Notable Alumni of California State University, Northridge
California State University, Northridge (CSUN) has produced a diverse array of accomplished individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields. This article highlights some of the university's most notable alumni, showcasing their achievements in entertainment, journalism, business, and more. CSUN is ranked 382nd in the world, 153rd in North America, and 143rd in the United States based on aggregated alumni prominence, according to EduRank.
Arts and Entertainment
CSUN boasts a strong presence in the entertainment industry, with numerous alumni achieving fame and critical acclaim as actors, directors, and producers.
Eva Mendes
Eva de la Caridad Méndez, known professionally as Eva Mendes, is an American retired actress. Her acting career began in the late 1990s with a series of roles in films such as Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998) and Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000).
Eva Longoria
Eva Jacqueline Longoria Bastón is an American actress, producer, director, and businesswoman. After several guest roles on television, she became recognized for her portrayal of Isabella Braña on the CBS daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless (2001-2003). Her breakthrough role as Gabrielle Solis on the ABC television series Desperate Housewives (2004-2012) garnered her two Screen Actors Guild Awards and a Golden Globe nomination. She has appeared in films such as The Sentinel (2006), Over Her Dead Body (2008), For Greater Glory (2012), Frontera (2014), Lowriders (2016), and Overboard (2018), winning an Imagen Award for the latter. She guest-starred on the Hulu mystery comedy-drama series Only Murders in the Building (2024).
Alyson Hannigan
Allison Lee Hannigan, known professionally as Alyson Hannigan, is an American actress and television presenter. She began her film career with supporting roles in the comedy films Impure Thoughts (1986) and My Stepmother Is an Alien (1988), receiving a Young Artist Award nomination for the latter. In 1999, she began starring in the American Pie film series as Michelle Flaherty, the films' primary love interest, appearing in every film in the series from 1999 to 2012. For her role in the series, she was nominated for three Teen Choice Awards and won a Young Hollywood Award. She went on to star in the parody film Date Movie (2006), the slasher film You Might Be the Killer (2018), and the superhero film Flora & Ulysses (2021).
Read also: Guide to CSUN Summer Costs
Phil Hartman
Philip Edward Hartman was a Canadian-American comedian, actor, screenwriter, and graphic designer. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Hartman's family moved to the United States when he was ten years old. After graduating from California State University, Northridge, with a degree in graphic arts in 1972, he designed album covers for bands including Poco and America. In 1975, Hartman joined the comedy group the Groundlings, where he helped Paul Reubens develop his character Pee-wee Herman. Hartman co-wrote the film Pee-wee's Big Adventure and made recurring appearances as Captain Carl on Reubens' show Pee-wee's Playhouse.
Paula Abdul
Paula Julie Abdul is an American singer, dancer, choreographer, actress, and television personality. She began her career as a cheerleader for the Los Angeles Lakers at the age of 18 and later became the head choreographer for the Laker Girls, where she was discovered by the Jacksons. After choreographing music videos for Janet Jackson, Abdul became a choreographer at the height of the music video era and soon thereafter she was signed to Virgin Records. Her debut studio album Forever Your Girl (1988) became one of the most successful debut albums at that time, selling seven million copies in the United States and setting a record for the most number-one singles from a debut album on the Billboard Hot 100 chart: "Straight Up", "Forever Your Girl", "Cold Hearted", and "Opposites Attract". Her second album Spellbound (1991) scored her two more chart-toppers - "Rush Rush" and "The Promise of a New Day". With six number-one singles on Hot 100, Abdul tied Diana Ross for the third-most chart-toppers among female solo artists at the time.
Debra Winger
Debra Lynn Winger is an American actress. She starred in the films An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Terms of Endearment (1983), and Shadowlands (1993), each of which earned her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Winger won the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actress for Terms of Endearment, and the Tokyo International Film Festival Award for Best Actress for A Dangerous Woman (1993).
Teri Garr
Terry Ann Garr, known as Teri Garr, was an American actress. Known for her comedic roles in film and television in the 1970s and 1980s, she often played women struggling to cope with the life-changing experiences of their husbands, children, or boyfriends. She received nominations for an Academy Award and a British Academy Film Award for her performance in Tootsie (1982), playing a struggling actress who loses the soap opera role of a female hospital administrator to her male friend and acting coach.
Jenna Elfman
Jenna Elfman is an American actress. She is best known for her leading role as Dharma on the ABC sitcom Dharma & Greg (1997-2002), for which she received the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1999, and three nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series. After making her film debut in Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), she has appeared in Krippendorf's Tribe (1998), Dr. Dolittle (1998), EDtv (1999), Keeping the Faith (2000), Town & Country (2001), Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003), Clifford's Really Big Movie (2004), and Big Stone Gap (2014).
Read also: Enhancing College Life at CSUN
Robert Englund
Robert Barton Englund is an American actor and director. Englund is best known for playing the villain Freddy Krueger in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and Willie in the V television franchise (1983-1985). Englund has received multiple accolades and honors, including a Saturn Award, a Fangoria Chainsaw Award, as well as a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Morris Chestnut
Morris Lamont Chestnut is an American actor who studied drama fiction and finance at California State University - Northridge. He first came to prominence for his role as Ricky in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood. He has appeared in feature films such as G.I. Jane, The Brothers, Like Mike, Ladder 49, The Game Plan, The Call, and Kick-Ass 2. He has also played Lance Sullivan in The Best Man, reprising the role in the sequel film The Best Man Holiday, and follow-up series The Best Man: The Final Chapters.
Cheech Marin
Richard Anthony "Cheech" Marin is an American comedian and actor. He gained recognition as part of the comedy act Cheech & Chong during the 1970s and early 1980s with Tommy Chong, and as Don Johnson's partner, Insp. Joe Dominguez, on Nash Bridges. He has also voiced characters in several Disney films, including Oliver & Company, The Lion King, The Lion King 1½, the Cars franchise, Coco, and Beverly Hills Chihuahua.
Lauren Ridloff
Lauren Ridloff is a deaf American actress known for her roles in the TV series The Walking Dead and the film Eternals. She gained prominence in 2018 with a lead role in the Broadway revival of Children of a Lesser God, earning her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Play. Ridloff was born in Chicago, Illinois. She attended California State University, Northridge and later earned a master's degree in education from Hunter College. She initially worked as a teacher before pursuing acting, and she was also crowned Miss Deaf America.
Eve Plumb
Eve Aline Plumb is an American actress, singer, and painter. She is best known for portraying the middle daughter Jan Brady on the ABC sitcom The Brady Bunch.
Read also: Student Job Opportunities at CSUN
Ross Bagley
Ross Bagley is an American former actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Nicky Banks in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as well as Dylan Dubrow in Independence Day. He also played Buckwheat in The Little Rascals.
Andy Grammer
Andrew Charles Grammer is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer who graduated from California State University - Northridge in 2007 with bachelor's degree in music industry. He has been signed to Mushroom Music Publishing since March 2022.
Don Hahn
Don Hahn, BA 1975 is a film producer, film director; film producer of Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Brian A. Miller
Brian A. Miller is a senior vice president and general manager of Cartoon Network Studios.
Journalism and Media
CSUN has also produced numerous accomplished journalists and media personalities who have made significant contributions to the field.
Ana Kasparian
Anahit Misak Kasparian is an American Independent political commentator, media host, and journalist. She graduated from California State University - Northridge 2004-2007 with Bachelor of Journalism and 2007-2010 with Master of Arts in political science. She is a host and producer of the online news show The Young Turks, having begun working as a fill-in producer for the show in 2007. She also appeared on the television version of the show that aired on Current TV. She formerly hosted The Point on the TYT Network and co-hosted a Jacobin YouTube show, Weekends with Ana Kasparian and Nando Vila.
Anita Sarkeesian
Anita Sarkeesian is a Canadian-American feminist media critic. Her video series Tropes vs. Women in Video Games examines tropes in the depiction of female video game characters. Media scholar Soraya Murray calls Sarkeesian emblematic of "a burgeoning organized feminist critique" of stereotyped and objectified portrayals of women in video games.
Bill Griffeth, Julio Cesar Ortiz, Sue Herera
Bill Griffeth, Julio Cesar Ortiz, Sue Herera are acclaimed journalists who graduated from the Department of Journalism.
Julio Cortez and Ringo Chiu
Julio Cortez and Ringo Chiu are Pulitzer Prize winners in photography who graduated from the Department of Journalism.
Reed Saxon
Reed Saxon is Alumnus, Pulitzer Prize winner and retired AP photographer.
Business and Entrepreneurship
CSUN alumni have also found success in the world of business and entrepreneurship, making their mark in various industries.
Wendi Murdoch
Wendi Deng Murdoch is a Chinese-born American entrepreneur and socialite. She was the third wife of media mogul Rupert Murdoch from 1999 until 2013.
Gene Haas
Gene Francis Haas is the American founder, president, and sole stockholder of Haas Automation, a CNC machine tool manufacturer. He also has a presence in motorsports, having founded NASCAR teams Stewart-Haas Racing and Haas Factory Team, as well as the Formula One team, Haas F1 Team.
Lee Soo-man
Lee Soo-man is a South Korean business executive and record producer who is best known for being ….
Dan Peña
Daniel Steven Peña Sr. is an American businessman.
Politics and Public Service
CSUN alumni have also served in various political and public service roles, contributing to their communities and beyond.
Doug Emhoff
Douglas Craig Emhoff is an American lawyer who served as the second gentleman of the United States from 2021 to 2025. presidential election, Emhoff was the first second gentleman of the country. vice president.
Former Hawaii Gov
Former Hawaii Gov is one of notable alumni from Department of Journalism.
Athletics
Florence Griffith Joyner
Florence Delorez Griffith Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field athlete and the fastest woman ever recorded. She was married to Al Joyner, a 1984 Olympic gold medalist in the triple jump. He was also her coach and husband during her success as a four-time Olympic medalist. They were married in 1987 until the time of her death, in 1998. They had one daughter together, Mary Joyner. Griffith Joyner set world records in 1988 for the 100 m and 200 m. During the late 1980s, she became a popular figure due to both her record-setting athleticism and eclectic personal style.
Music
Andy Summers
Andrew James Summers is an English guitarist best known as a member of the rock band the Police. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a band member in 2003. Summers has recorded solo albums, collaborated with other musicians, composed film scores, written fiction, and exhibited his photography in galleries.
John Densmore
John Paul Densmore is an American musician. He is best known as the drummer of the rock band the Doors and as such is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He appeared on every recording made by the band, with drumming inspired by jazz and world music as much as by rock and roll. The many honors he shares with the other Doors include a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Other Notable Alumni
Joan Chen
Joan Chen is a Chinese-American actress and film director. She starred in the 1979 Chinese film Little Flower, and came to the attention of American audiences for her performance in the 1987 film The Last Emperor, which won nine Academy Awards including Best Picture. She is also known for her roles in Twin Peaks, Red Rose White Rose, Saving Face and The Home Song Stories, and for directing the feature film Xiu Xiu: The Sent Down Girl.
Jillian Michaels
Jillian Michaels is an American fitness expert, nutritionist, businesswoman, media personality, and author. She is best known for her appearances on NBC series such as The Biggest Loser. She has also made an appearance on the talk show The Doctors. In 2016, her reality television series Just Jillian premiered on E!.
Martin Milner
Martin Sam Milner was an American actor and radio host. He is best known for his performances on two television series: Route 66, which aired on CBS from 1960 to 1964, and Adam-12, which aired on NBC from 1968 to 1975.
Larry Wilcox
Larry Dee Wilcox is an American actor best known for his role as California Highway Patrol officer (later captain) Jonathan "Jon" Baker in the television series CHiPs, which ran from 1977 to 1983 on NBC. A Vietnam veteran, Wilcox races cars and is also a private pilot.
Lorraine Foster
Lorraine Foster is a mathematician, first woman to receive a Ph.D.
Adele Eskeles Gottfried
Adele Eskeles Gottfried is a professor of educational psychology and director of Research Enhancement of the Michael D.
CSUN Journalism Hall of Fame
California State University, Northridge’s Journalism Alumni Association is seeking nominations for candidates for its newly created CSUN Journalism Hall of Fame. Many of them started their careers behind typewriters, working for publications that counted their readers in the tens of thousands. Regardless of their medium, graduates of California State University, Northridge’s Department of Journalismhave had an impact on the world with their commitment to truth and accountability. The first inductees to CSUN’s Journalism Hall of Fame will be feted on Saturday, April 25, at a special celebratory dinner and fundraiser for the journalism department in the university’s Orchard Conference Center. In the meantime, members of the Journalism Alumni Association welcome nominations of individuals who deserve special recognition. Nominees for the CSUN Journalism Hall of Fame can come from any of the following fields: print, broadcast, public relations, digital media, journalism education, business, or government and non-profit work. Nominees must have demonstrated exceptional dedication, accomplishment, integrity and impact. “The Hall of Fame award is an opportunity for the faculty in the Department of Journalism to recognize and celebrate the extraordinary achievements of our alumni at a time when the value of truthful storytelling is too often underestimated,” said Marcy De Veaux, chair of the department. “We proudly honor our journalists who have devoted decades to informing the public. And we are equally pleased to recognize our Rising Stars, whose work reflects both excellence and a promising future for the profession.
