Notable Alumni of San Diego State University
San Diego State University (SDSU) has a long and storied history of producing successful graduates in a wide range of fields. From arts and entertainment to business and politics, SDSU alumni have made significant contributions to society. This article highlights some of the most famous and accomplished individuals who have attended SDSU. This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness.
Arts and Entertainment
SDSU boasts a remarkable array of alumni who have excelled in the arts and entertainment industries.
- Greg Bear: A science fiction author with a B.A. from SDSU, Bear has captivated readers with his imaginative and thought-provoking novels.
- Russell Carpenter: With a B.A. from SDSU, Carpenter is the cinematographer behind the visually stunning film Titanic.
- Dan Corson: An artist with a B.A. from SDSU, Corson has made his mark in the art world.
- Erika De La Cruz: A B.A. graduate, she is a television host and media personality known for her work during Fashion Week.
- Amy Devers: A B.A. graduate, Devers is a furniture designer and TV personality known for shows like Freeform Furniture, Designer People, Trading Spaces, and Home Made Simple.
- Sid Fleischman: Author of children's books and screenplays with a B.A.
- Courtney Friel: Television host with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Bob Goen: Media personality and Entertainment Tonight anchor-correspondent.
- Julie Kavner: Actress with a B.A. from SDSU, best known as the voice of Marge Simpson on The Simpsons. Before The Simpsons, Kavner attracted notice for her role as Brenda Morgenstern, the younger sister of Valerie Harper's title character in the sitcom Rhoda, for which she won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She also voices other characters for The Simpsons, including Marge's mother, Jacqueline Bouvier, sisters Patty and Selma Bouvier, and half-step-great-aunt Eunice Bouvier.
- Kathleen Kennedy: A film producer with a B.A. from SDSU, Kennedy has been the president of Lucasfilm since 2012.
- Art Linkletter (1912-2010): Veteran entertainer with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Cleavon Little: Actor with a B.A. from SDSU, known for his roles on stage, film, and television. In 1970, he starred in the Broadway production of Purlie, for which he earned both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award. His first leading television role was that of the irreverent Dr. Jerry Noland on the ABC sitcom Temperatures Rising (1972-1974). While starring in the sitcom, Little appeared in what has become his signature performance, portraying Sheriff Bart in the 1974 Mel Brooks comedy film Blazing Saddles.
- Abby Martin: Journalist, TV presenter, and activist with a B.A. from SDSU. Martin appeared in the documentary film Project Censored The Movie: Ending the Reign of Junk Food News (2013), and co-directed 99%: The Occupy Wall Street Collaborative Film (2013).
- Susanna Thompson: An American actress known for her roles in films Little Giants (1994), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996), Random Hearts (1999) and Dragonfly (2002). On television, she played Dr. Lenara Kahn in the episode "Rejoined" in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1995), the Borg Queen in three episodes of Star Trek: Voyager (1999-2000), Karen Sammler on the drama series Once and Again (1999-2002), and Moira Queen on the series Arrow (2012-2020).
- Marion Ross: An American actress. Her best-known role is that of Marion Cunningham on the ABC television sitcom Happy Days, on which she starred from 1974 to 1984 and for which she received two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. Before her success on Happy Days, Ross appeared in a variety of film roles, appearing in The Glenn Miller Story (1954), Sabrina (1954), Lust for Life (1956), Teacher's Pet (1958), Some Came Running (1958), Operation Petticoat (1959), and Honky (1971), as well as several minor television roles, one of which was on television's The Lone Ranger (1954). She was also twice nominated successively in 1992 and 1993 for the Primetime Emmy Award for her performance on the CBS television comedy-drama Brooklyn Bridge and later netted another Emmy nomination (her fifth and last) in 1999 for a two-episode appearance on the popular CBS drama Touched by an Angel. Ross also starred in the high-profile, long-anticipated sequel to Terms of Endearment (1983), The Evening Star (1996), in a turn for which she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as both a nomination and win for a Lone Star Film and Television Award for Best Supporting Actress.
- Kathy Najimy: An American actress and activist. She was first nationally known for her feminist play The Kathy and Mo Show, which she wrote and performed with Mo Gaffney. On film, she is best known for her roles in Soapdish (1991), Sister Act (1992) and its sequel (1993), Hocus Pocus (1993) and its sequel (2022), Hope Floats (1998), The Wedding Planner (2001), Rat Race (2001), WALL-E (2008), Step Up 3D (2010), The Guilt Trip (2012), Tyler Perry's A Madea Christmas (2013), A Christmas Melody (2015), Dumplin' (2018), Music (2021), and Single All the Way (2021). On television, she is best known for her portrayal of Olive Massery on the NBC sitcom Veronica's Closet (1997-2000) and for voicing Peggy Hill on the animated television series King of the Hill (1997-2010).
- J. Michael Straczynski: An American filmmaker and comic book writer. and Studio JMS and is known as the creator of the science fiction television series Babylon 5 (1993-1998) and its spinoff Crusade (1999), as well as the series Jeremiah (2002-2004) and Sense8 (2015-2018). He is the executor of the estate of Harlan Ellison.
- Janet Varney: An American actress, comedian, writer and producer. She is known for voicing the character of Korra in the Nickelodeon animated television series The Legend of Korra, co-starring as Sheriff Evie Barret in the television series Stan Against Evil, and a recurring role as Becca Barbara in You're the Worst.
Business and Entrepreneurship
SDSU has also produced a significant number of successful business leaders and entrepreneurs.
- Charles Brandes: Founder of Brandes Investment Partners with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Norman E. Brinker: Founder of Steak & Ale, former president of Jack in the Box, and a renowned restaurateur innovator with a B.S. from SDSU.
- Adelia Coffman: Founding CFO of Qualcomm Incorporated with a B.S. from SDSU.
- Vince Ferraro: Senior general management and marketing executive, recognized in ExecRank's 2012 list of top 50 CMOs with a B.S. from SDSU.
- Rick Hamada: CEO of Avnet with a B.S. from SDSU.
- Peggy Johnson: Former executive vice president of Qualcomm, former executive vice president of Business Development at Microsoft, and current CEO of Magic Leap with a B.S. from SDSU.
- Doug Manchester: Real estate developer, namesake of Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel in San Diego, and publisher of the San Diego Union Tribune with a B.S. from SDSU.
- Robert O. Sol Price: Founder of Price Club (later merged with Costco) with a B.A. from SDSU. Price Club changed America's shopping experience.
- S. Donley Ritchey: Former CEO and president of Lucky Stores and current director of The McClatchy Company with a B.S. Accounting 1955, M.S. from SDSU.
- Jim Sinegal: Costco chief executive officer, named to Time Magazine's 2006 list of the 100 most influential people with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Russell Weiner: Founder of RockStar Energy Drink with a B.A. from SDSU.
Science and Academia
SDSU has a strong tradition of producing accomplished scientists and academics.
- Joan Bybee: Linguist with a PhD (at UCLA) and an M.A. from SDSU.
- Laurance Doyle: SETI astronomer with a PhD (at Heidelberg University) and an M.S. from SDSU.
- Tom Garrison: Distinguished professor, author, and writer of the Emmy Award-winning Oceanus with a PhD (at University of Southern California) and an M.S. from SDSU.
- Jacques Gauthier: Paleontologist and professor at Yale University and Peabody Museum of Natural History with a PhD (at UCB) and a B.S. Zoology 1973, M.S. from SDSU.
- Arthur Jensen: Professor emeritus of educational psychology at University of California, Berkeley with a PhD (at Columbia University) and an M.A. from SDSU.
- M. Brian Maple: Professor of physics at University of California, San Diego with a PhD (at UCSD) and a B.S. from SDSU.
- Bridgette Meinhold: Artist and author with a focus on sustainability with an M.S. (from Stanford University) and a B.S. from SDSU.
- Ellen Ochoa: First Latina astronaut with a PhD (from Stanford University) and a B.S. from SDSU.
- Mark M. Phillips: US astronomer and cosmologist, Gruber Prize Laureate of 2007 for the discovery of dark energy and the accelerating universe, and a member of the High-Z Supernova Search Team with a PhD (from UC Santa Cruz) and a B.S. from SDSU.
- Bernard Rimland: Autism researcher and founder of the Autism Society of America with a PhD and an M.S. from SDSU.
- J. Michael Scott: Biologist and ornithologist with a PhD (from Oregon State University) and an M.S. from SDSU.
- Gina Simmons Schneider: Psychoanalyst and writer with a PhD and a B.A. from SDSU.
Politics and Public Service
SDSU has also produced a number of notable figures in politics and public service.
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- Paul J. Muhammed Al-Jasser: Saudi Arabian economist who served as the Minister of Economy and Planning and chairman of Saudi Telecom with a PhD (at UCR) and a B.A. from SDSU.
- Kevin Faulconer: Mayor of San Diego with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Robert Cardenas: Retired brigadier general with a B.A. from SDSU.
- William J. Marks: USN commander and spokesman for the Defense Intelligence Agency with an M.A. from SDSU.
- Merrill McPeak: Retired Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Eugene P. Wilkinson: First commanding officer of the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the world's first nuclear submarine, with a B.S. Navy admiral from SDSU.
Athletics
SDSU has a rich athletic tradition, and many of its athletes have gone on to achieve great success in their respective sports.
- Kawhi Leonard: Enrolled in San Diego State University Studied in 2007. An American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A two-time NBA champion, he is a six-time All-Star and a six-time member of the All-NBA Team (including three First Team selections). Nicknamed the "Claw" or "Klaw" for his ball-hawking skills and exceptionally large hands, Leonard is often regarded as one of the greatest two-way players in NBA history, earning seven All-Defensive Team selections and winning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016. In 2021, he was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.
- Carl Weathers: Enrolled in San Diego State University Graduated with Master of Arts. Was an American actor, director and a former football player. His prominent roles included boxer Apollo Creed in the first four Rocky films (1976-1985), Colonel Al Dillon in Predator (1987), Chubbs Peterson in Happy Gilmore (1996), and Combat Carl in the Toy Story franchise. He also portrayed Det. Beaudreaux in the television series Street Justice (1991-1993) and a fictionalized version of himself in the comedy series Arrested Development (2004, 2013), and voiced Omnitraxus Prime in Star vs. the Forces of Evil (2017-2019). He had a recurring role as Greef Karga in the Star Wars series The Mandalorian (2019-2023), for which he was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series.
- Xander Schauffele: An American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He won the Tour Championship in 2017 and the gold medal at the men's individual golf event of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. He has won two major championships, both in the same year, the 2024 PGA Championship and the 2024 Open Championship.
- Paige Spiranac: An American model, golf instructor, former professional golfer and social media personality. She played Division 1 college golf at both the University of Arizona and San Diego State University, winning All-Mountain West Conference honors during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons, and leading the Aztecs to their first Mountain West Conference Championship in 2015.
- Tony Gwynn: An American professional baseball right fielder, who played 20 seasons (1982-2001) in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Diego Padres. The left-handed hitting Gwynn won eight batting titles in his career, which is tied for the most in National League (NL) history. He was a 15-time All-Star and won seven Silver Slugger Awards and five Gold Glove Awards. Gwynn stayed with the Padres his entire career, and played in the only two World Series appearances in San Diego franchise history. Having hit over.300 for 19 straight seasons, Gwynn retired with a.338 career batting average, the highest mark since Ted Williams retired in 1960; Gwynn also holds the highest adjusted batting average of all time with.342. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007 in his first year of eligibility, and is widely considered the best pure hitter of his generation.
- Stephen Strasburg: An American former professional baseball pitcher who spent his entire 13-year Major League Baseball (MLB) career with the Washington Nationals. Strasburg was selected by Washington with the first overall pick in the 2009 MLB draft. He was a three-time All-Star.
- Fred Dryer: An American actor, radio host, and former professional football player.
- Marshall Faulk: An American former professional football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons and current running backs coach at the University of Colorado. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest running backs of all time.
- Herman Edwards: An American football coach and former player. He played cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons, primarily with the Philadelphia Eagles. Edwards was also a head coach in the NFL from 2001 to 2008 with the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs. Following the conclusion of his NFL coaching career, Edwards was a football analyst at ESPN from 2009 to 2017. He later served as the head coach of the Arizona State Sun Devils from 2018 to 2022.
- Kevin O'Connell: An American professional football coach and former quarterback who is the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). O'Connell played college football at San Diego State from 2004 to 2007 and in the National Football League (NFL) for five seasons from 2008 to 2012, with his longest tenure (2009-2011) as a player with the New York Jets.
- Joe Gibbs: An American auto racing team owner and former football coach. He served as the head coach of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL) from 1981 to 1992 and then 2004 to 2007, leading them to nine playoff appearances, five NFC Championship titles, and three Super Bowl wins over 16 seasons.
- John Fox: An American football coach and former player who previously was a senior defensive assistant for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was the head coach of the Carolina Panthers (2002-2010), Denver Broncos (2011-2014) and Chicago Bears (2015-2017) of the National Football League (NFL). He coached the Panthers to Super Bowl XXXVIII and the Broncos to Super Bowl XLVIII.
- Akbar Gbaja-Biamila: An American former professional football player in the National Football League (NFL) who is a commentator and co-host of American Ninja Warrior and its spinoff American Ninja Warrior Junior. He is also an analyst for the NFL Network, co-hosting the flagship morning show Good Morning Football (and syndicated spinoff/extension show Good Morning Football: Overtime) and was a co-host of The Talk on CBS from 2021-2024.
Other Notable Alumni
- David Hasemyer: Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Andy Rathbone: Author of …for Dummies books and technology writer with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Constance Reid: Author of several biographies of mathematicians and popular books about mathematics with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Tammie Souza: Television meteorologist with a B.S. from SDSU.
- Jesse Billauer: Quadriplegic, motivational speaker, and surfer with a B.A. from SDSU.
- Salvador Torres: Artist and muralist, father of the Chicano Park murals with an M.A. from SDSU.
- Destin Daniel Cretton: An American filmmaker. He is best known for directing the drama films Short Term 12, The Glass Castle (2017), Just Mercy (2019) as well as the Marvel Studios film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021).
- Robert Hays: An American actor, known for a variety of television and film roles since the 1970s. He came to prominence around 1980, co-starring in the two-season domestic sitcom Angie, and playing the central role of pilot Ted Striker in the comedy film Airplane! and its sequel. Other film roles include the lead role in the comedy Take This Job and Shove It (1981), and Bob Seaver, one of the main human characters in Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (1993). On television, he starred in the science fiction series Starman (1986-1987) and the short-lived workplace sitcom FM (1989-1990), voiced Iron Man in Iron Man (1994), and had a guest role as Bud Hyde on That '70s Show (2000).
- Saweetie: An American rapper and singer. Her 2017 debut single, "Icy Grl", received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and led her to sign with Warner Records in a joint venture with her then-manager, Max Gousse's record label, Artistry Worldwide.
- Crystal Harris: An American model who was the Playboy Playmate of the Month for December 2009, and the third wife of Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner from December 2012 until his death in September 2017.
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