Notable Alumni of Pomona College

Marianne Williamson 1952–

Self-help author and political activist

Brian Schatz 1972–

US senator from Hawaii

Bachelor of Arts · Philosophy · Class of 1994

Alan Cranston 1914–2000

US Senator from California from 1969 to 1993

Also attended: Stanford University

Myrlie Evers-Williams 1933–

Civil rights activist, former NAACP chairwoman

Also attended: Alcorn State University

Spouse: Medgar Evers (Alcorn State University, University of Mississippi)

James H. Howard 1913–1995

WWII fighter ace and Medal of Honor recipient

Bachelor of Arts

Bernard Charnwut Chan 1965–

Hong Kong businessman and former Executive Council convenor

Sibling: Stephen Tan (St John's University (NY))

Qiu Changwei 1898–1956

Republic of China politician and legislator

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1923

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Roy E. Disney 1930–2009

Walt Disney Company executive and animation chairman

Child: Abigail Disney (Yale University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Maya Horgan Famodu 1991–

Nigerian-American entrepreneur, founder of Ingressive

Bachelor of Arts · Ecology

Also attended: Cornell University

Frank Wells 1932–1994

Former president and COO of Disney

Also attended: Stanford University

Jane Chen 1978–

Co-founder of Embrace, maker of low-cost infant warmers

Also attended: Harvard University, Stanford University

Ted Field 1953–

Media mogul and founder of Interscope Communications

Father: Marshall Field IV (Harvard University, University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Lynn Forester de Rothschild 1954–

Businesswoman, chair of E.L. Rothschild

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Jennifer Doudna 1964–

CRISPR pioneer, 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate

Bachelor's degree · Chemistry · Class of 1985

Also attended: Harvard University

Norris Bradbury 1909–1997

Physicist, director of Los Alamos National Laboratory 1945–1970

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Hugo Benioff 1899–1968

Caltech seismologist

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Child: Paul Benioff (University of California-Berkeley)

Roger Revelle 1909–1991

Scientist, early researcher of global warming

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Sandra Knapp 1956–

Botanist and Linnean Society of London president

Also attended: Cornell University

Paul Fussell 1924–2012

Cultural and literary historian and professor

Also attended: Pasadena City College, Harvard University

Spouse: Betty Fussell (Pomona College, Harvard University)

Sibling: Edwin Sill Fussell (Harvard University)

Ivan Murray Johnston 1898–1960

Botanist at Harvard and the Arnold Arboretum

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University

Frederick Sumner Brackett 1896–1988

Physicist and spectroscopist

Jean Shinoda Bolen 1936–

Psychiatrist, Jungian analyst and author

Attended until 1957

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-San Francisco

Mother: Megumi Yamaguchi Shinoda (Barnard College, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Robert Lawson Vaught 1926–2002

Mathematical logician and a founder of model theory

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

David Keirsey 1921–2013

Psychologist, creator of the Keirsey Temperament Sorter

Also attended: Claremont Graduate University

Francis Raymond Fosberg 1908–1993

Botanist who advanced coral reef and island studies

Lise Abrams

Cognitive psychologist and professor at Pomona College

Daniel Ziblatt 1972–

Harvard professor of political science

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Rick Strassman 1952–

Psychiatrist and professor at University of New Mexico

Zoology · Attended until 1971

Also attended: Stanford University, Albert Einstein College of Medicine

M. Frederick Hawthorne 1928–2021

Inorganic chemist known for boron hydride research

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, Missouri University of Science and Technology

Chen Hansheng 1897–2004

Sociologist, pioneer of modern Chinese social science

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1920

Also attended: University of Chicago, Harvard University

Xiao Guangyan 1920–1968

Chinese petrochemist known for catalyst research

Also attended: University of Chicago

Kris Kristofferson 1936–2024

Country singer, songwriter and actor

Bachelor of Arts

Spouse: Rita Coolidge (Florida State University)

Richard Chamberlain 1934–2025

Actor and singer

Robert Taylor 1911–1969

Film and television actor signed with MGM

Also attended: Doane University

Joel McCrea 1905–1990

Actor best known for Westerns

Spouse: Frances Dee (University of Chicago)

Art Clokey 1921–2010

Animator and pioneer of clay stop-motion animation

Geology · Attended until 1943

Also attended: University of Southern California, Miami University-Oxford

Rosalind Chao 1957–

Actress in The Joy Luck Club

Also attended: University of Southern California

Robert Towne 1934–2024

Screenwriter and director

Jason Beghe 1960–

Actor starring in Chicago P.D

Twyla Tharp 1941–

Dancer and choreographer

Also attended: San Bernardino Valley College, Barnard College, Columbia University in the City of New York

Anthony Zerbe 1936–

Film and television actor

James Turrell 1943–

Artist of the Light and Space movement

Also attended: Claremont Graduate University

Amanda Blake 1929–1989

Actress known as Miss Kitty in Gunsmoke

Spouse: Jack Shea (Fordham University)

Douglas Preston 1956–

Thriller author and journalist

Sibling: Richard Preston (Pomona College)

David Murray 1955–

Jazz saxophonist and composer

Attended until 1979

Spouse: Ming Smith (Howard University)

Spouse: Ntozake Shange (University of Southern California, Barnard College)

Chris Burden 1946–2015

Performance artist and sculptor

Bachelor of Fine Arts · Class of 1969

Also attended: University of California-Irvine

Spouse: Nancy Rubins (University of California-Davis, Maryland Institute College of Art)

David S. Ward 1945–

Screenwriter and director, Oscar winner for The Sting

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, University of Southern California

Robert Shaw 1916–1999

Conductor known for the Robert Shaw Chorale

Vikram Chandra 1961–

Indian-American novelist and writer

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, Kenyon College

Scott Paulin 1950–

Actor and director, played Deke Slayton in The Right Stuff

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Sylvain White 1971–

French film director and screenwriter

George C. Wolfe 1954–

Playwright and director, two-time Tony Award winner

Also attended: New York University

Mary GrandPré 1954–

Illustrator of the US Harry Potter books

Mary Schmich 1953–

Chicago Tribune columnist and Pulitzer Prize winner

Also attended: Harvard University

Wright Morris 1910–1998

Novelist and photographer

Also attended: School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Jim Taylor 1962–

Screenwriter and producer of Sideways

Also attended: New York University

Spouse: Tamara Jenkins (New York University)

Lynda Obst 1950–2024

Film producer of Sleepless in Seattle and Interstellar

Don Daglow 1953–

Video game designer, programmer and producer

William Irwin Thompson 1938–2020

Social philosopher, cultural critic and poet

Child: Evan Thompson (Amherst College)

Nathan Wang 1956–

Film composer known for work with Jackie Chan

Vladimir Ussachevsky 1911–1990

Composer known for electronic music

Mark Gayn 1909–1981

American-Canadian journalist at The Toronto Star

Fong Foo Sec 1869–1931

Chinese English-language educator born in Guangdong

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Darlene Hard 1936–2021

Tennis player, 1960 French Championships singles winner

Mike Budenholzer 1969–

Basketball coach, won 2021 NBA title with Bucks

Marilyn Ramenofsky 1946–

1964 Olympic swimming silver medalist and ornithologist

Katie Hall 1987–

Former professional cyclist

Virginia Prince 1912–2009

Transgender activist and Transvestia magazine publisher

Katherine Sui Fun Cheung 1904–2003

Aviator, first Chinese woman with international flying license

Also attended: California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, University of Southern California