Notable Alumni of Stanford University

John F. Kennedy 1917–1963

35th President of the United States

Attended until 1941

Also attended: Harvard University, Princeton University

Spouse: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (George Washington University, Georgetown University)

Father: Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (Harvard University)

Herbert Hoover 1874–1964

31st President of the United States

Geology · Attended until 1895

Also attended: George Fox University

Spouse: Lou Henry Hoover (University of California-Los Angeles, San Jose State University)

Child: Allan Hoover (Harvard University, Stanford University)

Rishi Sunak 1980–

Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Attended until 2006

Spouse: Akshata Murty (Claremont McKenna College, Stanford University)

Mitt Romney 1947–

Former Utah senator and 2012 Republican presidential nominee

Attended until 1966

Also attended: Harvard University, Brigham Young University-Provo

Spouse: Ann Romney (Harvard University, Brigham Young University-Provo)

Father: George W. Romney (George Washington University, University of Utah)

Philippe of Belgium 1960–

King of the Belgians

Master of Arts · Political science · Class of 1985

Child: Princess Elisabeth, Duchess of Brabant (Harvard University)

Ashraf Ghani 1949–

Former President of Afghanistan

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

Spouse: Rula Ghani (Columbia University in the City of New York)

Child: Mariam Ghani (New York University, School of Visual Arts)

Tarō Asō 1940–

Former Prime Minister of Japan

Yukio Hatoyama 1947–

Former Prime Minister of Japan

Kyriakos Mitsotakis 1968–

Prime Minister of Greece

Master of Arts · Class of 1993

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Mareva Grabowski–Mitsotakis (Boston College, Harvard University)

Ehud Barak 1942–

Former Prime Minister of Israel

Josep Borrell 1947–

Former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs

Master's degree · Class of 1975

Cory Booker 1969–

U.S. senator from New Jersey

Bachelor of Arts, Master of Arts · Political science, Sociology · Class of 1992

Also attended: Yale University

Sandra Day O'Connor 1930–2023

First woman on the US Supreme Court

Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Arts · Economics · Class of 1950

Spouse: John Jay O'Connor (Stanford University)

Sibling: Ann Day (Arizona State University-Tempe, University of Arizona)

Lou Henry Hoover 1874–1944

First Lady of the United States from 1929 to 1933

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, San Jose State University

Spouse: Herbert Hoover (George Fox University, Stanford University)

Child: Allan Hoover (Harvard University, Stanford University)

Dianne Feinstein 1933–2023

U.S. senator from California and former San Francisco mayor

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1955

Spouse: Richard C. Blum (University of California-Berkeley)

Alejandro Toledo 1945–

President of Peru from 2001 to 2006

Master's degree · Economy, Education

Also attended: University of San Francisco

Spouse: Eliane Karp (Stanford University)

Warren Christopher 1925–2011

63rd US Secretary of State

Also attended: University of Redlands, University of Southern California

Susan Rice 1964–

Former US national security advisor and UN ambassador

Father: Emmett J. Rice (University of California-Berkeley, CUNY--City College)

Vladimir Bukovsky 1942–2019

Soviet dissident and human rights activist

Stephen Breyer 1938–

Former Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court

Also attended: Harvard University

Sibling: Charles R. Breyer (University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University)

Anthony Kennedy 1936–

Former Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court

Also attended: Harvard University

Mohamed Waheed Hassan 1953–

5th President of the Maldives

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1987

William Rehnquist 1924–2005

16th Chief Justice of the United States

Also attended: Arizona State University-Tempe, Harvard University, Denison University

Doug Burgum 1956–

US Secretary of the Interior, ex-North Dakota governor

Master of Business Administration · Class of 1980

Also attended: North Dakota State University-Main Campus

Josh Hawley 1979–

US senator from Missouri

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 2002

Also attended: Yale University

Adam Schiff 1960–

US Senator from California

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1982

Also attended: Harvard University

William Perry 1927–

Former US Secretary of Defense under Clinton

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University, The Pennsylvania State University

Jay Inslee 1951–

Governor of Washington from 2013 to 2025

Attended until 1970

Also attended: Willamette University, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Xavier Becerra 1958–

Former US Secretary of Health and Human Services

Bachelor of Arts, Juris Doctor · Economics · Class of 1984

Ricardo Maduro 1946–

President of Honduras from 2002 to 2006

Jeff Merkley 1956–

US senator from Oregon

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1979

Also attended: Princeton University

Julián Castro 1974–

Former US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Bachelor of Arts · Political science · Class of 1996

Also attended: Harvard University

Mother: Rosie Castro (Our Lady of the Lake University, University of Texas-San Antonio)

Sibling: Joaquín Castro (Harvard University, Stanford University)

Ron Wyden 1949–

US Senator from Oregon since 1996

Bachelor of Arts · Political science · Class of 1971

Also attended: University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Oregon

Joe Kennedy III 1980–

Former congressman and U.S. envoy for Northern Ireland

Bachelor of Science · Class of 2003

Also attended: Harvard University

Father: Joseph P. Kennedy II (University of Massachusetts-Boston)

Tina Smith 1958–

U.S. Senator from Minnesota

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1980

Also attended: Dartmouth College

Bill Frist 1952–

Former Senate majority leader and physician

Also attended: Harvard University, Princeton University

Sibling: Thomas F. Frist, Jr. (Washington University in St Louis, Vanderbilt University)

Mohammad Reza Aref 1951–

First Vice President of Iran, reformist politician

Valerie Jarrett 1956–

Senior advisor to Obama; Obama Foundation CEO

Also attended: University of Chicago, University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Father: James E. Bowman (Howard University)

Mother: Barbara T. Bowman (University of Chicago, Sarah Lawrence College)

Gray Davis 1942–

37th Governor of California

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Patrick Achi 1955–

Former Prime Minister of Ivory Coast

Max Baucus 1941–

Former U.S. senator from Montana

Attended until 1967

Also attended: Carleton College

Prince William of Gloucester 1941–1972

British royal, diplomat and pilot

Henry M. Jackson 1912–1983

U.S. senator from Washington state

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Jorge Serrano Elías 1945–

Former President of Guatemala

Harry Dexter White 1892–1948

US Treasury official later found to be a Soviet spy

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

Spouse: Anne Terry White (Brown University, Stanford University)

Zoe Lofgren 1947–

U.S. representative from California

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1970

Also attended: Santa Clara University

Kent Conrad 1948–

Former U.S. senator from North Dakota

Attended until 1971

Also attended: George Washington University, University of Missouri-Columbia

James Stockdale 1923–2005

Navy vice admiral and Medal of Honor recipient

Also attended: Monmouth College, United States Naval Academy

Spouse: Sybil Stockdale (Mount Holyoke College, Stanford University)

Harry Hay 1912–2002

Gay rights activist and labor advocate

Menzies Campbell 1941–2025

Former leader of the Liberal Democrats

Ted Lieu 1969–

US Representative from California

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science · Class of 1991

Also attended: Georgetown University

Simon Chang 1954–

Mayor of Taoyuan and former Taiwan premier

Master's degree · Class of 1977

Also attended: Cornell University

David Wu 1955–

Former U.S. representative from Oregon

Bachelor of Science · Class of 1977

Also attended: Yale University, Harvard University

Regina Ip 1950–

Convenor of Hong Kong ExCo, founder of New People's Party

Mei Ju-ao 1904–1973

Jurist, China's representative at Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal

Also attended: University of Chicago

Maya Harris 1967–

Lawyer and policy advocate; Kamala Harris's sister

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Spouse: Tony West (Harvard University, Stanford University)

Father: Donald J. Harris (University of California-Berkeley)

Ernest Moniz 1944–

13th US Secretary of Energy and nuclear physicist

Also attended: Boston College

Jawar Mohammed 1986–

Ethiopian political analyst and Oromo activist

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

Nara Lokesh 1983–

Indian politician, Andhra Pradesh minister

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Lina Hidalgo 1991–

County judge of Harris County, Texas

Also attended: Harvard University, New York University

Elon Musk 1971–

CEO of Tesla and SpaceX

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Larry Page 1973–

Co-founder of Google

Master of Science · Computer science

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Sergey Brin 1973–

Co-founder of Google

Master's degree · Computer science · Class of 1995

Also attended: Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland-College Park

Spouse: Nicole Shanahan (Santa Clara University, Saint Mary's College of California)

Spouse: Anne Wojcicki (Yale University)

Mukesh Ambani 1957–

Chairman and managing director of Reliance Industries

Child: Akash Ambani (Brown University)

Child: Isha Ambani (Yale University, Stanford University)

Steve Ballmer 1956–

Former Microsoft CEO; owner of the Los Angeles Clippers

Also attended: Harvard University, Lawrence Technological University

Sam Altman 1985–

CEO of OpenAI

Computer science

Sundar Pichai 1972–

CEO of Google and Alphabet

Master of Science · Materials science

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Jensen Huang 1963–

Co-founder and CEO of Nvidia

Master's degree · Electrical engineering · Class of 1992

Also attended: Oregon State University

Peter Thiel 1967–

Co-founder of PayPal and Palantir

Juris Doctor, Bachelor of Arts

Marissa Mayer 1975–

Former CEO of Yahoo!

Master's degree, Bachelor of Science · Computer science, Symbolic systems

Also attended: Illinois Institute of Technology

Elizabeth Holmes 1984–

Founder of Theranos, convicted of fraud

Jawed Karim 1979–

Co-founder of YouTube

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Carly Fiorina 1954–

Former CEO of Hewlett-Packard and politician

Also attended: University of Maryland-College Park, University System of Maryland, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Father: Joseph Tyree Sneed, III (Harvard University, Southwestern University)

Mary Barra 1961–

Chair and CEO of General Motors

Master of Business Administration

Also attended: Kettering University

Charles Simonyi 1948–

Software architect, led early Microsoft Office, space tourist

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Jerry Yang 1968–

Co-founder and former CEO of Yahoo!

Azim Premji 1945–

Indian billionaire businessman and chairman of Wipro

David Packard 1912–1996

Co-founder of Hewlett-Packard and Deputy Secretary of Defense

Master's degree · Electrical engineering · Class of 1938

Child: David Woodley Packard (Harvard University)

Child: Julie Packard (University of California-Santa Cruz)

Bill Hewlett 1913–2001

Co-founder of Hewlett-Packard

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Laurene Powell Jobs 1963–

Founder of Emerson Collective, chair of The Atlantic

Master of Business Administration

Also attended: University of Pennsylvania

Spouse: Steve Jobs (De Anza College, Reed College)

Child: Eve Jobs (Stanford University)

David Baszucki 1963–

Co-founder and CEO of Roblox

Ray Dolby 1933–2013

Inventor of Dolby noise reduction, founder of Dolby Laboratories

Bachelor of Science · Electrical engineering · Class of 1957

Also attended: San Jose State University

Child: Tom Dolby (Yale University)

Phil Knight 1938–

Co-founder of Nike

Also attended: Oregon State University, University of Oregon

Father: William W. Knight (University of Oregon)

Child: Travis Knight (Portland State University)

Kevin Systrom 1983–

Co-founder of Instagram

Attended until 2006

Akshata Murty 1980–

Indian businesswoman, wife of Rishi Sunak

Master of Business Administration · Class of 2006

Also attended: Claremont McKenna College

Spouse: Rishi Sunak (Stanford University)

Father: N. R. Narayana Murthy (Oakland University)

Seth Godin 1960–

Author, marketing expert and entrepreneur

Master of Business Administration

Also attended: Tufts University

David Filo 1966–

Co-founder of Yahoo!

Also attended: Tulane University of Louisiana

Reid Hoffman 1967–

Co-founder of LinkedIn and venture capitalist

Bachelor of Science

Evan Spiegel 1990–

Co-founder and CEO of Snap Inc

Also attended: Art Center College of Design, Otis College of Art and Design

Bill Browder 1964–

Hermitage Capital co-founder and political activist

Master of Business Administration

Also attended: University of Colorado Boulder, University of Chicago

Father: Felix Browder (Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Princeton University)

Child: Joshua Browder (Stanford University)

Trip Hawkins 1953–

Founder of Electronic Arts and The 3DO Company

Also attended: Harvard University

Alexander C. Karp 1967–

Co-founder and CEO of Palantir Technologies

Also attended: Haverford College

Kevin Warsh 1970–

17th Chair of the Federal Reserve

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1992

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Jane Lauder (Stanford University)

Penny Pritzker 1959–

38th US Secretary of Commerce

Also attended: Harvard University

Father: Donald Pritzker (University of Chicago, Harvard University)

Sibling: JB Pritzker (Northwestern University, Duke University)

Parag Agrawal 1984–

Former CEO of Twitter

Mike Krieger 1986–

Co-founder of Instagram

Sabeer Bhatia 1968–

Co-founder of Hotmail

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Reed Hastings 1960–

Billionaire entrepreneur and education philanthropist

Also attended: Bowdoin College

Ho Ching 1953–

Chairperson of Temasek Trust, wife of Singapore's prime minister

Master's degree · Engineering

Spouse: Lee Hsien Loong (Harvard University)

Guy Kawasaki 1954–

Author, venture capitalist and former Apple marketer

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Vinod Khosla 1955–

Sun Microsystems co-founder, Khosla Ventures founder

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Spouse: Neeru Khosla (San Jose State University, Stanford University)

Morris Chang 1931–

Founder of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

Doctorate · Class of 1964

Also attended: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Brian Acton 1972–

Co-founder of WhatsApp

Also attended: University of Central Florida, University of Pennsylvania

Forrest Li 1975–

Founder and CEO of Sea Limited

Lee Hsien Yang 1957–

Singaporean businessman and former brigadier-general

Sibling: Lee Hsien Loong (Harvard University)

Julie Zhuo

Businessperson, former Facebook VP of product design

Jing Ulrich 1967–

Financial executive, former JPMorgan vice chairman

Also attended: Harvard University

Victor Koo 1966–

Co-founder and former CEO of Youku

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Andy Bechtolsheim 1955–

Co-founder of Sun Microsystems; early Google investor

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Roy Raymond 1947–1993

Founder of Victoria's Secret

Also attended: Tufts University

Ian Bremmer 1969–

Political scientist, founder of Eurasia Group

Attended until 1994

Also attended: Tulane University of Louisiana

John Donahoe 1960–

Former Nike CEO, Stanford athletic director

Also attended: Dartmouth College

Isha Ambani 1991–

Indian businessperson and heiress

Also attended: Yale University

Father: Mukesh Ambani (Stanford University)

Sibling: Akash Ambani (Brown University)

Richard B. Handler 1961–

CEO of Jefferies since 2001

Also attended: University of Rochester

Joe Lacob 1956–

Principal owner of the Golden State Warriors

Also attended: University of California-Irvine, University of California-Los Angeles

Paul Bilzerian 1950–

Businessman and former corporate raider

Attended until 1975

Also attended: Harvard University

Child: Dan Bilzerian (University of Florida, Vanderbilt University)

Tony Xu 1985–

Co-founder and CEO of DoorDash

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Harvard University

Sally Ride 1951–2012

First American woman in space

Bachelor's degree, Master of Science · English studies, Physics

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, Swarthmore College

Spouse: Steven Hawley (University of California-Santa Cruz, University of Kansas)

Aaron Swartz 1986–2013

Programmer, RSS co-developer and internet activist

Jerome Isaac Friedman 1930–

Physicist and professor at MIT

Also attended: University of Chicago

Mae Jemison 1956–

Former NASA astronaut, first African-American woman in space

Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science · African American studies, Chemical engineering · Class of 1977

Also attended: Cornell University, Weill Medical College of Cornell University

Theodor W. Hänsch 1941–

German physicist, 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics

Karl Barry Sharpless 1941–

Chemist, two-time Nobel laureate in chemistry

Doctor of Philosophy · Organic chemistry · Class of 1968

Also attended: Harvard University, Dartmouth College

Roger D. Kornberg 1947–

Biochemist and Stanford structural biology professor

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1972

Also attended: Harvard University

Father: Arthur Kornberg (CUNY--City College, New York University)

Richard E. Taylor 1929–2018

Canadian physicist and Stanford professor

Charles Francis Richter 1900–1985

Seismologist, co-creator of the Richter scale

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, University of Southern California

Eric Allin Cornell 1961–

Physicist, 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics winner

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Carl Wieman 1951–

Nobel-winning physicist and education researcher

Doctor of Philosophy · Physics · Class of 1977

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Henry Way Kendall 1926–1999

Particle physicist, 1990 Nobel Prize in Physics

Also attended: Amherst College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, United States Merchant Marine Academy

Edward Thorndike 1874–1949

Psychologist at Columbia Teachers College

Psychology · Attended until 1897

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

Child: Elizabeth Frances Cope (Harvard University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Child: Robert L. Thorndike (Wesleyan University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Robert H. Grubbs 1942–2021

Chemist, 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry co-recipient

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

Oliver E. Williamson 1932–2020

Economist, 2009 Nobel Memorial Prize winner

Master of Business Administration

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Mellon University

Andrew Fire 1959–

Biologist, 2006 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine laureate

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Vint Cerf 1943–

One of the fathers of the Internet

Bachelor of Science · Mathematics · Class of 1965

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Randy Schekman 1948–

Nobel-winning cell biologist at UC Berkeley

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1975

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Paul L. Modrich 1946–

Biochemist known for DNA mismatch repair research

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1973

M. Stanley Whittingham 1941–

Nobel laureate in chemistry, Binghamton University professor

Gérard Debreu 1921–2004

French economist; 1983 Nobel economics laureate

Dudley R. Herschbach 1932–

Harvard chemist, 1986 Nobel laureate in Chemistry

Also attended: Harvard University

Barbara Liskov 1939–

Computer scientist, programming languages and distributed computing pioneer

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1968

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Alvin Eliot Roth 1951–

Economist and Stanford University professor

Doctor of Philosophy, Master of Science · Operations research · Class of 1974

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Bengt Holmström 1949–

Finnish economist, 2016 Nobel laureate

John Harsanyi 1920–2000

Economist, 1994 Nobel laureate in Economics

Attended until 1958

Eileen Collins 1956–

First woman to pilot and command a Space Shuttle

Master of Science · Class of 1986

Also attended: Webster University, SUNY Corning Community College, Syracuse University

Paul Milgrom 1948–

Economist and Stanford University professor

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1978

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Bruce McCandless II 1937–2017

NASA astronaut, first untethered spacewalk

Also attended: United States Naval Academy, University of Houston--Clear Lake

Karl Deisseroth 1971–

Stanford professor and optogenetics pioneer

Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Philosophy · Neuroscience · Class of 2000

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Michelle Monje (Vassar College, Stanford University)

Ellen Ochoa 1958–

Former astronaut and director of Johnson Space Center

Also attended: San Diego State University

Nettie Stevens 1861–1912

Geneticist who discovered sex chromosomes

Also attended: Westfield State University, Bryn Mawr College

Elizabeth Loftus 1944–

Psychologist known for false memory research

Doctor of Philosophy · Psychology · Class of 1970

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Douglas Hofstadter 1945–

Cognitive scientist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author

Also attended: University of Oregon

Father: Robert Hofstadter (Princeton University, CUNY--City College)

Barbara Morgan 1951–

Former NASA astronaut and teacher

Also attended: Notre Dame de Namur University

Ron Rivest 1947–

Cryptographer and MIT Institute Professor

Also attended: Yale University

Larry Tesler 1945–2020

Computer scientist in human–computer interaction

Susan J. Helms 1958–

Retired Air Force lieutenant general and NASA astronaut

Also attended: United States Air Force Academy

Allen Newell 1927–1992

Cognitive scientist and AI pioneer at Carnegie Mellon

Bachelor of Science · Physics · Class of 1949

Also attended: Princeton University, Carnegie Mellon University

Theodore Maiman 1927–2007

Physicist credited with inventing the laser

Doctor of Philosophy · Physics · Class of 1955

Also attended: University of Colorado Boulder

Whitfield Diffie 1944–

Cryptographer and public-key cryptography pioneer

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Raj Reddy 1937–

Artificial intelligence pioneer and computer scientist

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1966

Martin Edward Hellman 1945–

Cryptologist, co-inventor of public-key cryptography

Doctor · Class of 1969

Also attended: New York University

Kathleen Rubins 1978–

NASA astronaut and microbiologist

Also attended: University of California-San Diego

Jiankui He 1984–

Biophysicist who first used genome editing in humans

Attended until 2012

Also attended: Rice University

Daphne Koller 1968–

Computer scientist and former Stanford professor

Owen K. Garriott 1930–2019

NASA astronaut who flew on Skylab and Spacelab

Doctorate, Master of Science · Electrical engineering · Class of 1960

Also attended: University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus

Child: Richard Garriott (The University of Texas at Austin)

Arthur Laffer 1940–

Economist known for the Laffer curve

Doctor of Philosophy

Also attended: Yale University

Jane Luu 1963–

Astronomer, Kavli Prize winner for Kuiper Belt discovery

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Tamara E. Jernigan 1959–

Former NASA astronaut, five Space Shuttle missions

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Rice University

Spouse: Peter Wisoff (University of Virginia-Main Campus, Stanford University)

Harry Harlow 1905–1981

Psychologist known for monkey isolation experiments

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1930

Also attended: Reed College

Spouse: Margaret Kuenne Harlow (University of Iowa, University of Washington-Seattle Campus)

John Edward Hopcroft 1939–

Theoretical computer scientist

Also attended: Seattle University

Eric Temple Bell 1883–1960

Mathematician and science fiction writer

Attended until 1904

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York, University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Stephen Robinson 1955–

Former NASA astronaut

Also attended: University of California-Davis

Garrett Hardin 1915–2003

Ecologist known for the tragedy of the commons

Also attended: University of California-Santa Barbara, University of Chicago

Robert Tarjan 1948–

Computer scientist, co-inventor of splay trees

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Mike Hopkins (astronaut) 1968–

Retired NASA astronaut and Space Force colonel

Master of Science · Aerospace engineering · Class of 1992

Also attended: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Jesús Huerta de Soto 1956–

Spanish economist of the Austrian School

Esther Lederberg 1922–2006

Microbiologist and pioneer of bacterial genetics

Also attended: CUNY Hunter College, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Spouse: Joshua Lederberg (Yale University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Robert Sternberg 1949–

Psychologist and Cornell University professor

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1975

Also attended: Yale University

Jessica Watkins 1988–

NASA astronaut and geologist

Bachelor of Science · Class of 2010

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Florence Merriam Bailey 1863–1948

Ornithologist, birdwatcher and nature writer

Also attended: Smith College

Sibling: Clinton Hart Merriam (Yale University, Columbia University in the City of New York)

Stuart J. Russell 1962–

British AI computer scientist, UC Berkeley professor

Nicole Mann 1977–

NASA astronaut and test pilot

Master of Science · Mechanical engineering, Fluid mechanics

Also attended: United States Naval Academy

Timnit Gebru 1983–

Computer scientist and AI ethics researcher

Ed Lu 1963–

Physicist and former NASA astronaut

Also attended: Cornell University

Siddhartha Mukherjee 1970–

Oncologist and Pulitzer-winning author

Also attended: Harvard University

Spouse: Sarah Sze (Yale University, School of Visual Arts)

Andrej Karpathy 1986–

OpenAI co-founder, former Tesla AI director

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 2016

Helen Quinn 1943–

Particle physicist behind Peccei–Quinn theory

Doctor of Philosophy

Amy Mainzer 1974–

Astronomer, principal investigator of NEOWISE

Also attended: California Institute of Technology, University of California-Los Angeles

Hans Moravec 1948–

Robotics researcher at Carnegie Mellon University

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1980

Ilya Sutskever 1986–

Computer scientist and deep learning researcher

Scott E. Parazynski 1961–

Former NASA astronaut and physician

Frederick Seitz 1911–2008

Physicist and 4th president of Rockefeller University

Also attended: Princeton University

Peter Sarnak 1953–

Mathematician at the Institute for Advanced Study

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1980

Marcian Hoff 1937–

One of the inventors of the microprocessor

Also attended: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Jack Andraka 1997–

Young cancer researcher and inventor, Truman Scholar

Maclyn McCarty 1911–2005

Geneticist who helped show DNA carries genes

Atul Gawande 1965–

Surgeon, writer and public health researcher

Attended until 1987

Also attended: Harvard University

Jack Parsons 1914–1952

Rocket engineer, co-founder of JPL and Aerojet

Also attended: Pasadena City College

Mark T. Vande Hei 1966–

NASA astronaut and retired US Army officer

Ruzena Bajcsy 1933–

Robotics engineer and professor at UC Berkeley

Child: Klara Nahrstedt (University of Pennsylvania)

Charles Stark Draper 1901–1987

Father of inertial navigation; founded MIT Instrumentation Laboratory

Also attended: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Missouri-Columbia

Feng Zhang 1981–

Chinese-born neuroscientist and MIT professor

Bachelor of Arts · Chemistry · Class of 2004

Also attended: Harvard University

Rey Chow 1957–

Cultural critic specializing in Chinese fiction and film

Simon Sze 1936–2023

Electrical engineer, co-inventor of floating-gate MOSFET

Also attended: University of Washington-Seattle Campus

Ren Ng 1979–

Lytro founder and UC Berkeley associate professor

Doctor of Philosophy · Computer science · Class of 2006

Cleve Moler 1939–2026

Mathematician, co-author of LINPACK and EISPACK

Doctor of Philosophy · Class of 1965

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

France A. Córdova 1947–

Astrophysicist, former National Science Foundation director

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

Viviana Gradinaru 1981–

Caltech professor of neuroscience and biological engineering

Also attended: California Institute of Technology

John Steinbeck 1902–1968

Novelist, 1962 Nobel Prize in Literature winner

Spouse: Elaine Anderson Steinbeck (The University of Texas at Austin)

Sigourney Weaver 1949–

Actress known for action heroine roles

Also attended: Yale University, Sarah Lawrence College

Father: Sylvester Weaver (Dartmouth College)

Emmy Rossum 1986–

Actress and singer

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Sam Esmail (American Film Institute Conservatory, New York University)

Jennifer Connelly 1970–

Actress

Attended until 1990

Also attended: Yale University

Sam Harris 1967–

Author, philosopher and neuroscientist

Bachelor of Arts · Philosophy · Class of 2000

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Ken Kesey 1935–2001

Novelist and countercultural figure

Also attended: University of Oregon

bell hooks 1952–2021

Author, feminist and social critic

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 1973

Also attended: University of California-Santa Cruz, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Jack Palance 1919–2006

Actor known for tough-guy roles in westerns and crime dramas

Also attended: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Raymond Carver 1938–1988

Short story writer and poet

Also attended: California State University-Chico, California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt, Harvard University

Spouse: Tess Gallagher (University of Washington-Seattle Campus)

Rachel Maddow 1973–

Television news host and political commentator

Public policy · Attended until 1994

Kal Penn 1977–

Actor and former Obama White House staffer

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Roger Corman 1926–2024

Film director and producer, independent film trailblazer

Bachelor of Science · Industrial engineering · Class of 1947

Ted Danson 1947–

Actor, star of sitcom Cheers

Also attended: Carnegie Mellon University

Spouse: Mary Steenburgen (Hendrix College, Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater)

Vikram Seth 1952–

Indian novelist and poet

Alexander Payne 1961–

Film director, screenwriter and producer

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Ama Ata Aidoo 1942–2023

Ghanaian author, playwright and former education secretary

Master of Arts · English · Class of 1970

Michael Cunningham 1952–

Novelist, author of The Hours

Also attended: University of Iowa

Raymond Burr 1917–1993

Canadian actor, star of Perry Mason

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Jeffrey Kent Eugenides 1960–

Novelist, author of Middlesex

Also attended: Brown University

Paul Winfield 1939–2004

Actor nominated for Best Actor for Sounder

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles, University of California-Santa Barbara, Los Angeles City College

Sterling K. Brown 1976–

Actor with three Primetime Emmy Awards

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis, New York University

Spouse: Ryan Michelle Bathe (New York University, Stanford University)

Edith Head 1897–1981

Costume designer, most Oscar-decorated woman

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley, Otis College of Art and Design

Spouse: Wiard Ihnen (Columbia University in the City of New York)

John Gavin 1931–2018

Film actor and US Ambassador to Mexico

Spouse: Constance Towers (American Academy of Dramatic Arts-New York, The Juilliard School)

Kurtwood Smith 1943–

Actor known for That '70s Show

Also attended: San Jose State University, College of San Mateo

Andre Braugher 1962–2023

Actor, Captain Holt in Brooklyn Nine-Nine

Bachelor of Arts

Also attended: The Juilliard School

Heather Langenkamp 1964–

Actress known as Nancy in A Nightmare on Elm Street

Daniel Pearl 1963–2002

Wall Street Journal reporter kidnapped and killed in 2002

Father: Judea Pearl (University of California-Los Angeles, New York University)

Maxwell Anderson 1888–1959

Playwright, author of What Price Glory

Also attended: University of North Dakota

Fred Savage 1976–

Actor and director, star of The Wonder Years

Sibling: Ben Savage (Stanford University)

Sam Simon 1955–2015

Television producer and co-developer of The Simpsons

Spouse: Jennifer Tilly (Stephens College)

Issa Rae 1985–

Actress, writer and producer, co-creator of Insecure

Bachelor of Arts · Class of 2007

Also attended: New York Film Academy

Yaa Gyasi 1989–

Ghanaian-American novelist, author of Homegoing

Also attended: University of Iowa

Nicole Krauss 1974–

Novelist, author of The History of Love

Spouse: Jonathan Safran Foer (Princeton University)

Simin Daneshvar 1921–2012

Iranian novelist, first major Iranian woman novelist

Spouse: Jalal Al-e-Ahmad (Harvard University)

Gale Anne Hurd 1955–

Film producer of The Terminator and Aliens

Spouse: Jonathan Hensleigh (Tulane University of Louisiana, University of Massachusetts-Amherst)

Tobias Wolff 1945–

Writer, author of the memoir This Boy's Life

NoViolet Bulawayo 1981–

Zimbabwean writer

Also attended: Cornell University, Southern Methodist University, Texas A & M University-College Station

David Chase 1945–

Creator of The Sopranos, screenwriter and producer

Also attended: New York University, Wake Forest University

Ram Dass 1931–2019

Spiritual teacher and author of Be Here Now

Also attended: Wesleyan University, Tufts University

Robert Motherwell 1915–1991

Abstract expressionist painter and printmaker

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

Spouse: Helen Frankenthaler (Bennington College)

Skyler Samuels 1994–

Actress known for Scream Queens

John Zerzan 1943–

Anarcho-primitivist philosopher and author

Bachelor of Arts · Political science · Class of 1966

Also attended: San Francisco State University, University of Southern California

N. Scott Momaday 1934–2024

Kiowa novelist and poet, Pulitzer Prize winner

Doctor of Philosophy · English literature · Class of 1963

Also attended: University of New Mexico-Main Campus, University of Virginia-Main Campus

Lenny Abrahamson 1966–

Irish film director of Room

Alice Hoffman 1952–

Novelist, author of Practical Magic

Also attended: Adelphi University

Delmer Daves 1904–1977

Film director and screenwriter known for Westerns

Mohsen Namjoo 1976–

Iranian singer-songwriter and composer

Tess Gerritsen 1953–

Novelist and retired physician

Also attended: University of California-San Francisco

Jesmyn Ward 1977–

Novelist, 2011 National Book Award for Fiction winner

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Ann Bannon 1932–

Author of the Beebo Brinker Chronicles

Doctor of Philosophy · Linguistics

Also attended: California State University-Sacramento, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Scott Turow 1949–

Writer and lawyer

Also attended: Amherst College, Harvard University

Ben Savage 1980–

Actor, star of Boy Meets World

Sibling: Fred Savage (Stanford University)

Lloyd Nolan 1902–1985

Actor, played Captain Queeg in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial

Jay Roach 1957–

Film director of the Austin Powers series

Also attended: University of Southern California

Spouse: Susanna Hoffs (University of California-Berkeley)

Ann Morgan Guilbert 1928–2016

Actress in The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Nanny

Spouse: George Eckstein (Stanford University)

Richard Boone 1917–1981

Actor who starred in Have Gun – Will Travel

Also attended: Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater

Michael G. Wilson 1942–

Producer of the James Bond film series

Also attended: Harvey Mudd College

Sibling: Barbara Broccoli (Loyola Marymount University)

Sean S. Cunningham 1941–

American filmmaker known for horror films

Ollie Johnston 1912–2008

American motion picture animator

Attended until 1934

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Tiziano Terzani 1938–2004

Italian journalist and writer on East Asia

Nicholas Gonzalez 1976–

Actor known for Resurrection Blvd

Colin Higgins 1941–1988

Director and screenwriter of Harold and Maude

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Richard D. Zanuck 1934–2012

Film producer of Driving Miss Daisy

Scott O'Dell 1898–1989

Writer of novels for young people

Also attended: Occidental College, University of Wisconsin-Madison

David Brown 1916–2010

Film producer, best known for producing Jaws

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Spouse: Helen Gurley Brown (Woodbury University)

Cristine Rose 1951–

Actress known as Angela Petrelli on Heroes

D. W. Moffett 1954–

Actor in The Normal Heart

Megyn Price 1971–

Actress known for Rules of Engagement and The Ranch

Spouse: Bill Lawrence (College of William and Mary)

Agnes Chan 1955–

Hong Kong-born singer, educator and author

Vienna Teng 1978–

Taiwanese-American pianist and singer-songwriter

Bachelor of Science · Computer science

Also attended: University of Michigan-Ann Arbor

Jidenna 1985–

Rapper, singer and songwriter

Father: Oliver Mobisson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Danzy Senna 1970–

Novelist and essayist, author of Caucasia

Also attended: University of California-Irvine

Spouse: Percival Everett (University of Miami, Brown University)

John Owen Lowe 1995–

Actor, writer and producer

Reese Witherspoon 1976–

Academy Award-winning actress and producer

Eve Jobs 1998–

Fashion model, daughter of Steve Jobs

Father: Steve Jobs (De Anza College, Reed College)

Mother: Laurene Powell Jobs (University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University)

Vedat Milor 1955–

Turkish food critic

Also attended: University of California-Berkeley

Tiger Woods 1975–

Professional golfer, one of the greatest of all time

Spouse: Elin Nordegren (Rollins College)

Father: Earl Woods (Kansas State University)

John McEnroe 1959–

Former professional tennis player

Sibling: Patrick McEnroe (Stanford University)

Katie Ledecky 1997–

Swimmer with 14 Olympic medals, nine gold

Eric Heiden 1958–

Speed skater who won five golds at 1980 Winter Olympics

Bachelor of Science, Doctor of Medicine · Class of 1991

Also attended: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sibling: Beth Heiden (University of Vermont)

Eileen Gu 2003–

Chinese-American freestyle skier

Bill Walton 1952–2024

NBA player and sportscaster

Also attended: University of California-Los Angeles

Child: Luke Walton (University of Arizona)

Sibling: Bruce Walton (University of California-Los Angeles)

Ryan Nelsen 1977–

New Zealand footballer and head coach

Also attended: Greensboro College

Bob Bryan 1978–

Former tennis doubles great

Sibling: Mike Bryan (Stanford University)

Mike Bryan 1978–

Former tennis doubles great

Sibling: Bob Bryan (Stanford University)

Katerina Stefanidi 1990–

Greek pole vaulter and 2016 Olympic champion

Valarie Allman 1995–

Discus thrower, Olympic champion in 2021 and 2024

Christen Press 1988–

Former US national team soccer player

Bob Mathias 1930–2006

Two-time Olympic decathlon champion and congressman

Janet Evans 1971–

Swimmer, four-time Olympic gold medalist

Also attended: University of Southern California, The University of Texas at Austin

Brook Lopez 1988–

NBA All-Star basketball player

Sibling: Robin Lopez (Stanford University)

Roscoe Tanner 1951–

Former professional tennis player

Julie Foudy 1971–

Former US women's soccer captain and commentator

Daniel Naroditsky 1995–2025

Chess grandmaster and commentator

Study of history

Torri Huske 2002–

Swimmer, Olympic 100m butterfly champion

Jason Collins 1978–2026

NBA center for 13 seasons

Sibling: Jarron Collins (Stanford University)

Vivian Kong Man-wai 1994–

Hong Kong fencer, 2024 Olympic épée gold medallist

International relations

Kelley O'Hara 1988–

Soccer player, two-time Women's World Cup winner

Catarina Macario 1999–

Soccer player for the US national team

Attended until 2026

Kelly Catlin 1995–2019

Cyclist, three-time team pursuit world champion

Also attended: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

Jenny Thompson 1973–

Swimmer with eight Olympic golds, twelve medals

Also attended: Columbia University in the City of New York

Simone Manuel 1996–

Swimmer, 2016 Olympic 100m freestyle champion

Michelle Wie West 1989–

Professional golfer on the LPGA Tour

John Elway 1960–

Former NFL quarterback for the Denver Broncos

Father: Jack Elway (Washington State University)

Kerri Walsh Jennings 1978–

Beach volleyball player, three-time Olympic champion

Spouse: Casey Jennings (Orange Coast College, Brigham Young University-Provo)

Anne Kremer 1975–

Luxembourgish tennis player

Simon Elliott 1974–

New Zealand footballer and coach

Jordan Morris 1994–

American soccer player for Seattle Sounders FC

Patrick McEnroe 1966–

Former tennis player and US Davis Cup captain

Attended until 1988

Spouse: Melissa Errico (Yale University)

Sibling: John McEnroe (Stanford University)

Kathy Jordan 1959–

Tennis player with seven Grand Slam titles

Sibling: Barbara Jordan (Stanford University)

Robin Lopez 1988–

NBA player, 15th pick in 2008 draft

Sibling: Brook Lopez (Stanford University)

Foluke Akinradewo 1987–

Volleyball middle blocker for the US

Chris von Saltza 1944–

Olympic champion swimmer and former world record-holder

Josh Childress 1983–

Basketball player who played for the Hawks and Suns

Tim Mayotte 1960–

Former professional tennis player

Sibling: Chris Mayotte (University of South Carolina-Columbia)

Maggie Steffens 1993–

Water polo player, three-time Olympic gold medalist

Sibling: Jessica Steffens (Stanford University)

Norman Ross 1896–1953

Swimmer, three-time 1920 Olympic gold medalist

Also attended: Northwestern University

Ted Schroeder 1921–2006

Tennis player, Wimbledon and U.S. National champion

Child: John Schroeder (University of Michigan-Ann Arbor)

Morris Kirksey 1895–1981

Two-time gold medalist at the 1920 Olympics

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Landry Fields 1988–

Former NBA player and Atlanta Hawks general manager

Dwight Powell 1991–

Canadian basketball player for Fenerbahçe

Grant Fisher 1997–

Distance runner, short track 3000 m world record holder

Alma Richards 1890–1963

1912 Olympic high jump gold medalist

Also attended: University of Southern California, Cornell University, Brigham Young University-Provo

Nicole Gibbs 1993–

Former professional tennis player

Sharon Stouder 1948–2013

Swimmer, three-time Olympic champion

Amy Chow 1978–

Olympic gymnast, member of the Magnificent Seven

Carol Zhao 1995–

Chinese-Canadian tennis player

Anthony Mosse 1964–

New Zealand swimmer and Olympic bronze medallist

Andrew Luck 1989–

Former NFL quarterback, Stanford football general manager

Bachelor of Arts · Design studies, Pedagogy · Class of 2012

Father: Oliver Luck (The University of Texas at Austin, West Virginia University)

Christian McCaffrey 1996–

NFL running back for the San Francisco 49ers

Father: Ed McCaffrey (Stanford University)

Sibling: Luke McCaffrey (University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Rice University)

Richard Sherman 1988–

Former NFL cornerback

Zach Ertz 1990–

NFL tight end for the Philadelphia Eagles

Spouse: Julie Ertz (Santa Clara University)

Jennifer Katherine Gates 1996–

Show jumper, eldest child of Bill and Melinda Gates

Spouse: Nayel Nassar (Stanford University)

Father: Bill Gates (Harvard University)

Chelsea Clinton 1980–

Writer; daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton

Bachelor of Arts · Study of history · Class of 2001

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

Spouse: Marc Mezvinsky (Stanford University)

Father: Bill Clinton (Yale University, Georgetown University)

Steve Fossett 1944–2007

Businessman, aviator and adventurer; first solo nonstop round-the-world flyer

Also attended: Washington University in St Louis

Nikki Benz 1981–

Pornographic film actress

Eunice Kennedy Shriver 1921–2009

Philanthropist and founder of the Special Olympics

Bachelor of Arts · Sociology · Class of 1943

Also attended: Manhattanville University

Spouse: Sargent Shriver (Yale University)

Father: Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (Harvard University)

Jonathan Pollard 1954–

Former US intelligence analyst jailed for spying for Israel

Alexandra Botez 1995–

Chess player, poker player and streamer

Robert W. McElroy 1954–

Cardinal and Archbishop of Washington

Also attended: Graduate Theological Union, Harvard University