Notable Alumni of Furman University

Alexander Stubb 1968–

President of Finland and former prime minister

Mark Sanford 1960–

Former South Carolina governor and US congressman

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1983

Also attended: University of Virginia-Main Campus

Spouse: Jenny Sanford (Georgetown University)

Richard Riley 1933–

Former US Secretary of Education and South Carolina governor

Also attended: University of South Carolina-Columbia

Rob Woodall 1970–

Former U.S. representative from Georgia

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1992

Also attended: University of Georgia

Baron Hill 1953–

Former U.S. Representative from Indiana

Bachelor of Arts

John Michael McConnell 1943–

Former US Director of National Intelligence and Navy vice admiral

Also attended: George Washington University, North Greenville University

Roger C. Peace 1899–1968

US senator from South Carolina

Wilton E. Hall 1901–1980

US senator from South Carolina

Joseph H. Earle 1847–1897

US senator from South Carolina

John Calhoun Sheppard 1850–1931

82nd Governor of South Carolina

Elizabeth Hawley Gasque 1886–1989

First woman elected to Congress from South Carolina

Spouse: Allard H. Gasque (University of South Carolina-Columbia)

Joseph Raleigh Bryson 1893–1953

US Representative from South Carolina

Attended until 1917

Also attended: University of South Carolina-Columbia

Willa L. Fulmer 1884–1968

Democratic U.S. Representative from South Carolina

Joshua Rudd 1971–

Army general, director of the National Security Agency

Bachelor of Arts · Political science

Nick Theodore 1928–

South Carolina politician

William H. Perry 1839–1902

US representative from South Carolina

Also attended: Harvard University, University of South Carolina-Columbia

Robert T. Ashmore 1904–1989

U.S. representative from South Carolina

John F. Mulholland, Jr. 1955–

Retired US Army lieutenant general, former CIA military affairs chief

Bachelor of Arts · History

David Trone 1955–

Total Wine co-founder and former US congressman

Attended until 1977

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Herman Lay 1909–1982

Businessman behind Lay's potato chips

Charles Hard Townes 1915–2015

Physicist who worked on the maser and laser

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, Duke University

John B. Watson 1878–1958

Psychologist who popularized behaviorism

Also attended: University of Chicago

Maurice Bloomfield 1855–1928

Philologist and Sanskrit scholar

Also attended: Yale University, University of Chicago, Princeton University

Brad Cox 1944–2021

Computer scientist who created Objective-C

Bachelor of Science · Organic chemistry, Mathematics

Also attended: University of Chicago

Thomas T. Goldsmith Jr. 1910–2009

Television pioneer, co-inventor of cathode-ray tube amusement device

Also attended: Cornell University

Albert Ernest Radford 1918–2006

Botanist, senior author of Carolinas flora manual

Also attended: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

George S. Wise 1906–1987

Sociologist and first president of Tel Aviv University

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Hampton Lintorn-Catlin 1982–

Programmer, creator of Sass and Haml

Computer science · Attended until 2004

Amy Grant 1960–

Singer-songwriter from contemporary Christian music

Also attended: Vanderbilt University

Spouse: Gary Chapman (Nelson University)

Ben Browder 1962–

Actor known for Farscape and Stargate SG-1

Victoria Jackson 1959–

Actress and former Saturday Night Live cast member

Also attended: Auburn University, Palm Beach Atlantic University

Betsy Byars 1928–2020

Children's author, won the 1971 Newbery Medal

Robert Joel 1944–1992

Actor in early openly gay film

Keith Lockhart 1959–

Conductor of the Boston Pops

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Ginny Ruffner 1952–2025

Glass artist based in Seattle

Also attended: University of Georgia

Clint Dempsey 1983–

Former soccer player for Fulham and Tottenham

Ricardo Clark 1983–

Former soccer midfielder

Xavier Woods 1986–

Professional wrestler and YouTuber

Also attended: Capella University

Walker Zimmerman 1993–

Center-back for Toronto FC and US national team

Angel Martino 1967–

Swimmer and three-time Olympic champion

Frank Selvy 1932–2024

Former NBA player who scored 100 points in a college game

Drew Moor 1984–

Former MLS center-back

Jordan Loyd 1993–

Basketball player, 2019 NBA champion with Raptors

David Segal 1937–

British sprinter at two Olympics

Shea Salinas 1986–

Former professional soccer winger

Betsy King 1955–

Professional golfer

Beth Daniel 1956–

Professional golfer with 33 LPGA Tour wins

Jalen Slawson 1999–

Basketball player for the Indiana Pacers

John Barry Nusum 1981–

Former Bermuda national football team player

Warren Creavalle 1990–

Footballer who represented Guyana internationally

Robby Wells 1968–

Politician and former Savannah State football coach

Also attended: University of South Carolina-Columbia

Brad Faxon 1961–

Professional golfer

Sherri Turner 1956–

Professional LPGA golfer

Jay Jackson 1987–

Former MLB pitcher

Clyde Mayes 1953–

Former professional basketball player

Kristofer Acox 1993–

Icelandic basketball player and national team member

Sam Wyche 1945–2020

American football quarterback and Cincinnati Bengals head coach

Also attended: University of South Carolina-Columbia

Kyle Julius 1979–

Canadian basketball coach of the Tianjin Pioneers

Dottie Pepper 1965–

Professional golfer and television broadcaster

Issachar Jacox Roberts 1802–1871

Southern Baptist missionary in Qing China