Notable Alumni of San Jose State University

Lou Henry Hoover 1874–1944

First Lady of the United States from 1929 to 1933

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

Spouse: Herbert Hoover (George Fox University, Stanford University)

Child: Allan Hoover (Harvard University, Stanford University)

Gaylord Nelson 1916–2005

US senator from Wisconsin and environmentalist

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Mike Honda 1941–

Former Democratic U.S. Representative

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1968

Ben Nighthorse Campbell 1933–2025

Former US senator from Colorado

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1957

Aisha Wahab 1987–

U.S. representative from California, former state senator

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 2010

Also attended: California State University--East Bay, University of Southern California

Christopher Darden 1956–

Lawyer and co-prosecutor in O. J. Simpson trial

Also attended: University of California College of the Law-San Francisco

Tien Pei Chun James 1947–

Former Liberal Party leader and Hong Kong legislator

Master of Science · Chemical engineering · Class of 1970

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Sibling: Michael Tien (Harvard University, Cornell University)

Paul Fong 1952–

Former California State Assembly member

Also attended: University of San Francisco

Chang Chia-juch 1950–

Former Taiwan economic affairs minister

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

Wang Hau-yu 1988–

Taiwanese politician and Taoyuan council candidate

April Yao 1969–

Magistrate of Taitung, Kuomintang member

Master's degree

Gordon Moore 1929–2023

Intel co-founder who proposed Moore's law

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, University of California-Berkeley

Ray Dolby 1933–2013

Inventor of Dolby noise reduction, founder of Dolby Laboratories

Also attended: Stanford University

Child: Tom Dolby (Yale University)

Jan Koum 1976–

Co-founder of WhatsApp

Peter Ueberroth 1937–

Chairman of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee

Omid Kordestani 1963–

Businessman, former executive chairman of Twitter

Also attended: Stanford University

Brian Krzanich 1960–

Former CEO of Intel

Dian Fossey 1932–1985

Primatologist who studied mountain gorillas in Rwanda

Also attended: University of California-Davis, College of Marin

Béla H. Bánáthy 1919–2003

Hungarian-American linguist and systems scientist

Attended until 1963

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Stevie Nicks 1948–

Singer-songwriter of Fleetwood Mac

Also attended: Canada College

Amy Tan 1952–

Author of The Joy Luck Club

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Santa Cruz, San Jose City College

Paul Kantner 1941–2016

Co-founder of Jefferson Airplane

Also attended: Santa Clara University

Kurtwood Smith 1943–

Actor known for That '70s Show

Also attended: College of San Mateo, Stanford University

Mary Blair 1911–1978

Disney concept artist and illustrator

Spouse: Lee Blair (California Institute of the Arts)

Kevin Pollak 1957–

Actor and comedian, known for A Few Good Men

Lindsey Buckingham 1949–

Lead guitarist and vocalist of Fleetwood Mac

Also attended: College of San Mateo

Sibling: Greg Buckingham (College of San Mateo, Stanford University)

Omar Benson Miller 1978–

Actor known for CSI: Miami and Ballers

Martin Ferrero 1947–

Actor in Miami Vice and Jurassic Park

Patricia A. McKillip 1948–2022

Fantasy and science fiction author

Coby Bell 1975–

Actor known for Burn Notice and The Game

Stanley Anderson 1939–2018

Character actor in The Drew Carey Show

Wayne Thiebaud 1920–2021

Painter known for pies, cakes and everyday objects

Also attended: California State University-Sacramento, Sacramento City College

Debrah Farentino 1959–

Actress who starred in the soap opera Capitol

Spouse: Gregory Hoblit (University of California-Berkeley)

Michael Forest 1929–2026

Actor and voice actor, played Apollo on Star Trek

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Luis Valdez 1940–

Playwright and director, known for Zoot Suit

Michael Whelan 1950–

Illustrator of science fiction and fantasy cover art

Bryan Mantia 1963–

Rock drummer who played with Primus and Guns N' Roses

Also attended: Musicians Institute

Dave Meltzer 1959–

Publisher of Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Tom Johnston 1948–

Founding guitarist and vocalist of the Doobie Brothers

Patrick Simmons 1948–

Founding member of The Doobie Brothers

Robert Graham 1938–2008

Mexican-born sculptor known for bronze figures

Also attended: San Francisco Art Institute

Yvette Wilson 1964–2012

Comedian and actress in Moesha

Jerry Juhl 1937–2005

Television and film writer known for The Muppets

Dick Smothers 1939–

Half of the Smothers Brothers folk-comedy duo

Sibling: Tom Smothers (San Jose State University)

Suki Lee

Video game designer and programmer at Atari

Tommie Smith 1944–

1968 Olympic 200-meter champion

Also attended: Goddard College

John Carlos 1945–

1968 Olympic 200 metres bronze medalist

Lee Evans 1947–2021

Two-time gold medalist at the 1968 Olympics

John Powell 1947–2022

Discus thrower who set a 1975 world record

Brandon Clarke 1996–2026

Memphis Grizzlies power forward in the NBA

Attended until 2017

Also attended: Gonzaga University

Willie Steele 1923–1989

1948 Olympic long jump gold medalist

Also attended: San Diego State University

Marti Malloy 1986–

American judoka

Ronnie Ray Smith 1949–2013

1968 Olympic 4x100m relay gold medalist

Steve Sampson 1957–

Former head coach of US men's national soccer team

Also attended: Foothill College, Stanford University

Clara Espar 1994–

Spanish water polo player

Sibling: Anni Espar (University of Southern California)

Kevin Asano 1963–

Judoka, 1988 Olympic silver medalist

Mike Swain 1960–

American judoka

Juli Inkster 1960–

Professional golfer on the LPGA Tour

Lynn Vidali 1952–

Swimmer, two-time Olympic medalist

Ray Norton 1937–

Sprinter at the 1960 Olympics

Darnell Hillman 1949–

Former ABA and NBA basketball player

Hamza Yusuf 1958–

Islamic scholar

Also attended: Graduate Theological Union

Bobbi Starr 1983–

Adult film actress, 2012 AVN Female Performer of the Year

Bettina Aptheker 1944–

Political activist, feminist, professor and author

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, University of California-Santa Cruz

Father: Herbert Aptheker (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Joey Chestnut 1983–

Competitive eater holding 55 world records