Notable Alumni of Wesleyan University

Michael Bennet 1964–

US Senator from Colorado

Bachelor of Arts · Study of history · Class of 1987

Also attended: Yale University

Sibling: James Bennet (Yale University)

John Hickenlooper 1952–

U.S. senator from Colorado and former governor

Master of Science, Bachelor of Arts · Geology, English studies · Class of 1980

Spouse: Helen Thorpe (Princeton University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Peter Shumlin 1956–

81st Governor of Vermont

Nobutaka Machimura 1944–2015

Japanese politician and former House of Representatives member

Jean François-Poncet 1928–2012

French foreign minister and senator

Also attended: Tufts University

Lael Brainard 1962–

Former National Economic Council director and Fed vice chair

Also attended: Harvard University

Cornelius Cole 1822–1924

California US senator, longest-lived in Senate history

Gerald L. Baliles 1940–2019

65th Governor of Virginia

Also attended: University of Virginia-Main Campus

Josiah O. Wolcott 1877–1938

U.S. senator and Chancellor of Delaware

Raymond E. Baldwin 1893–1986

Former Connecticut governor and US senator

Attended until 1916

Also attended: Yale University

Norris Cotton 1900–1989

US Senator from New Hampshire

Attended until 1923

Also attended: George Washington University

Arthur MacArthur 1815–1896

Governor of Wisconsin, lawyer and judge

Emilio Daddario 1918–2010

Former U.S. congressman from Connecticut

Also attended: University of Connecticut

David Josiah Brewer 1837–1910

US Supreme Court justice from 1890 to 1910

Also attended: Yale University, Albany Law School

Edward M. Kennedy Jr. 1961–

Lawyer and politician

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1983

Also attended: University of Connecticut, Yale University

Father: Ted Kennedy (Harvard University, University of Virginia-Main Campus)

Mother: Joan Bennett Kennedy (Lesley University, Manhattanville University)

Walter Eli Clark 1869–1950

First Governor of Alaska Territory and newspaper publisher

Also attended: Central Connecticut State University

David Skaggs 1943–

Former Colorado congressman, served 1987 to 1999

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1964

Also attended: Yale University

Watson C. Squire 1838–1926

12th governor of Washington Territory and US senator

Alonzo J. Edgerton 1827–1896

US senator from Minnesota and federal judge

George Edwin King 1839–1901

Premier of New Brunswick and Supreme Court justice

Max Rose 1986–

Former Democratic U.S. Representative from New York

Ceajer Chan 1957–

Former Hong Kong Secretary for Financial Services and the Treasury

Also attended: University of Chicago

Herb Kelleher 1931–2019

Co-founder of Southwest Airlines

Also attended: New York University

Bozoma Saint John 1977–

Marketing executive, former chief marketing officer at Netflix

Jonathan I. Schwartz 1965–

Businessman, president and CEO of CareZone

Gerald Tsai 1929–2008

Investor who helped build Fidelity Investments

Also attended: Boston University

Daniel Dennett 1942–2024

Philosopher and cognitive scientist

Also attended: Harvard University

Edward Thorndike 1874–1949

Psychologist at Columbia Teachers College

Attended until 1895

Also attended: Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York, Teachers College at Columbia University

Child: Elizabeth Frances Cope (Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Child: Robert L. Thorndike (Wesleyan University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

David McClelland 1917–1998

Psychologist known for motivation need theory

Also attended: University of Missouri-Columbia

John Lipsky 1947–

Economist and former acting IMF managing director

Also attended: Stanford University

Jennifer Tour Chayes 1956–

Computer scientist, dean at UC Berkeley

Also attended: Harvard University, Princeton University, Cornell University

George Brown Goode 1851–1896

Ichthyologist and museum administrator

Also attended: Harvard University

Adolf Grünbaum 1923–2018

Philosopher of science, University of Pittsburgh professor

Also attended: Yale University

Kohei Saito 1987–

Japanese philosopher, associate professor at University of Tokyo

Bachelor of Arts · Government · Class of 2009

Elliot Aronson 1932–

Psychologist who invented the Jigsaw Classroom technique

Also attended: Brandeis University

Gerald Holton 1922–

Physicist and historian of science, Harvard professor emeritus

Also attended: Harvard University

Albert Francis Blakeslee 1874–1954

Botanist known for jimsonweed and fungal sexuality research

Also attended: Harvard University

Sibling: George Hubbard Blakeslee (Wesleyan University, Harvard University)

Shelly Kagan 1956–

Clark Professor of Philosophy at Yale University

Also attended: Princeton University

Lynn Thorndike 1882–1965

Historian of medieval science and alchemy

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Sibling: Edward Thorndike (Wesleyan University, Harvard University)

Albert L. Lehninger 1917–1986

Biochemist in the field of bioenergetics

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Samuel Botsford Buckley 1809–1884

Botanist, geologist and naturalist

Ruth Behar 1956–

Cuban-American anthropologist and writer

Also attended: Princeton University

James Strong 1822–1894

Theologian, creator of Strong's Concordance

Alexander Winchell 1824–1891

Geologist, paleontologist and educator

Edwin W. Kemmerer 1875–1945

Economist and adviser to foreign governments

Also attended: Cornell University

Peter Lipton 1954–2007

Philosopher, Cambridge professor of history and philosophy of science

Wilbur Olin Atwater 1844–1907

Chemist considered father of modern nutrition research

Also attended: Yale University

Child: Helen W. Atwater (Smith College)

Tyler Burge 1946–

Philosopher and UCLA distinguished professor

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1967

Also attended: Princeton University

Saidiya Hartman 1961–

Columbia University English professor, historian and writer

Also attended: Yale University

John Hendley Barnhart 1871–1949

Botanist and biographer of botanists

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Benjamin Franklin Mudge 1817–1879

First State Geologist of Kansas

Daniel Z. Freedman 1939–

Theoretical physicist, MIT professor emeritus

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Neil Asher Silberman 1950–

Archaeologist and historian of biblical archaeology

H. Eugene Stanley 1941–

Boston University physicist in statistical physics

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University

Charles Tiebout 1924–1968

Economist known for the Tiebout model

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Allan Hobson 1933–2021

Psychiatrist and dream researcher

Also attended: Harvard University

Herbert Benson 1935–2022

Cardiologist, founder of MGH Mind/Body Medical Institute

Also attended: Becker College, Harvard University

Chi Che Wang 1894–1979

Chinese biochemist and college professor

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: University of Chicago

Michael Bay 1965–

Film director and producer of big-budget action films

Also attended: Art Center College of Design

Joss Whedon 1964–

Filmmaker and creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Sibling: Zack Whedon (Wesleyan University)

Robert Ludlum 1927–2001

Thriller novelist, creator of Jason Bourne

Dana Delany 1956–

Actress, two-time Emmy winner

Clark Gregg 1962–

Actor, screenwriter and director

Also attended: New York University, Ohio Wesleyan University

Spouse: Jennifer Grey (Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

Lin-Manuel Miranda 1980–

Creator of Broadway musicals Hamilton and In the Heights

Spouse: Vanessa Nadal (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Daniel Handler 1970–

Writer, pen name Lemony Snicket

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1992

Also attended: Simmons University

Amanda Palmer 1976–

Singer and lead vocalist of the Dresden Dolls

Bradley Whitford 1959–

Actor who starred in The West Wing

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Spouse: Amy Landecker (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Ruben Fleischer 1974–

Film director of Zombieland

Robin Cook 1940–

Physician and medical thriller novelist

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

Alex Kurtzman 1973–

Screenwriter and producer of Transformers and Star Trek

D. B. Weiss 1971–

Co-creator of Game of Thrones

Also attended: University of Iowa

Willie Garson 1964–2021

American actor in over 75 films and 300 TV episodes

Also attended: Yale University

John Perry Barlow 1947–2018

Grateful Dead lyricist and EFF co-founder

Kenneth Lonergan 1962–

Playwright, screenwriter and film director

Also attended: New York University

Spouse: J. Smith-Cameron (Florida State University)

Jon Turteltaub 1963–

Film director and producer

Also attended: University of Southern California

Akiva Goldsman 1962–

Screenwriter and producer of I Am Legend

Also attended: New York University

Zak Penn 1968–

Screenwriter of X2 and The Avengers story

Ram Dass 1931–2019

Spiritual teacher and author of Be Here Now

Also attended: Tufts University, Stanford University

Elisabeth Harnois 1979–

Actress

Beanie Feldstein 1993–

Actress known for Lady Bird and Booksmart

Sibling: Jonah Hill (University of Colorado Boulder, Bard College)

Mike White 1970–

Creator of HBO series The White Lotus

Father: Mel White (University of California-Los Angeles, Fuller Theological Seminary)

Santigold 1976–

Singer and songwriter

Benh Zeitlin 1982–

Director of Beasts of the Southern Wild

Also attended: Ohio Wesleyan University

Matthew Weiner 1965–

Creator and showrunner of Mad Men

Also attended: University of Southern California

Mary Roach 1959–

Popular science author

Charles Olson 1910–1970

American poet and literary critic

Also attended: Yale University, Harvard University

Barton MacLane 1902–1969

Actor, playwright and screenwriter

Also attended: American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York

William Christopher 1932–2016

Actor known for playing Father Mulcahy on M*A*S*H

Jack McDevitt 1935–

Science fiction author

Paul Weitz 1965–

Screenwriter, director and producer

Tristan Taormino 1971–

Author, sex educator and film director

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1993

Craig Thomas 1975–

Screenwriter, co-creator of How I Met Your Mother

Edoardo Ballerini 1970–

Actor and director, appeared in The Sopranos

Peter Cambor 1978–

Actor, known for NCIS: Los Angeles

Kim Wayans 1961–

Actress, comedian and director

Sibling: Marlon Wayans (Howard University)

Sibling: Keenen Ivory Wayans (Tuskegee University)

Adam Hann-Byrd 1982–

Screenwriter and former actor in Jumanji

Dar Williams 1967–

Pop folk singer-songwriter

Maya Kazan 1986–

Actress known for The Knick

Mother: Robin Swicord (Florida State University)

Sibling: Zoe Kazan (Yale University)

Jessica Carlson 1993–

Actress in Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

Carter Bays 1975–

Co-creator of How I Met Your Mother

William R. Moses 1959–

Television and film actor

Spouse: Tracy Nelson (Bard College)

Mother: Marian McCargo (West Hills Community College District)

Julius Onah 1983–

Director of Captain America: Brave New World

Also attended: New York University

Jonas Carpignano 1984–

American-Italian filmmaker known for Mediterranea

Also attended: New York University

Sebastian Junger 1962–

Journalist and author of The Perfect Storm

Steve Englehart 1947–

Comic book writer for Marvel and DC

Becky Albertalli 1982–

Young adult fiction author and former psychologist

John Rothman 1949–

American actor

Also attended: Yale University

Sibling: Tom Rothman (Columbia University in the City of New York, Brown University)

Andrew VanWyngarden 1983–

Lead vocalist and co-founder of MGMT

Jordan Belfi 1978–

Actor known for Entourage and All American

Anuradha Sriram 1970–

Indian playback and classical singer

John Godfrey Saxe 1816–1887

Poet known for retelling Blind men and an elephant

Also attended: Middlebury College

Tembi Locke 1970–

Actress and writer

Sibling: Attica Locke (Northwestern University)

L. Shankar 1950–

Indian violinist and composer

Ariel Levy 1974–

Staff writer at The New Yorker and author

Ayelet Waldman 1964–

Israeli-American novelist and essayist

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Michael Chabon (University of California-Irvine, Carnegie Mellon University)

Lawrence Sher 1970–

Cinematographer, Oscar-nominated for Joker

Alsarah 1982–

Sudanese-American singer, songwriter and ethnomusicologist

Suzanne Berne 1961–

Novelist, won 1999 Orange Prize for Fiction

Hunter Carson 1975–

Actor and director

Father: L. M. Kit Carson (University of Dallas)

Mother: Karen Black (Northwestern University)

Amy Bloom 1953–

Writer, psychotherapist and Wesleyan University professor

Also attended: Smith College

Miguel Arteta 1965–

Puerto Rican filmmaker, director of The Good Girl

Also attended: American Film Institute Conservatory, Harvard University

Philip Casnoff 1949–

Actor known for miniseries North and South

Frank Wood 1960–

Television, film and stage actor

Also attended: New York University

Father: Robert Coldwell Wood (Harvard University, Princeton University)

Sibling: Maggie Hassan (Northeastern University, Brown University)

Marion Brown 1931–2010

Jazz alto saxophonist and composer

Also attended: Howard University

Halley Feiffer 1984–

Actress, playwright and television writer

Father: Jules Feiffer (Pratt Institute-Main)

Alexander Chee 1967–

Novelist, poet and journalist

Also attended: University of Iowa

Michael Palmer 1942–2013

Physician and medical thriller novelist

Also attended: Case Western Reserve University

Jennifer Finney Boylan 1958–

Author, transgender activist, president of PEN America

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University

Indy Neidell 1967–

Historian and YouTube host of The Great War

Kim Stolz 1983–

Model, television personality and financial executive

Wadada Leo Smith 1941–

Jazz trumpeter and composer

Renée Green 1959–

Artist, writer and filmmaker

Also attended: Harvard University

Bradley Fuller 1965–

Film producer, co-owner of Platinum Dunes

Michael E. Knight 1959–

Actor known for All My Children

Also attended: Circle in the Square Theatre School

Spouse: Catherine Hickland (Florida Atlantic University)

Mark Bomback 1971–

Screenwriter and film producer

Candace Nelson 1974–

Pastry chef and judge on Cupcake Wars

Attended until 1996

Blake Nelson 1965–

Author of adult and children's literature

Glenn Ligon 1960–

Conceptual artist exploring race and identity

Daniel Pinchbeck 1966–

Author and journalist

Michael Arias 1968–

Anime director, first non-Japanese director of a major anime film

Mary Halvorson 1980–

Avant-garde jazz guitarist and composer

Ben Goldwasser 1982–

Co-founder and keyboardist of rock band MGMT

David Kendall 1957–2026

Television and film director, screenwriter and producer

Lynn Chen 1976–

Taiwanese-American actress and singer

James Fei 1974–

Taiwan-born contemporary classical and electronic music composer

Also attended: Princeton University

Bill Belichick 1952–

Football coach with six Super Bowl wins as head coach

Kathy Keeler 1956–

Rower and 1984 Olympic gold medalist

James Wendell 1890–1958

1912 Olympic silver medalist in 110 m hurdles

Eudice Chong 1996–

Hong Kong professional tennis player

Bill Rodgers 1947–

Marathon runner, four-time Boston Marathon winner

Jeff Galloway 1945–2026

1972 Olympic distance runner and running author

Also attended: Florida State University

Prince Carlos, Hereditary Duke of Parma 1970–

Current head of the House of Bourbon-Parma

Sibling: Princess Carolina, Marchioness of Sala (Harvard University)

Sibling: Jaime de Bourbon de Parme (Brown University)

David Jay 1982–

Asexual activist, founder of AVEN