Notable Alumni of Long Island University

Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu 1968–

Former Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs

Master of Economics

Judith Heumann 1947–2023

Disability rights activist, "Mother of the Disability Rights Movement"

Bachelor of Arts · Attended until 1969

Tim Bishop 1950–

Former US representative from New York

Master of Arts · Class of 1981

Also attended: College of the Holy Cross

Katharine Chang 1953–

Taiwanese diplomat, first female diplomat in Taiwan

Mark Lane 1927–2016

Lawyer and writer on the Kennedy assassination

Also attended: Brooklyn Law School, CUNY Brooklyn College

Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu 1987–

Indian Minister of Civil Aviation

Also attended: Purdue University-Main Campus

Benjamin Stanley Rosenthal 1923–1983

Democratic US congressman from New York

Also attended: Brooklyn Law School, CUNY--City College, New York University

Franklin L. Hagenbeck 1949–

Retired Army lieutenant general, 57th West Point superintendent

Master of Business Administration · Finance

Also attended: Florida State University, The United States Military Academy at West Point

Cynthia Akuetteh 1948–

Former US ambassador to Gabon and São Tomé and Príncipe

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Rose Bird 1936–1999

First female Chief Justice of California

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Ray Dalio 1949–

Founder of Bridgewater Associates

Bachelor of Science

Also attended: Harvard University

Child: Paul Dalio (New York University)

Terry Semel 1943–

Former chairman and CEO of Yahoo

Adnan Polat 1953–

Turkish businessman and former Galatasaray president

Hiroaki Aoki 1938–2008

Founder of Benihana restaurant chain

Also attended: Springfield College, CUNY New York City College of Technology

Child: Steve Aoki (University of California-Santa Barbara)

Tuncay Özilhan 1947–

Turkish businessman, chairman of Anadolu Group

Ruth L. Kirschstein 1926–2009

Pathologist and acting director of the NIH

Also attended: Tulane University of Louisiana

Velma Scantlebury 1955–

Barbadian-born American transplant surgeon

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

John Leguizamo 1964–

Actor and comedian, Special Tony Award winner

Also attended: New York University

Charles Fleischer 1950–

Comedian and actor in Who Framed Roger Rabbit

Ed Lauter 1938–2013

Film and television actor

Dina Meyer 1968–

Actress in Johnny Mnemonic

Attended until 1991

Also attended: Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater

Steve James 1952–1993

Action actor known for the American Ninja series

Jackée Harry 1956–

Actress in 227 and Sister, Sister

Bachelor of Arts

Maria Bartiromo 1967–

Financial journalist and Fox television host

Also attended: New York University

Gloria Garayua 1978–

Actress in Six Feet Under and Weeds

Joseph Gatto 1976–

Comedian and Impractical Jokers star

Vinnette Justine Carroll 1922–2002

Playwright and actress, first Black woman to direct on Broadway

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

Lynda Lopez 1971–

Journalist and author based in New York

Arnold Hano 1922–2021

American writer and journalist, author of A Day in the Bleachers

Brian Kilmeade 1964–

Fox News host and political commentator

Bachelor of Arts

Ugonna Okegwo 1962–

Jazz bassist and composer based in New York

Jocelyne Trouillot 1948–

Haitian writer and educator

Sibling: Michel-Rolph Trouillot (Johns Hopkins University)

Evelyn Cunningham 1916–2010

Journalist who covered the early civil rights movement

Nasheet Waits 1971–

Jazz drummer

Also attended: Morehouse College

Denise Vasi 1983–

Fashion model and actress

Spouse: Anthony Mandler (University of Southern California)

Danny Simmons 1953–2026

Abstract expressionist painter, author, poet and philanthropist

Also attended: New York University

Sibling: Russell Simmons (CUNY--City College)

Leonard Lehrman 1949–

Composer and conductor

Also attended: Harvard University, Cornell University

Wang Ping 1957–

Chinese American poet, writer, professor and artist

Also attended: New York University

Brendon Rodney 1992–

Canadian sprinter, three-time Olympic relay medallist

Taz 1967–

Professional wrestler and AEW commentator

Ray Felix 1930–1991

Former professional basketball player

Larry Doby 1923–2003

First black player in baseball's American League

Also attended: Virginia Union University

Giovanni Savarese 1971–

Venezuelan football manager and former player

Ossie Schectman 1919–2013

Basketball player who scored the BAA's first basket

Hank Beenders 1916–2003

Dutch-American professional basketball player

Hank Biasatti 1922–1996

Canadian NBA player and MLB first baseman

Martin Hermannsson 1994–

Icelandic basketball player

Elvar Friðriksson 1994–

Icelandic professional basketball player

Also attended: Barry University

Kyle Johnson 1988–

Canadian-born British basketball player

Frido Frey 1921–2000

First German player in the NBA's predecessor league

Luther Green 1946–2006

American basketball player

Carl Meinhold 1926–2019

Professional basketball player

Julian Boyd 1990–

Former professional basketball player

Brandon Thomas 1984–

German-American basketball player

Mohammad Mashriqi 1987–

Footballer who played for Afghanistan national team

Ariana Calderón 1990–

American-born Mexican former women's footballer

Barry Leibowitz 1945–

American-Israeli former professional basketball player

Rubén Rodríguez 1953–

Puerto Rican basketball player and coach

Rollen Hans 1931–2021

NBA shooting guard for the Baltimore Bullets

Robinson Opong 1989–

Ugandan professional basketball player

Shawn Liao 1974–

Basketball player, early Asian NCAA Division I player

Emily Drabinski 1975–

Former president of the American Library Association

Master of Arts · Composition studies

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