Michigan State University: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

Founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State of Michigan, Michigan State University (MSU) stands as a prominent public land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan. As the first of its kind in the United States, MSU boasts a rich history and a vast network of accomplished alumni. With approximately 634,300 living alums worldwide, MSU has produced a diverse array of individuals who have made significant contributions to various fields, from arts and entertainment to politics and sports. This article explores some of the most notable Michigan State alumni, showcasing their achievements and their enduring connection to the university.

A Hub of Academic Excellence and Innovation

Michigan State University's faculty and academic staff number around 4,500 researchers. Throughout the years, notable researchers have included William J. Beal, who developed hybrid corn; psychologist Erich Fromm. In addition to faculty, Michigan State has around 6,000 administration and non-academic staff. This includes the university's governing board, the board of trustees. Other notable staff members include President Samuel L. Stanley, Athletic Director Alan Haller, men's basketball coach Tom Izzo, ice hockey coach Adam Nightingale, and football coach Jonathan Smith.

Arts, Entertainment, and Media

MSU has a strong presence in the entertainment industry, with alumni making their mark as actors, directors, musicians, and journalists.

James Caan

James Edmund Caan (1940-2022) was an American actor known for his roles in films such as "The Godfather" (1972), for which he received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor. He received a motion-picture star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1978.

Sam Raimi

Samuel M. Raimi is an American filmmaker best known for directing the "Evil Dead" franchise (1981-present) and the "Spider-Man" trilogy (2002-2007). He also directed the superhero movie "Darkman" (1990), the revisionist western "The Quick and the Dead" (1995), the neo-noir crime thriller "A Simple Plan" (1998), the supernatural thriller "The Gift" (2000), the supernatural horror "Drag Me to Hell" (2009), the Disney fantasy "Oz the Great and Powerful" (2013), and the Marvel Studios film "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" (2022). Famously, Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell is a Michigan State student in the film and wears an MSU jacket to start the movie.

Read also: History of the Block 'M'

Griz

Before becoming one of the top DJ acts in the world, GRiZ was playing at co-ops and fraternities in East Lansing while he was a student at MSU.

Chris Hansen

Christopher Edward Hansen is an American television presenter, journalist, and YouTube personality. During his tenure as a correspondent for Dateline NBC, he hosted the program's segment To Catch a Predator (2004-2007), which revolved around catching potential Internet predators using a sting operation. The Bloomfield Hills native graduated from MSU in 1981 with a degree in telecommunication.

Jemele Hill

Hill graduated from MSU in 1997 and regularly supports the Spartans on social media.

Quinn XCII

Quinn XCII is a Detroit native who started his music career while attending MSU in 2011. He played at the basketball team's Midnight Madness event in 2019.

Robert Urich

Robert Michael Urich was an American film, television, and stage actor and television producer. Over the course of his 30-year career, he starred in a record 15 television series.

Bubba Smith

Charles Aaron "Bubba" Smith was an American professional football defensive end and actor. Smith played in the National Football League (NFL) for the Baltimore Colts, Oakland Raiders, and Houston Oilers. MSU fans remember Bubba Smith. You may also remember him from the Police Academy movies. During his time at MSU, he became one of the most popular players playing under Duffy Daugherty

Ted Raimi

Theodore Raimi is an American character actor, director and writer. He is known for his roles in the works of his brother Sam Raimi, including a fake Shemp in The Evil Dead, possessed Henrietta in Evil Dead II, and Ted Hoffman in the Spider-Man trilogy. He later reprised his role as Henrietta in the television series Ash vs. Evil Dead, in which he also played the character Chet Kaminski. He is also known for his roles as Lieutenant JG Tim O'Neill in seaQuest DSV, his recurring role as the merchant in Legend of the Seeker and Joxer the Mighty in both Xena: Warrior Princess and Hercules: The Legendary Journeys.

Tyler Oakley

Mathew Tyler Oakley is an American YouTuber, actor, activist, author, television personality and Twitch streamer. Much of Oakley's activism has been dedicated to LGBTQ youth, LGBT rights, as well as social issues including health care, education, and the prevention of suicide among LGBT youth. Oakley regularly posts material on various topic…

Politics and Public Service

MSU has a long history of producing leaders in politics and public service, shaping the landscape of Michigan and beyond.

Gretchen Whitmer

Gretchen Esther Whitmer is an American lawyer and politician serving as the 49th governor of Michigan since 2019. The Grand Rapids native graduated from MSU in 1993 for her Bachelor's Degree and 1998 with her Juris Doctorate. A member of the Democratic Party, she served in the Michigan House of Representatives from 2001 to 2006 and in the Michigan Senate from 2006 to 2015.

James P. Hoffa

James Phillip Hoffa, also known as James Hoffa Jr. or Jim Hoffa, is an American labor leader and attorney who was the tenth General President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters. He is the son of Jimmy Hoffa. Hoffa was first elected in 1998, and re-elected in 2001, 2006, 2011, and 2016 to five-year terms. In 2018, Hoffa was elected chair of the Road Transport Section of the International Transport Workers' Federation at its quadrennial Congress in Singapore. Hoffa is the second-longest serving General President of the Teamsters Union, after Dan Tobin, who served from 1907 to 1952. Hoffa's final term as General President ended in 2022.

Business and Entrepreneurship

MSU alumni have also excelled in the world of business, founding successful companies and leading major corporations.

Tom Gores

Graduated from MSU in 1986 with a degree in construction management.

Dan Gilbert

Graduated from MSU before getting his law degree from Wayne State.

Athletics

Michigan State University has a storied athletic tradition, and its alumni have achieved remarkable success in professional sports.

Earvin "Magic" Johnson

Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. Often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time, Johnson spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After winning a national championship with the Michigan State Spartans in 1979, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers, leading the team to five NBA championships during their "Showtime" era. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests against his return from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time. Greatest Michigan State basketball player of all-time, where he played from 1977-79. Magic is still a huge advocate for the school and its sports programs.

Kirk Gibson

Kirk Gibson is most known for his iconic MLB career, during which he hit one of the most famous home runs in the history of the sport and was a huge part of two World Series championship teams, but before that, he was one of the best wide receivers in MSU history and an All-American. Gibson was more of a football player until it was suggested he play college baseball. He hit .390 with 16 home runs in one season. He was drafted in the MLB and NFL drafts, but chose to play baseball with the Detroit Tigers, who drafted him in the first round.

Draymond Green

Draymond Jamal Green is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Green, who plays primarily at the power forward position, is a four-time NBA champion, a four-time NBA All-Star, a two-time member of the All-NBA Team, and a two-time Olympic gold medalist. Considered one of the greatest defensive players of all-time, he is an eight-time All-Defensive Team member, was NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2017, and led the league in steals the same year. Green has been a runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year Award three times in his career. Played at Michigan State from 2008-12 and is still one of the most outspoken alumni about the football and basketball teams.

Kirk Cousins

Kirk Daniel Cousins is an American professional football quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was selected by the Washington Redskins in the fourth round of the 2012 NFL draft. Cousins ranks sixth all-time in completion percentage with at least 1,500 pass attempts and is 11th in the NFL's all-time regular season career passer rating. It's pretty amazing that a 3-star recruit has been able to become one of the highest paid players in the NFL, but that's been the story for Kirk Cousins, who has seemed to overcome the odds since first coming to MSU in 2007.

Rashad Evans

Rashad Evans is an American retired mixed martial artist who competed in the Light Heavyweight division. Evans started his professional MMA career in 2003, and was the Heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter 2 in 2005. In 2008, Evans won the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship, and in 2019, was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Evans was a prolific wrestler at MSU and took third place in the 2003 Big Ten Championships.

Brian Hoyer

Axel Edward Brian Hoyer is an American professional football quarterback. Since joining the NFL in 2009 as an undrafted free agent, he has started for eight different teams, the second-most in league history. Hoyer's longest stint has been with the New England Patriots for eight non-consecutive seasons, primarily as a backup, and he was a member of the team that won Super Bowl LIII. His most successful season was with the Houston Texans in 2015, when he helped lead them to a division title.

Le'Veon Bell

Le'Veon Andrew Bell Sr. is an American professional boxer and former football running back. He played college football for the Michigan State Spartans and was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the second round of the 2013 NFL draft. He also played for the New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Shannon Brown

Shannon Brown is an American former professional basketball player. He attended Proviso East High School in Maywood, Illinois, was named Illinois Mr. Basketball in 2003, and played college basketball for Michigan State University. He was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the 25th overall pick in the 2006 NBA draft.

Miles Bridges

Miles Emmanuel Bridges Sr. is an American professional basketball player for the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. A native of Flint, Michigan, he competed for Flint Southwestern Academy (freshman season) at the high school level before moving to Huntington Prep School for his sophomore, junior, and senior year. Bridges was selected 12th overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in the 2018 NBA draft, but was traded to the Hornets on draft night.

Jaren Jackson Jr

Jaren Walter Jackson Jr., nicknamed "the Block Panther", also known by his initials JJJ, is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Grizzlies of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans. Jackson was selected by Memphis with the fourth overall pick of the 2018 NBA draft. In 2023, he was named to his first NBA All-Star team, later winning Defensive Player of the Year that same season. Jackson is renowned for his defensive dominance, particularly his exceptional rim protection; he has led the league in blocks per game for two consecutive seasons.

Zach Randolph

Zachary McKenley Randolph is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "Z-Bo", the 2-time NBA All-Star played college basketball for the Michigan State Spartans before being drafted in the 2001 NBA draft by the Portland Trail Blazers. He played for five teams over the course of his professional career, winning the NBA Most Improved Player award with the Portland Trail Blazers and making the All-NBA Third Team in 2011 with the Memphis Grizzlies. He also played with the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings before retiring in December 2019. Randolph later planned to come out of retirement in 2020 to join the Big3.

Other notable alumni

Michael Cimino - film director, screenwriter, producer and author.
Andrey Malakhov - Russian television personality and presenter.
Tom Sizemore - actor.
Atsugiri Jason - American comedian based in Japan.
Verghese Kurien - Indian dairy engineer and social entrepreneur.
Nick Foles - American former professional football quarterback.
Adam Gase - American football coach.
Tee Grizzley - American rapper.
Jon-Erik Hexum - American actor and model.

tags: #michigan #state #university #notable #alumni