for the Oakland Raiders
• Charles Gaines, writer, author of Pumping Iron and inventor of paintball.
• Robert Gallery, Offensive Tackle for the Oakland Raiders
• George Gallup, founder of the Gallup Poll
• Paul C. Gartzke, Presiding Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
• Mads Gilbert, European doctor in Gaza providing humanitarian care at Al-Shifa Hospital during the 2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict.
• Ezzat Goushegir, playwright
• Dennis Green, former NFL head coach with the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals
• Robin Green, Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner. executive producer of the HBO series The Sopranos
• Charles Guggenheim, A Washington, D.C.—based documentary filmmaker who has won three Academy Awards and been nominated for eight others
• Joe Haldeman, science fiction writer who wrote The Forever War.
• Milo Hamilton, Sportscaster for the Iowa Hawkeyes and seven different Major League Baseball teams and recipient of the Ford C. Frick Award
• Merton Hanks, former NFL defensive back (4-time Pro Bowl selection)
• Bob Hansen, former NBA player for the Utah Jazz and Chicago Bulls, current basketball analyst for the Hawkeye Radio Network
• James E. Hansen, heads the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and was recognized in Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People of 2006, for his efforts to bring understanding and fighting the effects of global climate change.
• Paul Harding, author of Pulitzer Prize-winning novel "Tinkers".
• Joy Harjo, poet, songwriter
• Homer Harris, a football player in 1937 who was the first African American captain of a Big Ten Conference team.
• Bruce C. Heezen, lead a team from Columbia University which mapped the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
• Jay Hilgenberg, former NFL center for Chicago Bears (seven-time Pro Bowl selection)
• Candace Hilligoss, actress in 1960 film Carnival of Souls
• Leo A. Hoegh, former Governor of Iowa and National Security Council member
• Lou Holtz, assistant football coach (1960), only football coach in NCAA history to lead six different programs to bowl games
• Chuck Horner, United States Air Force general, commanded Coalition Air Forces during the Gulf War
• L. D. Hotchkiss, editor-in-chief, Los Angeles Times
• Darrell Huff, writer who is best known for best selling book How to Lie with Statistics.
• Howard R. Hughes, Sr., father of noted aviation pioneer and film producer Howard Robard Hughes, Jr. and builder his fortune that started his empire.
• Mary Beth Hurt, actress in The World According to Garp and Interiors
• Toby Huss, actor, creator of Artie, the Strongest Man in the World from The Adventures of Pete and Pete which he created at No Shame Theatre at the university.
• John Irving, writer, A Widow for One Year and The World According to Garp
• Amy Jacobson, Chicago broadcast journalist
• Al Jarreau, Grammy Award-winning vocalist
• Wu Jin, Minister of Education of Taiwan 1996 - 1998
• Denis Johnson, author of Jesus' Son
• John Johnson, former NBA player on 1978-1979 Seattle SuperSonics championship team
• Cal Jones, one of two Iowa football players to have his jersey retired and won the Outland Trophy in 1955.
• Deacon Jones, 1956 and 1960 Olympics, track and field
• Noble Jorgensen, former NBA player for the Sheboygan Red Skins, Tri-Cities Blackhawks and Syracuse Nationals
• Donald Justice, Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry
• Nate Kaeding, current NFL place kicker for the San Diego Chargers
• Harry Kalas, voice of the Philadelphia Phillies, NFL on Westwood One and NFL Films
• Aaron Kampman, current NFL defensive end for the Green Bay Packers.
• Alex Karras, actor and football player
• Marshall Kay, geologist and Penrose Medal winner
• Barry Kemp, producer of television programs Coach and Newhart (Hayden Fox, the title character of Coach, was named after Iowa football coach Hayden Fry)
• James Kennedy, professor of the history of the Netherlands at the University of Amsterdam
• Tracy Kidder, Author of The Soul of a New Machine, Among Schoolchildren, House and Old Friends
• Kerry Killinger, chairman and CEO of Washington Mutual
• Nile Kinnick, Iowa's 1939 Heisman trophy winner with Iowa's Kinnick Stadium named for him in 1972.
• W.P. Kinsella, author whose works include Shoeless Joe, the book on which Field of Dreams was based
• George Koval, Soviet intelligence officer and Hero of the Russian Federation
• Tom Krimigis, space scientist/physicist
• Allan J. Kuethe, historian of Latin America
• Ashton Kutcher, actor
• Adam LeFevre, film and television actor, playwright.
• William Lashner, author of Past Due
• Donald P. Lay, judge of the Eighth Circuit
• Minnette Gersh Lenier, teacher who used magic to improve students’ learning skills
• Randall Lewis, Featherweight Olympic Gold medalist 1984 Olympic Games, Los Angeles, CA
• E.F. Lindquist, co-founder of the ACT examination
• Brad Lohaus, former NBA player
• Chuck Long, closest ever Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1985. Now offensive coordinator at the University of Kansas
• Charles F. Lynch, Medical Director of the Iowa Cancer Registry
• Robie Macauley, novelist and editor of Playboy
• John Walter Grant MacEwan, Western Canadian icon
• Nicholas Meyer, director of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan
• Deane Montgomery, mathematician
• Tom Moore, longtime NFL coach and offensive coordinator for the Indianapolis Colts
• Greg Morris, actor played Barney Collier in original Mission: Impossible TV Series
• Bharati Mukherjee, Bengali-American writer
• Jayaprakash Narayan, Indian freedom fighter, social reformer, politician
• Don Nelson, former NBA player for the Boston Celtics and coach for the Golden State Warriors
• Kent Norman, Cognitive Psychologist and expert on computer rage
• Flannery O'Connor, Novelist and author of numerous short stories
• Terry O'Quinn, star of movies and television including ABC's hit Lost
• Wes Obermueller, Major League Baseball pitcher
• Chris Offutt, short story writer and essayist
• Kay A. Orr, first Republican woman Governor in the United States
• John E. Osborn - Commissioner, U.S. Advisory Commission on Public Diplomacy; executive vice president and general counsel of Cephalon, Dendreon, and US Oncology
• Lara Parker, actress who played Angelique in ABC-TV serial Dark Shadows
• Clair Cameron Patterson, geochemist who developed the uranium-lead dating method into lead-lead dating, worked on the Manhattan Project, and lead early campaigns against lead poisoning.
• Gregory A. Peterson, Judge of the Wisconsin Court of Appeals
• Tappy Phillips, consumer affairs reporter for WABC-TV in New York City and correspondent for ABC News
• John Pickler, member of the United States House of Representatives
• Ed Podolak, former NFL star with the Kansas City Chiefs, currently football analyst for the Hawkeye Radio Network
• Charles Ray, contemporary American artist
• W. Ann Reynolds, chancellor of the California State University and City University of New York
• Eddie Robinson, winningest coach in football history at Grambling State University from 1942 until 1997
• Reggie Roby, former NFL punter (3-time Pro Bowl Selection) for the Miami Dolphins
• Mel Rosen (born 1928), track coach
• Eugene Rousseau, internationally-known saxophonist
• Brandon Routh, actor, Superman Returns
• Coleen Rowley, shared 2002 Time "Person of the Year" award; the FBI whistleblower who helped bring in terrorist suspect Zacarias Moussaoui.
• Paul Rust, star of I Love You, Beth Cooper
• George Saling, Olympic hurdler who won the 110 meter hurdles in the 1932 Summer Olympics.
• David Sanborn, six time Grammy Award-winning saxophonist
• Bob Sanders, starting safety for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League
• Zud Schammel, former NFL guard
• Wilbur L. Schramm, founder of the Iowa Writers' Workshop and the Institute of Communications Research at Stanford University
• Jean Seberg, actress
• Joe Sharpnack, editorial cartoonist
• Jim Simmerman, poet, refused to perform the University's MFA poetry thesis reading requirement but still graduated, then stole and tore up his own MFA thesis from the library; founded the creative writing program at Northern Arizona University
• Scott Slutzker, former NFL player
• Jane Smiley, Pulitzer Prize winning American Novelist
• Clifford V. Smith, Jr., the 4th chancellor of University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee
• Mary Louise Smith, Former chair of the National Republican Committee, and former vice chair of the United States Commission on Civil Rights
• Tangela Smith, center for the WNBA Phoenix Mercury
• William De Witt Snodgrass, confessional poet and 1960 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry winner
• C. Maxwell Stanley, engineer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, founder of Stanley Consultants, The Stanley Foundation and co-founder of HON Industries.
• William A. Staples, president of the University of Houston–Clear Lake
• Larry Station, two-time All-American football player
• Wallace Stegner, author
• Stewart Stern, screenwriter who wrote scripts for Rebel Without a Cause, Sybil.
• Bob Stoops, football player and coach. Now head coach of the University of Oklahoma
• Mark Stoops, football player. Now defensive coordinator at Florida State University
• Mike Stoops, football player and coach. Now head coach of the University of Arizona
• Juanita Kidd Stout, First woman appointed as a federal judge; Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice
• Dave Strackany, musician
• Mark Strand, poet, Pulitzer Prize winner in 1999 for "A Blizzard of One"
• Jim Summerville, Tennessee Senator
• Jim Sundberg, Professional baseball catcher who played for the Texas Rangers and a number of other teams.
• Andre Tippett, Hall of Fame former NFL linebacker for the New England Patriots
• Emlen Tunnell, former NFL football player, first African American to play for the New York Giants; later played for the Green Bay Packers
• Douglas Unger, novelist and founder of UNLV's creative writing MFA program
• Oswald Veblen, mathematician
• Ted Waitt, co-founder of Gateway, Inc.
• Frank R. Wallace (pen name for Wallace Ward), 1957, entrepreneur, publisher, writer, and developer of the Neo-Tech philosophy
• Susan Werner, singer-songwriter
• Ted Wheeler, 1956 Olympics, track and field
• Hugh E. Wild, U.S. Air Force Brigadier General
• Gene Wilder, Comedic film and television actor whose credits include "Silver Streak," "Young Frankenstein," "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "Stir Crazy."
• Ann Williams, member of Illinois House of Representatives
• Tennessee Williams, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.
• David Bryan Woodside, actor who portrayed Wayne Palmer on FOX action/drama series 24
• Yu Guangzhong, Taiwanese poet and author.
• Art Reinhart, Major League Baseball pitcher from 1919-1928
• Hal Manders, relief pitcher in Major League Baseball who played in 1941, 1942, and 1946
• Bruce Nelson (American football), retired American football guard and center of the National Football League.