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60 notable alumni

Notable Alumni of Eastern Michigan University

Notable alumni of Eastern Michigan University include Jeff Daniels (Actor, musician and playwright), Winsor McCay (Cartoonist and animator, creator of Little Nemo) and John Harvey Kellogg (Physician and inventor, director of Battle Creek Sanitarium).

College data and admissions

Alumni list

Politics and law

Business

  • Eduardito Maruri 1966–

    Ecuadorian businessman and Grey Global Group Europe CEO

    Also attended: Harvard University

Science and academia

Arts and media

  • Jeff Daniels 1955–

    Actor, musician and playwright

    Also attended: Central Michigan University

  • Winsor McCay 1869–1934

    Cartoonist and animator, creator of Little Nemo

    Also attended: Cleary University

  • Akkineni Nagarjuna 1959–

    Indian film actor and producer

    Child: Naga Chaitanya (New York Film Academy)

  • S. Epatha Merkerson 1952–

    Actress, Emmy and Golden Globe winner

    Also attended: Indiana University-Bloomington, Wayne State University

  • Dann Florek 1950–

    Actor in Law & Order

  • Afton Williamson 1984–

    Actress known for The Rookie

  • Kevin Saunderson 1964–

    DJ and Detroit techno pioneer

  • Michael Bailey Smith 1957–

    Actor known for TV series Charmed

  • Cooper Barnes 1979–

    Actor and producer in Henry Danger

  • Ella Joyce 1954–

    Actress who starred in the series Roc

  • Joseph Sobran 1946–2010

    Journalist and syndicated columnist

  • Lynne Cohen 1944–2014

    Photographer known for empty institutional interiors

    Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

  • Jackie Salloum 1950–

    Palestinian-Syrian American filmmaker and artist

    Also attended: New York University

  • Greg Mathis 1960–

    Former judge and host of Judge Mathis

    Bachelor of Science

    Also attended: University of Detroit Mercy

  • Anouar H. Smaine 1976–

    Algerian film director, producer and actor

    Also attended: New York Film Academy

  • Mildred Burleigh 1887–1956

    Cartoonist for the Chicago Tribune

  • David Petersen 1977–

    Comic creator best known for Mouse Guard

Sports

  • George Gervin 1952–

    Former ABA and NBA player nicknamed "the Iceman"

    Attended until 1972

    Also attended: California State University--Long Beach

    Sibling: Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (Eastern Michigan University)

    Sibling: Derrick Gervin (University of Texas-San Antonio)

  • Earl Boykins 1976–

    Former NBA player, USC assistant coach

  • Hasely Crawford 1950–

    Sprinter, Trinidad and Tobago's first Olympic champion

  • Alysha Newman 1994–

    Canadian pole vaulter and Olympic bronze medallist

    Also attended: University of Miami

  • Hayes Jones 1938–

    1964 Olympic 110 m hurdles champion

  • Savatheda Fynes 1974–

    Bahamian sprinter and Olympic relay gold medalist

    Also attended: Michigan State University

  • Clement Chukwu 1973–

    Nigerian sprinter

  • Earl Jones 1964–

    Middle-distance runner, 1984 Olympic 800m bronze medalist

  • Nduka Awazie 1981–

    Nigerian sprinter and Olympic medalist

  • Emoni Bates 2004–

    Professional basketball player

    Also attended: University of Memphis

  • Grant Long 1966–

    Former NBA player with a 15-year career

  • Donald Scott 1992–

    Triple jumper, 2022 World Indoor bronze medalist

  • Barry MacKenzie 1941–

    Canadian ice hockey player, 1968 Olympic bronze medalist

  • Jamie Nieto 1976–

    High jumper and actor

    Spouse: Shevon Stoddart (University of South Carolina-Columbia)

  • Adam Hess 1981–

    American-German professional basketball player

  • Antonio Gates 1980–

    Tight end for the San Diego Chargers

  • Zach Gowen 1983–

    Retired professional wrestler, formerly with WWE

  • Jasmine Jones 1996–

    Bobsledder, 2026 Winter Olympics bronze medalist

  • Peter Ezugwu 1976–

    Former pro basketball player and businessman

  • Terry Collins 1949–

    Former baseball manager of Astros, Angels and Mets

  • Charlie Batch 1974–

    Former NFL quarterback

    Also attended: Robert Morris University

  • Bob Welch 1956–2014

    MLB pitcher for the Dodgers and Athletics

  • T. J. Lang 1987–

    Former NFL guard for the Green Bay Packers

Other fields

From Wikidata “educated at” records (including people who attended without graduating), ordered by the number of Wikipedia language editions. Degrees and years follow Wikidata and are left out where it has none.

Alumni network

Colleges that share the most alumni with Eastern Michigan University (people who attended both).