Notable Alumni of Illinois State University

Adlai Stevenson II 1900–1965

Illinois governor and UN ambassador

Also attended: Northwestern University, Harvard University, Princeton University

Father: Lewis Stevenson (Illinois State University)

Child: Adlai Stevenson III (Harvard University)

Adam Kinzinger 1978–

Former US representative from Illinois

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 2000

Ida Crouch-Hazlett 1870–1941

Socialist Party orator and suffrage activist

Donald McHenry 1936–

Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations

Also attended: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

Dan Rutherford 1955–

73rd Treasurer of Illinois

Charles H. Page 1843–1912

Former U.S. representative from Rhode Island

Also attended: Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, Albany Law School

Chen Yong 1966–

Chairman of the Ningxia regional CPPCC

Arnold Beckman 1900–2004

Chemist, inventor of the pH meter, Beckman Instruments founder

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Samuel Garman 1843–1927

American zoologist, ichthyologist and herpetologist

William S. Sadler 1875–1969

Psychiatrist and surgeon who helped publish The Urantia Book

Spouse: Lena Sadler (Illinois State University)

Thomas Jonathan Burrill 1839–1916

Botanist who discovered bacterial causes of plant disease

Ralph Modjeski 1861–1940

Polish-American bridge engineer

Stephen Alfred Forbes 1844–1930

Naturalist, first chief of Illinois Natural History Survey

Lena Sadler 1875–1939

Obstetrician and women's health leader

Spouse: William S. Sadler (Illinois State University)

Sandra K. Steingraber 1959–

Biologist and author on environment and cancer

Also attended: Illinois Wesleyan University, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

John Malkovich 1953–

Actor and Emmy Award winner

Also attended: Eastern Illinois University

Gary Sinise 1955–

Actor and director; Tony and Emmy winner

Spouse: Moira Harris (Illinois State University)

Jane Lynch 1960–

Actress and comedian, six-time Emmy winner

Also attended: Cornell University

Cloris Leachman 1926–2021

Actress and comedian, Academy Award winner

Also attended: Northwestern University, Northwest University

Spouse: George Englund (University of California-Los Angeles)

Sean Hayes 1970–

Actor known for Jack in Will & Grace

Laurie Metcalf 1955–

Actress with four Emmys and three Tonys

Bachelor of Arts

Spouse: Jeff Perry (Illinois State University)

Child: Zoe Perry (Northwestern University, Boston University)

Michelle Williams 1979–

Singer and actress, member of Destiny's Child

Gary Cole 1956–

Film, television and stage actor

Spouse: Teddi Siddall (University of Cincinnati-Main Campus)

Craig Robinson 1971–

Actor and comedian

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: Saint Xavier University

Tim Russ 1956–

Actor, played Tuvok on Star Trek: Voyager

Also attended: Saint Edward's University

Carlos Bernard 1962–

Actor, played Tony Almeida in 24

Spouse: Tessie Santiago (Barry University, University of Miami)

Jeff Perry 1955–

Actor in Scandal and Grey's Anatomy

Spouse: Laurie Metcalf (Illinois State University)

Child: Zoe Perry (Northwestern University, Boston University)

Cecilia Suárez 1971–

Mexican actress

Terry Kinney 1954–

Actor, founding member of Steppenwolf Theatre Company

Spouse: Elizabeth Perkins (DePaul University)

Spouse: Kathryn Erbe (New York University)

Todd Stashwick 1968–

Actor known for 12 Monkeys and The Riches

Judith Ivey 1951–

Actress and director, two-time Tony Award winner

Also attended: John A Logan College

Spouse: Ricardo Gutierrez (Illinois State University)

Syleena Johnson 1976–

R&B and soul singer-songwriter and actress

Also attended: Drake University

Julia Faye 1892–1966

Actress in silent and sound films

Tom Irwin 1956–

Actor in My So-Called Life and Devious Maids

Richard Roeper 1959–

Writer and former Chicago Sun-Times film critic

Natasha Leggero 1974–

Stand-up comedian and actress

Also attended: CUNY Hunter College

Spouse: Moshe Kasher (University of California-Santa Barbara)

Cleo Madison 1883–1964

Silent-era actress and film director

Yetide Badaki 1981–

Nigerian actress in American Gods

Sarah Mkhonza 1957–

Swazi writer, educator and women's rights activist

Also attended: Michigan State University

Gregory Kunde 1954–

Operatic tenor

Suzy Bogguss 1956–

Country music singer and songwriter

Moira Harris 1954–

Former actress

Spouse: Gary Sinise (Illinois State University)

Brendan Hunt 1972–

Actor and writer on Ted Lasso

Rachel Crothers 1870–1958

Playwright and theater director

LaRoyce Hawkins 1988–

Actor known for Chicago P.D

Michael Roark 1983–

Actor and attorney

Jimmy Dore 1965–

Stand-up comedian and political commentator

Also attended: Columbia College Chicago

Zheng Min 1920–2022

Chinese poet and scholar

Also attended: Brown University

Chen Chi-kwan 1921–2007

Taiwanese architect and painter of Luce Memorial Chapel

Master's degree · Architectural analytics · Class of 1949

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Doug Collins 1951–

Former NBA player, coach and analyst

Child: Chris Collins (Duke University)

Ogonna Nnamani 1983–

Retired US Olympic volleyball player and physician

Also attended: Stanford University

Keita Bates-Diop 1996–

Basketball coach and former professional player

Also attended: Ohio State University-Main Campus

Cathy Boswell 1962–

Olympic medalist in basketball

Paris Lee 1995–

Professional basketball player

Charlotte Lewis 1955–2007

1976 Olympic basketball medalist

Jackie Carmichael 1990–

Former professional basketball player

Roberto Fortes 1984–

Angolan former basketball player

Aisha Praught 1989–

Middle-distance runner competing for Jamaica

Spouse: Will Leer (Pomona College)

Zach Lofton 1992–

Professional basketball player

Also attended: New Mexico State University-Main Campus, Texas Southern University

DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell 1993–

Basketball player for CBA's Jilin Northeast Tigers

Antonio Reeves 2000–

Basketball player for Partizan

Attended until 2022

Also attended: University of Kentucky

Ron Goldman 1968–1994

Restaurant waiter and murder victim

Also attended: Los Angeles Pierce College

Minnie Vautrin 1886–1941

Missionary and president of Ginling College

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Columbia University in the City of New York