Notable Alumni of Portland State University

Cleopas Dlamini 1952–

Former prime minister of Eswatini and business executive

Master's degree · Economics

Arnold Palacios 1955–2025

Former Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands

Bachelor of Science · Business administration

Barbara Roberts 1936–

34th Governor of Oregon

Also attended: Harvard University, Marylhurst University

Dennis Heck 1952–

Lieutenant Governor of Washington, former US representative

Attended until 1975

Also attended: The Evergreen State College

Ron Packard 1931–

Republican U.S. representative from California

Attended until 1953

Also attended: Brigham Young University-Provo

Walter Capps 1934–1997

Professor and California congressman

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1958

Also attended: Yale University

Spouse: Lois Capps (University of California-Santa Barbara, Yale University)

Avel Gordly 1947–2026

First Black woman in Oregon State Senate

Bachelor of Science

Susan Eggman 1961–

California state senator

Also attended: California State University-Stanislaus

Betty Roberts 1923–2011

Associate Justice of the Oregon Supreme Court

Also attended: Eastern Oregon University, Lewis & Clark College, University of Oregon

Vasilikí Katrivánou 1967–

Greek politician and psychotherapist

Joe Gallegos 1941–

Former Oregon state representative

Also attended: University of Denver

Mike Richardson 1950–

Founder of Dark Horse Comics

Lakshmi Pratury

Founder and CEO of INK, TEDIndia co-host

Peter Boghossian 1966–

Philosopher and former Portland State professor

Doctor of Education

Also attended: Fordham University, Marquette University

Heath W. Lowry 1942–

Historian of the Ottoman Empire and modern Turkey

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Judy Shelton 1954–

Economist and economic advisor to President Trump

Also attended: University of Utah

Michael Kazin 1948–

Historian and Georgetown University professor

Also attended: Harvard University, Stanford University

Amos Yong 1965–

Theologian and professor at Fuller Theological Seminary

Master of Arts · History · Class of 1995

Also attended: Boston University, George Fox University

Dali Yang 1964–

University of Chicago political scientist and sinologist

Also attended: Princeton University

Janet Bennion 1964–

Anthropologist studying Mormon fundamentalist communities

Also attended: Utah State University, University of Utah

Courtney Love 1964–

Rock singer, guitarist and actress

Also attended: San Francisco Art Institute

Mother: Linda Carroll (Oregon State University, University of Oregon)

Mark Dacascos 1964–

Actor and martial artist known for action films

Also attended: Los Angeles Valley College

Holly Madison 1979–

Television personality from The Girls Next Door

Also attended: Loyola Marymount University

Sara Jean Underwood 1984–

Model and actress; 2007 Playmate of the Year

Also attended: Oregon State University

Nancy Wilson 1954–

Guitarist and vocalist of the rock band Heart

Also attended: Pacific University

Spouse: Cameron Crowe (San Diego City College)

Bruce Abbott 1954–

Actor known for Re-Animator films

Travis Knight 1973–

CEO of Laika and director of Kubo

Father: Phil Knight (Oregon State University, University of Oregon)

Karl Glusman 1988–

Actor, lead in Gaspar Noé's Love

Spouse: Zoë Kravitz (SUNY at Purchase College)

Bill Plympton 1946–

Animator and filmmaker, known for Your Face

Graphic design · Attended until 1960

Also attended: School of Visual Arts

Rob Simonsen 1978–

Film composer and conductor

Also attended: University of Oregon, Southern Oregon University

Aminé 1994–

American rapper, singer and songwriter

Terence Knox 1946–

Film, stage and television actor

Also attended: Washington State University

Kambiz Hosseini 1975–

Iranian political satirist, actor and radio host

Carolyn Davidson 1943–

Graphic designer of the Nike Swoosh logo

Also attended: Oregon State University

Katie Harman 1980–

Miss America 2002, singer and actress

Also attended: University of Puget Sound

Larry Harvey 1948–2018

Co-founder of Burning Man

Andy Ngo 1986–

Right-wing social media influencer and journalist

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Lawrence Leighton Smith 1936–2013

Conductor and pianist

Also attended: University of Louisville, The New School

Erin Way 1987–

Actress

Haley Heynderickx 1993–

Singer-songwriter and guitarist from Portland

Michael Moynihan 1969–

Writer and journalist, co-author of Lords of Chaos

Casey Plett 1987–

Canadian writer, author of Little Fish

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Jennifer Lyon 1972–2010

Actress known for Survivor: Palau

Also attended: Oregon State University, Western Oregon University

Aiden Thomas

Young adult author of Cemetery Boys

Also attended: Northeastern University Oakland

Richard Kennedy 1932–2025

Children's book writer

Also attended: University of Oregon

Sky Hopinka 1984–

Native American artist and filmmaker

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee

Franco Laguna Correa 1984–

Mexican ethnographer and writer

Evan Jager 1989–

Steeplechase runner, 2016 Olympic silver medalist

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Scott Morrison 1986–

Canadian professional basketball player

Freeman Williams 1956–2022

Former NBA player

Isaiah Pineiro 1995–

Puerto Rican professional basketball player

Julius Thomas 1988–

Former NFL tight end, drafted by Denver Broncos

Jeb Ivey 1980–

Basketball player, two-time Icelandic champion

Troy DeVries 1982–

Former professional basketball player

Seamus Boxley 1982–

Former professional power forward

Bree Schaaf 1980–

American skeleton racer and bobsledder

Patrick Onwuasor 1992–

Former NFL linebacker

Also attended: University of Arizona

Mark Weber 1951–

Holocaust denier, director of the Institute for Historical Review

Also attended: University of Illinois at Chicago

Lana Lokteff 1979–

Far-right commentator and YouTuber

Bachelor of Arts · Physics, Philosophy

Evelyn Crowell 1936–2017

Portland librarian, author and community organizer

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus