This is a list of famous individuals associated with the Pennsylvania State University, including graduates, former students, and professors.

Alumni

Art and 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
• Jeanne Clemson, theater director, stage actress and teacher, preserved the Fulton Opera House
• Dale Brown, bestselling author, Act of War, Battle Born, and Plan of Attack
• Richard Diehl (MA 1965, PhD 1969), Mesoamerican archaeologist and academic, expert on the Olmec civilization^[1]
• Alan Furst, novelist
• Jean Craighead George, Newbery Medal-winning children's author
• Chip Kidd, renowned book-jacket designer
• Norris J. Lacy, expert on the Arthurian legend
• 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
• Robert Neffson, artist
• John Pielmeier, playwright, Agnes of God, etc...
• William "Fritz" Sippel, architect, Three Rivers Stadium, Pittsburgh's Civic Arena
• Oliver Smith, ten-time Tony Award-winning scenic designer
• Robert Yarber, American artist
• Roland Fryer, Professor of Economics at Harvard University
• Susan Miller, playwright, "My Left Breast", etc..., 2 time OBIE winner, Eugene O'Neill Contest winner, Emmy nominee

Business and industry

• Edward R. Book, former chairman and CEO of Hershey Entertainment & Resort Company
• Jim Broadhurst, chairman and CEO of Eat 'N Park Hospitality Group
• Fletcher Byrom, former CEO of Koppers, Co.
• James Carnes, former president & CEO of Sarnoff Corporation
• Tom Clarke, former president & CEO of Nike, Inc.
• Robert E. Eberly, Chairman Eberly Natural Gas Co., Penn State benefactor
• John C. Felmy, Chief economist for the American Petroleum Institute
• Herman Fisher, co-founder of Fisher-Price toy company
• Samuel F. Hinkle, former chairman and CEO of Hershey Foods Corporation
• Lloyd Huck, chairman emeritus of Merck & Co., Inc. and former CEO of Nova Pharmaceutical Corp.
• Richard T. James, Inventor of the Slinky
• Mike Keebaugh, former president of Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems
• Albert L. Lord, Vice chairman & CEO of Sallie Mae Corporation
• Kathleen Mason, President & CEO of Tuesday Morning, Inc.
• Mike McBath, co-founder/part-owner of the Orlando Predators
• Daniel S. Mead, President and CEO VerizonWireless
• Eugene O'Kelly, 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.
• Steve Sheetz, Chairman of Sheetz, Inc.
• 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.
• Scott Smith, founder, East End Brewing Company
• John P. Surma, CEO of US Steel Corp
• Richard Trumka, AFL-CIO President
• Patricia A. Woertz, CEO of Archer Daniel Midland. Named to Fortune magazine's "Most Powerful Women in Business" list.[2]
• Richard A. Zimmerman, Former president & CEO of Hershey Foods
• Robert E. Alger, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Lane Construction Corporation

Technology

• Matt Brezina, Co-Founder of Xobni
• David Rusenko, Co-Founder of Weebly
• Dan Veltri, Co-Founder of Weebly
• Chris Fanini, Co-Founder of Weebly

Education

• John W. Heston, president of Washington State University, South Dakota State University and Dakota State University
• Brennan O'Donnell, president of Manhattan College
• David C. Hodge, President of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio
• Harry J. Hartley, Jr., former president of University of Connecticut
• Robert E. Witt, president of University of Alabama
• David Dodds Henry, former president of University of Illinois
• George D. Stoddard, former president of University of Illinois
• James J. Whalen, former president of Ithaca College
• David C. Hodge, president of Miami University (OH)
• Harold E. Longenecker, former president of Tulane University
• Frederick E. Hutchinson, former president of University of Maine
• Sharon A. Siverts, former vice chancellor of University of Botswana
• Dwight M. Smith, former chancellor of University of Denver
• James T. Harris III, president of Widener University
• Eddie N. Moore, president of Virginia State University
• Sister Mary M. Reap, former president of Marywood University
• Richard Hoover, former president of Hastings College
• Robert W. Neff, former president of Juniata College
• Sharon D. Herzberger, president of Whittier College
• Joe Gow, University of Wisconsin–La Crosse Chancellor
• Eoin McKiernan, early scholar in Irish Studies

Entertainment and media

• 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
• Alan Beckwith, actor, The China Syndrome, UFOria
• Donald Bellisario, television producer
• Charles Bierbauer, television journalist
• Benjy Bronk, comedian and writer, The Howard Stern Show
• Ryan Buell, founder of the Paranormal Research Society seen on A&E.
• Ty Burrell, actor, star of ABC sitcom Modern Family
• Margaret Carlson, journalist, pundit. First female columnist for TIME
• Leon Carr, songwriter and composer
• Nathan Cook, actor, The White Shadow, Hotel
• Jill Cordes, TV personality, HGTV's My First Place and The Best Of
• John A. Dalles, hymn writer and clergyman
• Bruce Davison, actor; received an Oscar nomination for his role in Longtime Companion
• Steven E. de Souza, screenwriter; Judge Dredd, Beverly Hills Cop 3, 48 Hrs., Die Hard
• Janine DiGioacchino, director of Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, New York
• 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)
• Kim Jones, clubhouse reporter for the New York Yankees and the YES Network
• 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
• Gary Ley, Chief Meteorologist of WJAR-TV in Providence, Rhode Island
• Adam McKay, film director and screenwriter; writer and director of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and The Landlord (2007 film)
• Amy Wynn Pastor, TV personality, TLC's Trading Spaces
• Denis Phillips, chief meteorologist of WFTS-TV in Tampa Bay.
• Mike Reid, Grammy Award-winning songwriter
• John Lewis, dancer, most famous for inventing the dance "Big Baby Shuffle" that stormed Western Pennsylvania in the 1980s.
• Ian Rosenberger, 3rd place in Survivor: Palau on CBS and one time President of Penn State's USG
• Michael S. Rosenfeld, talent agent and co-founder of Creative Artists Agency
• Leah Rozen, film critic, People.
• Lisa Salters, ESPN reporter and former Nittany Lady Lion Basketball Star
• David Schelzel, lead singer of The Ocean Blue
• Lara Spencer, TV host of The Insider
• Don Taylor (actor), Film actor of the 1940s and 1950s
• Tom Verducci, senior writer for Sports Illustrated
• Andrew Kevin Walker, screenwriter of Seven
• Fred Waring, Bandleader
• Glenn "Hurricane" Schwartz, chief meteorologist of WCAU-TV in Philadelphia.^[2]
• Rake Yohn, CKY crew and Jackass crew member, as well as a synthetic metal chemist (which he graduated for).
• Immortal Technique, Political Activist and rapper.

Politics, government and military

• Kelly Ayotte, United States Senator (R-NH)
• Dr. Steve Blythe, United States Congressman candidate (D-FL 15)
• Caroline Casagrande, member of the New Jersey General Assembly
• Kathleen L. Casey, commissioner of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
• 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)
• Rodney A. Funk, former United States Marine Corps Operational Test Pilot and F-18/A-6E/KC-130 Aviator. Set Trans-Atlantic World Speed Record 18 July, 2008 (NAA & FAI)
• 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
• Howard Fargo, (M.Ed. 1957), member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1981-2000. Served as Republican Caucus Chairman 1995-2000.^[3]
• Robert Jubelirer, former President Pro Tempore of the Pennsylvania State Senate, former Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania.
• C. Robert Kehler, commander of Air Force Space Command
• Maria Leavey, political strategist
• Michael P. Murphy, a United States Navy SEAL and Medal of Honor recipient.^[4]
• Bonnie Newman, member of the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, chief of staff to Judd Gregg
• William Perry, former United States Secretary of Defense
• Valerie Plame, former CIA officer
• Hugh Ellsworth Rodham, father of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
• Hugh Edwin Rodham, politician and brother of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton
• James Patrick Rossiter, Mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania
• Rick Santorum, former United States Senator and former United States Congressman. (R-PA 18)
• Richard Schweiker, United States Senator and Secretary of Health and Human Services.
• Lyonpo Jigme Thinley, ’76g — Prime Minister and Head of the Government of Bhutan.^[5]
• George J. Trautman, III, Lieutenant General, United States Marine Corps
• Slobodan Uzelac, Deputy Prime Minister of the Croatian government
• William E. Ward, General, United States Army
• R. Seth Williams, District Attorney of Philadelphia
• Alan Isaacman, attorney, argued the case Hustler Magazine v. Falwell before U.S. Supreme Court
• Donald William Snyder (BBA 1973), Member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives 1981-2000 and Majority Whip.^[3]

Science

• Paul Berg, recipient of 1980 Nobel Prize in Chemistry
• Elliott Abrams, Accuweather Meteorologist
• Guion Bluford, astronaut, first African-American in space
• Robert Cenker, Space Shuttle astronaut, STS-61-C
• Dennis S. Charney, current Dean of Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City
• Nina Fedoroff, geneticist
• James T Harris III (D.Ed. 1988), educator and academic administrator; 2003 Alumni Fellow Award recipient^[6]
• Joel N. Myers, founder and CEO of AccuWeather
• Erwin Wilhelm Müller, physicist, inventor of the field ion microscope, and the first person ever to "see" an atom
• 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
• David L. Reich, among the first to demonstrate the utility of electronic medical records for large-scale retrospective investigations demonstrating the association of intraoperative hemodynamic abnormalities with adverse postoperative outcomes.^[7]
• Robert Titzer, professor and infant researcher
• Paul J. Weitz, astronaut, Skylab 2, STS-6

Sports

• David Aardsma, major league pitcher spent 1 semester before transferring to Rice University
• John Amaechi, former professional basketball player; BBC, ITV, and SKY television personality
• Richie Anderson, former NFL running back
• LaVar Arrington, All-Pro NFL linebacker; radio personality
• Horace Ashenfelter, 1952 Olympic gold medalist, track and field
• Terry Bartlett, Olympic gymnast
• Mark Baldwin (baseball), former Major League baseball player
• Todd Blackledge, retired NFL quarterback and television sports analyst.
• Calvin Booth, NBA center
• Kyle Brady, NFL tight end
• Frank Brickowski, former professional basketball player
• Courtney Brown, NFL defensive end and #1 overall NFL draft pick
• Gary Brown, Cleveland Browns running backs coach; former NFL running back
• Nate Bump, professional 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
• Helen Darling, Professional WNBA guard for the San Antonio Silver Stars
• Bobby Engram, NFL wide receiver with the Seattle Seahawks
• Sam Gash, former professional fullback, Baltimore Ravens, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills; current Detroit Lions assistant coach
• John Gilmore, NFL tight end
• Robbie Gould, Professional Kicker for Chicago Bears
• Rosey Grier, former professional football player
• Tamba Hali, NFL defensive lineman
• Franco Harris, former NFL running back
• 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, former Major League Baseball player
• Larry Johnson, Pro Bowl NFL running back
• Bhawoh Jue, NFL safety
• Joe Jurevicius, NFL wide receiver
• Jeremy Kapinos, NFL Green Bay Packers punter
• Jimmy Kennedy, NFL defensive tackle
• Ed Klepfer, former Major League Baseball player
• Ali Krieger, professional women's soccer player, FFC Frankfurt, Washington Freedom
• David Macklin, NFL cornerback
• Kelly Mazzante, professional basketball player
• Mike McBath - co-founder/part-owner of the Orlando Predators
• Suzie McConnell Serio, former professional basketball player, current coach
• Kerry McCoy, 2x United States Olympian in Wrestling, current coach Stanford University Wrestling
• O. J. McDuffie, former NFL wide receiver
• Kareem McKenzie, NFL Offensive Lineman
• John McNulty, wide receivers coach, Arizona Cardinals
• Matt Millen, former professional football player former president of the Detroit Lions
• Lenny Moore, former NFL Running Back
• Mike Munchak, Pro Football Hall of Fame offensive guard, current Tennessee Titans offensive line coach
• Jim O'Hora, former football player, football coach
• Paul Pasqualoni, defensive line coach, Dallas Cowboys; former Syracuse head coach
• Darren Perry, former professional American football player; current safeties coach, Green Bay Packers
• Jon Sandusky, Director of Player Personnel, Cleveland Browns
• Mike Scioscia, former Major League Baseball catcher and current manager
• Chad Severs, professional soccer player
• Bud Sharpe, former Major League Baseball player
• Jack Sherry, captain of the 1954 Final Four Team
• Alan Strange, former Major League Baseball player
• Kevin Tan, Olympic bronze medalist (gymnastics, team)
• Myles Thomas, former Major League Baseball player
• Wallace Triplett, former NFL Running Back (first African-American draftee to play in the NFL)
• Kristal Uzelac, former U.S. Olympian
• Russ Van Atta, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• John Montgomery Ward, former Major League Baseball player, manager, and executive
• Tiffany Weimer, Professional soccer player for the FC Gold Pride in the WPS
• Paul Posluszny, NFL Linebacker for the Buffalo Bills.
• Dan Connor, NFL Linebacker for the Carolina Panthers
• Patrick C. Schirk, 1st Penn State NCAA Swimming Champion
• Cumberland Posey, founded the Homestead Grays in 1912

Fictional alumni

• Toby Flenderson, Human Resources Representative to the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch on the U.S. television series, The Office.
• Andrew Fraone, Toby Flenderson's fictional roommate while in college. He supposedly had a southern drawl and made Toby the depressing person he is on the show today.
• Mark Wiggum, mentioned in The Italian Bob episode of the television series The Simpsons, Cousin of Chief Clancy Wiggum.
• Marvel Comics has two alumni from here. Bruce Banner better known as The Hulk, and Walter Langkowski better known as Sasquatch.
• Dr. Abby Lockhart, in television series E.R. is a graduate of Penn State with a minor in English.

Notable professors and coaches

• Gregory Ain, architect, Head of Department of Architecture 1963-67
• Richard Alley, glaciologist and climate scientist, IPCC lead author
• George Andrews, mathematician
• John Barth, American novelist and short-story author
• Samuel Preston Bayard, folklorist, expert on fife and fiddle tunes
• 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
• Lee Giles, creator of CiteSeer
• Lee Smolin, theoretical physicist
• Ivan Illich, polymath: author, philosopher, and polemicist
• Philip Jenkins, professor of religious studies and writer on modern religious controversies
• James Kasting, atmospheric chemist and astrobiologist, a.k.a. "Dr. Habitable zone"
• Gary N. Knoppers, Head of the Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies who has written a massive and hugely significant two-volume commentary on I Chronicles (I Chronicles 1 - 9 Anchor Bible Vol. 12: Doubleday, 2003) and I Chronicles 10 - 29 Anchor Bible Vol. 12A: Doubleday, 2004)
• Webb Miller, one of the pioneers of Computational Biology. Co-creator of BLAST, a research tool used by geneticists worldwide.
• Erwin Wilhelm Müller, inventor of the field emission microscope, the field ion microscope, the atom probe, and the first person to view atoms
• Robert Neffson, artist
• Masatoshi Nei, theoretical population geneticist and evolutionary biologist
• Joe Paterno, head football coach since 1966
• Roger Penrose
• 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
• Richard Russo, Pulitzer Prize winning author of Empire Falls, His novel Straight Man was drawn from his experiences teaching at Penn State Altoona
• William Tenn (pen name of Philip Klass), famous science fiction writer
• Alan Walker, paleoanthropologist
• Frank C. Whitmore, pioneering organic chemist who described the mechanism of carbocation reactions.
• Aleksander Wolszczan, discoverer of first extrasolar planets and pulsar planets
• Mark D. Maughmer, Developed first successful winglet designs for gliding competitions, widely known aerodynamicists and author

References