List of Pennsylvania State University people
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This is a list of famous individuals associated with the Pennsylvania State University, including graduates, former students, and professors.
Contents |
[edit] Alumni
[edit] Art/Literature
- Louis Astorino, architect, PNC Park, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
- John Balaban, author/poet, Words for My Daughter and Locusts at the Edge of Summer
- Dale Brown, bestselling author, Act of War, Battle Born, and Plan of Attack
- Alan Furst, novelist
- Jenny Gardiner, author
- Jean Craighead George, Newbery Medal-winning children's author
- Chip Kidd, renowned book-jacket designer
- Steve McCurry, world-renowned photojournalist; most famous for the photograph of the “Afghan Girl” in National Geographic Magazine
- David Morrell, novelist, First Blood
- James Morrow, author
- Oliver Smith, ten-time Tony Award-winning scenic designer
- Tess Thompson, author, first Penn State Rhodes Scholar
[edit] Business
- Edward R. Book, former chairman and CEO of Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company
- Jim Broadhurst, founder of Eat'n Park restaurants; now chairman/CEO of Eat ‘N Park Hospitality Group
- Fletcher Byrom, former CEO of Koppers Co.; director of leading intellectual organizations including the Institute for Advanced Study, the Hudson Institute, and The Conference Board
- Bruce Claflin, former president and CEO of 3Com Corp.
- Tom Clarke, former president and CEO of Nike, Inc.
- Herman Fisher, co-founder of Fisher-Price toy company
- Lloyd Huck, chairman emeritus of Merck & Co., Inc. and former CEO of Nova Pharmaceutical Corp.
- Edward P. Junker III, former vice chairman of PNC Bank Corp.
- Melvin Jacobs, chairman emeritus and former CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue
- Jim Jimirro, creator and first president of the Disney Channel
- Mike Keebaugh, president of Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems
- Albert Lord, Chairman and former CEO of SLM Corporation
- Steven Markowitz, CEO of Allen Organ
- Glen E. Moyer, president and CEO of National Penn Bank
- Eugene O'Kelly, chairman emeritus and former CEO of KPMG
- Mark Parker, CEO of Nike, Inc.
- William Schreyer, chairman emeritus and former CEO of Merrill Lynch. The Schreyer Honors College was renamed in his honor after he and his wife made a large donation.
- Frank Smeal, a partner of the Goldman Sachs Group of New York City on Wall Street; an expert in the municipal bond market. The Smeal College of Business is named after his generosity.
- William L. Weiss, chairman emeritus and former CEO of Ameritech
- Patricia A. Woertz, CEO of Archer Daniel Midland. Named to Fortune magazine's "Most Powerful Women in Business" list.[1]
- George Zoffinger, president and CEO of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority
[edit] Entertainment/Media
- Ursula Abbott, co-host of the Nickelodeon TV series, Girls v. Boys
- Tareq Al-Suwaidan, renowned Muslim scholar, reformer, TV personality and management guru.
- John Aniston, actor, Days of our Lives; father of actress Jennifer Aniston
- Brian Baker, former Sprint spokesman
- Donald Bellisario, television producer
- Charles Bierbauer, television journalist
- Benjy Bronk, comedian and writer, Howard Stern Show
- Joseph Charles Borkovich, theatrical stage manager.
- Stephen Bowers, senior writer for Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
- Ryan Buell, producer/star of A&E Network's Paranormal U, novelist
- Ty Burrell, actor, star of CBS sitcom Out of Practice
- Margaret Carlson, journalist, pundit. First female columnist for TIME
- Leon Carr, songwriter and composer
- Jill Cordes, host of My First Place on HGTV and The Best Of on the Food Network
- Steven E. de Souza, screenwriter; Judge Dredd, Lethal Weapon, 48 Hrs., Die Hard
- Julius J. Epstein, screenwriter of Casablanca
- Carmen Finestra, Emmy Award-winning television writer and producer; The Cosby Show, Home Improvement
- Jonathan Frakes, actor and director (Star Trek: The Next Generation series)
- Dave Jones, former national editor for The New York Times
- Keegan-Michael Key, actor, comedian; MADtv, host of Animal Planet’s The Planet's Funniest Animals
- Stan Lathan, television producer and director, co-creator of Def Comedy Jam
- Rick Lyon, actor/creator of Broadway show "Avenue Q"
- Ira Miller, former columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle
- Amy Wynn Pastor, TV personality, TLC's Trading Spaces
- Mike Reid, Grammy Award-winning songwriter
- Ian Rosenberger, 3rd place in Survivor: Palau on CBS and one time President of Penn State's USG
- Leah Rozen film critic
- Lisa Salters, ESPN reporter and former Nittany Lady Lion Basketball Star
- Lara Spencer, TV host of The Insider
- Tom Verducci, senior writer for Sports Illustrated
- Andrew Kevin Walker, screenwriter of Seven
- Fred Waring, Bandleader
- Gina Cancelliere, chief meterologist of KLAS-TV in Las Vegas
- Denis Phillips, chief meteorologist of WFTS-TV in Tampa Bay.
- Eric Palumbo, screenwriter of Sack Lunch and Chunnel
[edit] Politics, Government and Military
- Charlie Dent, United States Congressman (R-PA 15)
- Michael F. Doyle, United States Congressman (D-PA. 14)
- Tom Feeney, United States Congressman (R-FL 24)
- Barbara Hackman Franklin, former United States Secretary of Commerce
- Harold Gehman, former commander-in-chief of the U.S. Joint Forces Command and former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic
- Robert Jubelirer, President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate, former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.
- William Perry, former United States Secretary of Defense
- Valerie Plame, former CIA officer
- Hugh Rodham, Sr., father of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Hugh Rodham, Jr., politician and brother of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
- Rick Santorum, former United States Senator. (R-PA)
- Richard Schweiker, United States Senator and Secretary of Health and Human Services.
- Lyonpo Jigme Thinley, ’76g — Former Prime Minister and Head of the Government of Bhutan; currently Minister of Home and Cultural Affairs
- George J. Trautman, III, Major General, United States Marine Corps
- David C. Hodge, President of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio
[edit] Science
- Paul Berg, recipient of 1980 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
- Elliot Abrams, Accuweather Meteorologist
- Kate Bilo, AccuWeather on air meteorologist
- Guion Bluford, astronaut, first African-American in space
- James E. Carnes, inventor, HDTV pioneer, former president and CEO of Sarnoff Corporation
- Robert Cenker, Space Shuttle astronaut, STS-61-C
- Joseph EZ Chein, mathematician
- Ben Cohen, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (took a correspondence course)
- Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream (took a correspondence course)
- Joel N. Myers, founder and CEO of AccuWeather
- Aaron Bloom, engineer
- Nick Nowakowski, physicist
- Kevin C. O'Kane, computer scientist
- James Pawelczyk, Space Shuttle astronaut, STS-90
- Jef Raskin, author and human-computer interface expert best-known for starting the Macintosh project for Apple Computer
- Heather Rarick, NASA space flight director, Kennedy Space Center
- Gustavo Restrepo, computer scientist and video game programmer
- Paul J. Weitz, astronaut, Skylab 2, STS-6
- William W. Weinaug, engineer, owner & executive vice president of GRG INC.
[edit] Sports
- See also: List of Penn State Football Players
- See also: Major Leaguers Who Played for Penn State
- John Amaechi, former professional basketball player; BBC, ITV, and SKY television personality
- Richie Anderson, former NFL running back
- LaVar Arrington, All-Pro NFL linebacker
- Horace Ashenfelter, 1952 Olympic gold medalist, track and field
- Mark Baldwin (baseball), former Major League baseball player
- Todd Blackledge, retired NFL quarterback and television sports analyst
- Calvin Booth, professional basketball player
- Kyle Brady, NFL tight end
- Courtney Brown, NFL defensive end and #1 overall NFL draft pick
- Nate Bump, professional baseball player
- Jack Greening, minor league baseball player
- John Cappelletti, Heisman Trophy winner and subject of book "Something for Joey"
- Ki-Jana Carter, NFL Halfback and #1 overall NFL draft pick
- Ken Chertow, US Wrestling Team and Olympian, 1986-1993
- Mary Ellen Clark, 1992 and 1996 Olympic bronze medalist, diving
- Kerry Collins, Pro Bowl NFL Quarterback and 4,000 yard passer (2002)
- Shane Conlan, former NFL linebacker
- Bob Coulson, former Major League Baseball player
- Birdie Cree, former Major League Baseball player
- Joe Crispin, professional basketball player
- John Gilmore, NFL tight end
- Robbie Gould, Professional Kicker for Chicago Bears
- Rosey Grier, former professional football player
- Tamba Hali, Professional football player
- Franco Harris, former professional football player
- Jeff Hartings, All-Pro NFL Offensive Lineman
- Jack Ham, former professional football player
- Michael Haynes, NFL defensive end
- Cliff Heathcote, former Major League Baseball player
- Dan Heisman, chess master
- Tom Irwin, professional baseball player
- Larry Johnson, Pro Bowl NFL running back
- Bhawoh Jue, NFL safety
- Joe Jurevicius, NFL wide receiver
- Lewis Katz, part-owner, NBA’s New Jersey Nets and NHL’s New Jersey Devils
- Jimmy Kennedy, NFL defensive tackle
- Ed Klepfer, former Major League Baseball player
- David Macklin, NFL cornerback
- Kelly Mazzante, professional basketball player
- Suzie McConnell Serio, former professional basketball player, current coach
- O. J. McDuffie, former NFL wide receiver
- Kareem McKenzie, NFL Offensive Lineman
- Patrick McVerry, President/General Manager of the Somerset Patriots, minor league baseball team.
- Matt Millen, former professional football player and current president of the Detroit Lions
- Jim O'Hora former football player, football coach
- Bob Osborne, NASCAR NEXTEL Cup crew chief, Roush Fenway Racing #99 Office Depot car
- Mike Scioscia, former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager
- Bud Sharpe, former Major League Baseball player
- Jack Sherry, captain of the 1954 Final Four Team
- Alan Strange, former Major League Baseball player
- Myles Thomas, former Major League Baseball player
- Wallace Triplett, former NFL Running Back (first African-American draftee to play in the NFL)
- Russ Van Atta, former Major League Baseball pitcher
- Monte Ward, former Major League Baseball player, manager, and executive
- Dr. Richard Weiss, Two-time slalom Olympic kayaker; finished sixth in the slalom event at the 1996 Summer Games and honored as Kayak Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Olympic Committee
- Lenny Moore, former NFL Running Back
For a list of Penn State Olympians: http://www.psu.edu/sports/olympics/index.html
[edit] Notable professors and coaches
- Roger Penrose
- John Barth, American novelist and short-story author
- Christian M. M. Brady, targumist and Dean of Schreyer Honors College
- Velvet Brown, tuba soloist and recording artist; is associate professor of music
- O. Richard Bundy, Director of Athletic Bands, including the Penn State Blue Band
- Donald Byrne, coach of America's first varsity chess team
- Paul DeMaine, one of the founders of the Computer Science Department.
- Joseph Heller, author of Catch-22
- Ivan Illich, polymath: author, philosopher, and polemicist
- Philip Jenkins, professor of religious studies and writer on modern religious controversies
- Webb Miller, Co-creator of BLAST, a research tool used by geneticists worldwide.
- Erwin Müller, inventor of the field emission microscope, the field ion microscope, the atom probe, and the first person to view atoms
- Joe Paterno, head football coach since 1966
- Rene Portland, head women's basketball coach from 1980 – 2007
- C. R. Rao, 2002 National Medal of Science winning statistician
- Theodore Roethke, 1954 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry recipient
- William Tenn (pen name of Philip Klass), famous science fiction writer
- Aleksander Wolszczan, discoverer of first extrasolar planets and pulsar planets
