SJSU
proudly celebrates its alumni. Browse
through our famous alumni below to
see how far the Spartan spirit reaches.
Our celebrity
Spartans are not the only alumni doing
great things. As part of the university's
sesquicentennial, SJSU journalism
students are interviewing and reporting
on alumni who make a difference. Read
alumni profiles.
NOTE:
The categories below are based on
how the alum is "well-known"
and may not tie to his or her SJSU
major. Use the navigation drop-down
menu below for faster browsing:
Arts and Entertainment
Mary Blair, artist, graphic designer
and illustrator who helped create
Disney's Cinderella (1950),
Alice in Wonderland (1951)
and Peter Pan (1953)
Irene Dalis,
1946, former Metropolitan Opera
star and founder of Opera San José,
Tower Award 1974
Robert Graham, internationally
acclaimed sculptor whose work includes
the Olympic Gateway in Los Angeles
Charles W. Childs, 1867, San José
State Normal School principal, 1889-96
Dr. Marshall "Mark"
Drummond, (BS Management and Economics,
and MBA), former chancellor of the California
Community College system
John Maupin, president, Morehouse School of Medicine
William Pence,
National Science Teachers Association
“Outstanding Biology Teacher”
Margaret Shallenberger McNaught,
1880, first state commissioner of
elementary schools, first woman
to teach in the School of Education
at Stanford University (1891)
Henry Zuzallo, 1895, (former)
president of the University of Washington
Lorna Dee Cervantes, poet and author of Drive: The First Quartet and other poetry collections, and numerous anthologized poems
James D.
Houston - author of Farewell
to Manzanar, Continental Drift,
Snow Mountain Passage, and
others; Lurie Distinguished Visiting
Professor of Creative Writing at
SJSU in Spring 2006
Jayne Ann Krentz (Master's in
Library Science) author; also writes
under Amanda Quick, Jayne Castle
and others
Edwin Markham, 1872, poet (1852-1940)
Sandra McPherson - poet
Amy Tan,
1972 (B.A. English and Linguistics),
novelist, author of The Joy
Luck Club, The Bonesetter's Daughter,
The Opposite of Fate, and others
Ralph Abascal, founding director of the Center on Race, Poverty & the Environment and the 1995 recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Award
James T. Beall, Jr., (BA in Political
Science) California Assemblyman;
San José City Council 1980
- 1994; Santa Clara County Board
of Supervisors (District 4) 1994
- 2006
Lee P. Brown,
1964 (Masters in Sociology) former
mayor of Houston; professor; law
enforcement
Albert E. Carter, 1903, (former)
U.S. congressman (Oakland)
Cindy Chavez, San José
City councilmember, District 3
Judy Chirco, San José City
councilmember, District 9
Mike Deaver, influential member
of Ronald Reagan's staff in California
and the White House
Robert C. Doerr, (former) mayor
of San José (mayor during
SJSC's Centennial year - 1957)
Robert Foster (BA public administration),
president of Southern California
Edison, CSU Trustee (1997 - 2006);
elected mayor of Long Beach in 2006
Leslie C. Francis, 1965 (BA
in Social Science) and 1966 (Secondary
Teaching Credential) Democratic
political consultant. Served in
the Carter administration
Congressman Mike Honda, 1968 (BA
Biological Sciences and Spanish;
MA Education, 1974) representing
San José
Lou Henry Hoover, 1893 (1874-1944),
first lady (Herbert Hoover, 31st
U.S. President)
Peter Kutras, Jr., county of Santa Clara, county executive
Linda J. LeZotte, San José
City councilmember, District 1
Nancy McFadden, deputy chief of
staff in the Clinton Administration;
currently VP governmental relations
for PG&E
Gaylord
A. Nelson, 1939 Political Science;
1960 Honorary Master of Arts degree; founder
of Earth Day, former U.S. Senator
and governor of Wisconsin
Lyn Nofziger, 1950 (BA in Journalism)
(1924 - 2006), aide to Governor
Reagan, advisor to Presidents Nixon
and Reagan, campaign advisor for
Steve Forbes and Pat Buchanan
Ed Rollins, political strategist
Laurie Smith, first California
female sheriff, Santa Clara County
Fernando Torres-Gil, 1970 (BA
in Political Science) first assistant
secretary for aging at the Department
of Health and Human Services in
the Clinton Administration; currently
associate dean of the School of
Public Affairs at UCLA
Susanne B. Wilson, former member
of San José City Council
and Santa Clara County Board of
Supervisors; recipient of the SJSU
Tower Award in 1996
Ken Yeager, Santa Clara County
Supervisor; San José City
councilmember, District 6
