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This is a partially sorted list of notable persons who have had ties to Columbia University. For further listing of notable Columbians see: Notable alumni at Columbia College of Columbia University; Columbia University School of General Studies; Columbia Law School; Columbia Business School; Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism; Columbia Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation; Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons; Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science; Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences; Columbia University School of the Arts; and the School of International and Public Affairs. The following lists are incomplete.

Nobel laureates

As of October 2009, 79 Nobel laureates are affiliated with Columbia University. 40 Nobel laureates are the alumni of Columbia University. 17 of these alumni have also served on the faculty or staff of the University. There are 38 non-alumni Nobel laureates who have been in service—as faculty, research scientists, research or postdoctoral fellows—to the University. Columbia University does not count a Visiting Professor as one of its own. Only those Nobel laureates who have spent a year or more at the University are counted. If Nobel laureates who have spent less than a year at the University were counted, the number of Nobel laureates affiliated with Columbia would be 93, more than any other academic institution. In addition, Columbia ranks third in the number of Nobel Laureates it has graduated compared to other institutions in the world, surpassed only by the University of Cambridge and Harvard University. See List of Nobel Laureates by university affiliation.

Alumni and former students

Chemistry

1932	Irving Langmuir	(B.S., 1903; M.A., 1906)
1946	John H. Northrop	(B.S., 1912; M.A., 1913; Ph.D., 1915)
1972	William H. Stein	(Ph.D., 1938)
1981	Roald Hoffmann	(B.A., 1958)
1985	Herbert A. Hauptman	(M.A., 1939)
1989	Sidney Altman	(graduate student, teaching assistant, 1960 to 1962)
2001	William S. Knowles	(Ph.D., 1942)
2005	Robert H. Grubbs	(Ph.D., 1968)

Economic science

1971	Simon S. Kuznets	(B.S., 1923; M.A., 1924; Ph.D., 1926)
1972	Kenneth J. Arrow	(M.A., 1941; Ph.D., 1951)
1976	Milton Friedman	(Researcher, 1943 to 1945; Ph.D., 1946; faculty member, 1937 to 1940 and 1964 to 1965)
1993	Robert W. Fogel	(M.A., 1960)
1996	William S. Vickrey	(M.A., 1937; Ph.D., 1948; faculty member, 1946 to 1996)
1997	Robert C. Merton	(B.S., 1966)

Peace

1906	Theodore Roosevelt	(Law student, 1880 to 1882)
1931	Nicholas Murray Butler	(B.A., 1882; M.A., 1883; Ph.D., 1884, president of Columbia, 1902 to 1945)
2009	Barack Obama	(B.A., 1983)

Physics

1923	Robert A. Millikan	(Ph.D., 1895)
1944	I.I. Rabi	(Ph.D., 1927; faculty member, 1929 to 1988)
1965	Julian S. Schwinger	(B.A., 1936; Ph.D., 1939)
1972	Leon N. Cooper	(B.A., 1951; M.A., 1953; Ph.D., 1954)
1975	James Rainwater	(M.A., 1941; Ph.D., 1946; faculty member, 1939 to 1986)
1978	Arno A. Penzias	(M.A., 1958; Ph.D., 1962)
1980	Val L. Fitch	(Ph.D., 1954; faculty member, 1953 to 1954)
1988	Leon M. Lederman	(M.A., 1948; Ph.D., 1951; faculty member, 1951 to 1989)
1988	Melvin Schwartz	(B.A., 1953; Ph.D., 1958; faculty member, 1958 to 1966, 1991 to 2006)
1989	Norman F. Ramsey	(B.A., 1935; Ph.D., 1940; faculty member, 1941 to 1947)
1995	Martin L. Perl	(Ph.D., 1955)

Physiology or medicine

1946	Hermann J. Muller	(B.A., 1910; M.A., 1911; Ph.D., 1916; faculty member, 1918 to 1920)
1950	Edward C. Kendall	(B.S., 1908; M.A., 1909; Ph.D., 1910)
1956	Dickinson W. Richards	(M.A., 1922; M.D., 1923; faculty member, 1925 to 1973)
1958	Joshua Lederberg	(B.A., 1944; medical student, 1944–1946; faculty member, 1990 to 1999)
1964	Konrad E. Bloch	(Ph.D., 1938; faculty member, 1938 to 1946, 1966)
1967	George Wald	(M.A., 1928)
1973	Konrad Lorenz	(Columbia College, 1922 to 1923)
1976	Baruch S. Blumberg	(Grad student in Mathematics, 1946 to 1947; M.D., 1951; resident, 1951–1953; fellow 1953–1955)
1978	João Lobo Antunes	(MBA 1978-1983)
1980	Baruj Benacerraf	(B.S., 1942; research scientist, 1948 to 1950)
1989	Harold E. Varmus	(M.D., 1966; Presbyterian Hospital staff, 1966 to 1968, University Trustee, 2002 to 2005)
1998	Louis J. Ignarro	(B.S., 1962)
2004	Richard Axel	(A.B., 1967; resident, fellow and research scientist, 1971 to 1978; faculty member, 1978 to present)

Faculty, research fellows and others

Chemistry

1934	Harold C. Urey	(faculty member, 1929 to 1945)
1960	Willard Libby	(research scientist, 1941 to 1944)
2008	Martin Chalfie	(William R Kenan Jr. Professor, current Chair of Biological Sciences)

Economic science

1982	George J. Stigler	(research scientist, 1942 to 1945; faculty member, 1947 to 1958)
1987	Robert Solow	(fellowship year, 1949 to 1950)
1992	Gary S. Becker	(faculty member, 1957 to 1970)
1999	Robert Mundell	(faculty member, 1974 to present)
2000	James J. Heckman	(faculty member, 1970 to 1974)
2001	Joseph Stiglitz	(faculty member, 2001 to present)
2006	Edmund Phelps	(faculty member, 1971 to present)

Literature

1983	Colette Inez	(faculty member, 1983 to present)
1987	Joseph Brodsky	(faculty member, 1978 to 1985)
1991	Nadine Gordimer	(faculty member, 1971 to 1972, 1976 to 1978, 1983)
1992	Derek Walcott	(faculty member, 1979, 1981 to 1983, 1984)
2006	Orhan Pamuk	(visiting scholar, 1985 to 1988; fellow, 2006 to present)

Peace

Physics

1938	Enrico Fermi	(faculty member, 1939 to 1945)
1949	Hideki Yukawa	(faculty member, 1949 to 1954)
1955	Polykarp Kusch	(faculty member, 1937 to 1972)
1955	Willis E. Lamb	(faculty member, 1938 to 1952, 1960 to 1961)
1957	Tsung Dao Lee	(faculty member, 1953 to present)
1963	Maria Goeppert Mayer	(faculty member, 1940 to 1946)
1964	Charles H. Townes	(faculty member, 1948 to 1961)
1975	Aage Bohr	(faculty member, 1949 to 1950)
1976	Samuel C.C. Ting	(faculty member, 1964 to 1967)
1979	Steven Weinberg	(faculty member, 1957 to 1959)
1981	Arthur L. Schawlow	(faculty member, 1949 to 1951, 1960)
1984	Carlo Rubbia	(postdoc at Nevis Laboratories, 1958 to 1960)
1988	Jack Steinberger	(faculty member, 1950 to 1970, 1985 to 1986, 1988 to 1998)
1998	Horst L. Stormer	(faculty member, 1998 to present)
2006	John C. Mather	(postdoc in Goddard Institute for Space Studies, 1974 to 1976)

Physiology or medicine

1933	Thomas Hunt Morgan	(faculty member, 1904 to 1928)
1956	Andre F. Cournand	(faculty member, 1935 to 1988)
1969	Salvador E. Luria	(faculty member, 1940 to 1942)
1976	D. Carleton Gajdusek	(postgraduate training, 1946 to 1947)
1978	Daniel Nathans	(intern and medical resident, 1954 to 1959)
1982	Sune Bergström	(research fellowship, 1940 to 1941)
1990	E. Donnall Thomas	(faculty member, 1955 to 1963)
2000	Eric Kandel	(faculty member, 1972 to present)
2004	Linda Buck	(postdoctoral fellow, 1980 to 1984; research scientist, 1984 to 1991)

Fields Medalists

Jesse Douglas—(attended Columbia College from 1920–1924) winner of the Fields Medal in 1936
Stephen Smale—Professor of Mathematics, winner of the Fields Medal in 1966 and the Wolf Prize in Mathematics in 2006/7, one of only eight Fields Medallists to win both prizes

Crafoord Prize

Wallace Smith Broecker—(alumnus and faculty) Crafoord Prize in Geoscience (2006), Balzan Prize, Wollaston Medal, National Medal of Science, among other awards

Founding Fathers of the United States

Founding Fathers of the United States are the political leaders who signed the Declaration of Independence or the United States Constitution, or otherwise participated in the American Revolution as leaders of the Patriots.

Alexander Hamilton—Founding father, American Revolutionary War officer and aide de camp to George Washington, co-author of The Federalist Papers, the first U.S. Secretary of the Treasury, economist, one of the first U.S. constitutional lawyers (picture appears on U.S. ten dollar bill)
John Jay—Founding Father, President of the Continental Congress, co-author of The Federalist Papers, second U.S. Secretary of Foreign Affairs, first Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, diplomat, architect of Jay's Treaty with Great Britain
Robert Livingston—Founding Father, drafter of the Declaration of Independence, first U.S. Secretary of Foreign Affairs, U.S. Minister to France, negotiator of the Louisiana Purchase
Gouverneur Morris—Founding father, author of large sections of the Constitution of the United States, U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary to France, United States Senator from New York, creator of the Manhattan street grid system, a builder of the Erie canal
Egbert Benson—Founding father, member of the Continental Congresses; with Alexander Hamilton, delegate from New York to the Annapolis Convention; ratifier of the United States Constitution; served in the First and Second United States Congresses

Presidents of the United States

Theodore Roosevelt—(Law) 26th President of the United States (1901-1909); Nobel Peace Prize recipient; Governor of New York; Assistant Secretary of the Navy; professional historian, explorer, author, and soldier
Franklin Delano Roosevelt—(Law) 32nd President of the United States (1935-1945); consistently been ranked as one of the three greatest U.S. presidents in scholarly surveys; Governor of New York; Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Dwight Eisenhower—Supreme Commander; Allied Expeditionary Force; President of Columbia University; 34th President of the United States (1953-1961)
Barack Obama—(B.A. 1983) 44th President of the United States (2009-); Nobel Peace Prize recipient; Democratic Senator from Illinois (2005-2008); first African-American president of the Harvard Law Review

Vice-Presidents of the United States

Daniel D Tompkins—6th Vice-President of the United States, 4th Governor of New York, declined appointment as United States Secretary of State by President James Madison
Theodore Roosevelt—(Law) 25th Vice-President of the United States, organized and helped command the Rough Riders in the Spanish American War, Medal of Honor

Presidents and Prime Ministers (international)

Muhammad Fadhel al-Jamali—twice Prime Minister of Iraq, six times Foreign Minister, member of both houses of Iraqi Parliament
Giuliano Amato—(M.A., Law 1963) twice Prime Minister of Italy, Minister of the Interior, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Hafizullah Amin—(Ph.D. 1962) Prime Minister and President of Afghanistan
Nahas Angula—(M.A., M.Ed.) Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia (incumbent as of 2009); member of the National Assembly since 1990
Laurens Jan Brinkhorst—(M.A.) Dutch Deputy Prime Minister (2005-2006), Minister of Economic Affairs (2003-2006), member of European Parliament (1994-1999)
Toomas Hendrik Ilves—President of Estonia
Jose Ramos Horta—President of East Timor (2007-), former Prime Minister, Nobel Laureate
Marek Belka—Prime Minister of Poland, twice Minister of Finance
Wellington Koo—twice Premier of China (1924; 1926-27); President (1926-27); China's Amb. to the U.S. (1946-56), participant in founding of League of Nations and United Nations
Michael O'Leary (politician)—Deputy Prime Minister of Ireland, Minister of Labour, Minister of Energy
Hans-Gert Pottering—(graduate studies) President of European Parliament (2007-)
Mikhail Saakashvili—(Law 1994) President of the Georgia (2004–present)
Salim Ahmed Salim—Prime Minister of Tanzania, Secretary General of the Organization of African Unity, President of the United Nations General Assembly, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tang Shaoyi—Prime Minister of the Republic of China, University President
Nur Mohammed Taraki—President and Prime Minister of Afghanistan (1978-1979)
Alexander Nikolaevich Yakovlev—(Number 2 in Mikhail Gorbachev Administration)
Abdul Zahir—(M.D.) Prime Minister of Afghanistan, President of Parliament, Ambassador to Italy, Ambassador to Pakistan
Zhou Ziqi—former Premier and President of the Republic of China

Notable alumni and attendees

Politics, military and law

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia Law School (Government, Legal academia), Columbia College of Columbia University (Political and diplomatic figures, Legal and judicial figures, Military leaders), School of International and Public Affairs. This partial list does not include all of the numerous Columbia alumni who have served as the heads of foreign governments, in the U.S. Presidential Cabinet, the U.S. Executive branch of government, the Federal Courts, or as U.S. Senators, U.S. Congresspersons, Governors, diplomats, mayors (or other notable local officials), or as prominent members of the legal profession or the military.

Governors

Willie Blount—Governor of Tennessee (1809-1815)
Doyle E. Carlton—(L.L.B. 1912) Governor of Florida
DeWitt Clinton—(1786) Governor of New York, U.S. Senator, Mayor of New York City, main proponent of the Erie Canal
Lawrence William Cramer—(M.A.) second civilian Governor of the United States Virgin Islands (1935-1940)
Arthur G. Crane—(Ph.D. 1920) Acting Governor of Wyoming (1949-1951)
Colgate Darden—Governor of Virginia, president of the University of Virginia, Chancellor of the College of William and Mary, Democratic Congressman from Virginia, namesake of Darden Graduate School of Business Administration
Gray Davis—(Law) Governor of California (1999-2003), Lieutenant Governor of California (1995-1999), California State Controller (1987-1995)
Howard Dean—(GS, Pre-med) Chairman Democratic National Committee, Governor of Vermont
Thomas E. Dewey—(Law 1925) Governor of New York (1943–1955); New York prosecutor and District Attorney of New York; Republican candidate for President of the United States in 1944 (against Roosevelt) and in 1948 (against Truman)
Hamilton Fish—(1827) Governor of New York, U.S. Senator
Judd Gregg—(B.A. 1969) Republican Senator from New Hampshire (2005), former Governor of New Hampshire, U.S. Congressman
Wilford Bacon Hoggatt—Governor of Alaska (Territorial)
Charles Evans Hughes—(Law 1884) Governor of New York
John Jay—Governor of New York
Thomas Kean—Governor of New Jersey (1982–1990), President of Drew University, Chairman of 9/11 Commission
Stephen W. Kearney—military Governor of California (Territorial)
John W. King—Governor of Rhode Island and jurist
Madeleine M. Kunin—Governor of Vermont, Deputy Secretary of Education in Clinton administration, U.S. Ambassador to Switzerland, U.S. Ambassador to Liechtenstein
Ruby Laffoon—Governor of Kentucky
William Langer—U.S. Senator, 17th and 21st Governor of North Dakota, Attorney General of North Dakota
William Beach Lawrence—Acting Governor of Rhode Island, Lieutenant Governor of Rhode Island
Oren E. Long—tenth Territorial Governor of Hawaii (1951-1053)
James L. McConaughy—Governor of Connecticut, President of Wesleyan University, Knox College
James McGreevey—(B.A. 1978) Governor of New Jersey (2002–2004).^[1]
Robert B. Meyner—Governor of New Jersey
Wayne Mixson—(attended) 39th Governor of Florida, 12th Lieutenant Governor of Florida
George Pataki—(Law 1970) Governor of New York (1995–2006)
David Paterson—(B.A. 1977) first African American Governor of New York
Franklin Delano Roosevelt—Governor of New York
Theodore Roosevelt—Governor of New York
Charles Wilbert Snow—(M.A. 1910) Governor of Connecticut (1946-1947)
William Sulzer—Governor of New York, U.S. Congressman (1895-1912)
Guy J. Swope—(SIPA) Acting Governor of Puerto Rico
Daniel D. Tompkins—(1795) 6th Vice President of the United States, Governor of New York
Peter Vroom—(1808) Governor of New Jersey (1829-32; 1833-36)
George P. Wetmore—(L.L.B. 1869) Governor of Rhode Island
Horace White—Governor of New York, Lieutenant Governor of New York, Trustee of Cornell University

Cabinet members and presidential advisors

Madeleine Albright—(Ph.D. 1976, LLD[hons.] 1995) 64th United States Secretary of State under President Bill Clinton (1997-2001), the first female Secretary of State
Reuben Baetz—Canadian politician, four time cabinet Minister in the governments of Bill Davis and Frank Miller
William Pelham Barr—(B.A. 1971, M.A. 1973) 77th United States Attorney General (1991-1993)
Jared Bernstein—(Ph.D. 1994) Chief Economist and Economic Policy Advisor to Vice President Joseph Biden in the administration of President Barack Obama; member of the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry (2009-); executive director of the White House Task Force on the Middle Class (2009-)
Anthony "Tony" Blinkers—(J.D. 1988) National Security Advisor to Vice President Joseph Biden (2009-)
Hans Blix—Minister of Foreign Affairs (Sweden) (1976-1978)
Erskine Bowles—(MBA) White House Chief of Staff under President Bill Clinton, former head of the Small Business Administration, President of University of North Carolina system
Harold Brown—United States Secretary of Defense in the Carter administration; Secretary of the Air Force; former president of Caltech
Karin Maria Bruzelius—(LL.M. 1969) Swedish Under Secretary of State (1989-1997) (first women to hold such a position), Swedish Deputy Under Secretary of State (1979-1983)
Pat Buchanan—(Journalism) senior advisor to three U.S. presidents, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Ronald Regan; conservative commentator, speechwriter
Arthur Frank Burns—(B.A. 1925, M.A. 1925, Ph.D. 1934) Austrian-born U.S. economist, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers (1953–1956), Chairman of the Federal Reserve System (1970–1978), Ambassador to Bonn (1981–1985)
Elaine Chao—United States Secretary of Labor under President George W. Bush (2001-2009); former Director of the Peace Corps; President and CEO, United Way of America
Jerome Choquette—(CBS) Canadian Minister of Justice (1970-1975), Minister of Education (1975), Minister of Financial Institutions (1970)
Reuben Clark—Under Secretary of State (2nd ranking official in the U.S. Department of State from 1919 to 1972) in the administration of President Calvin Coolidge, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico (1930-1933)
Bainbridge Colby—(1891) United States Secretary of State, founder of 1912 Progressive Party
William Colby—Director of Central Intelligence for the United States Central Intelligence Agency under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford
John Collier (reformer)—United States Commissioner of Indian Affairs (1933-1945), implemented reform of federal Indian policy
Jacob M. Dickinson—(Law, attended) 44th United States Secretary of War (1909-1911)
William Joseph Donovan—(Law 1908) Founder and first director of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) (formed during World War II), the predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), known as Father of the CIA
Ingrid Eide—(1957-1960) Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs (1979-1981) (replacing Knut Frydenlund), United Nations official, sociologist
Joseph F. Finnegan (1904-1964), fourth Director of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, from 1955 to 1961.^[2]
Hamilton Fish—(1827) United States Secretary of State (1869-1877)
Tom Frieden—(M.D., MPH) Director, United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the administration of President Barack Obama (2009-) (appears below)
Stephen Friedman (PFIAB)—former director of the United States National Economic Council under George H. W. Bush; Chairman of the United States President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (2005-2009) (replacing Brent Scowcroft)
William Dudley Foulke—(Law 1871) United States Civil Service Commission
James Rudolph Garfield—(1888) United States Secretary of the Interior (1907-09), United States Civil Service Commission (1902-1903)
Ashraf Ghani—(M.A., Ph.D.) Afghanistan's Finance Minister (2002-2004)
George Graham (soldier)—( B.A. 1790) United States Secretary of War ad interim (1816-1817) under Presidents James Madison and James Monroe
John Graham (cabinet)—(B.A. 1790) Acting United States Secretary of War (1817)
Ulysses S. Grant, Jr.—(Law) personal secretary to President Ulysses S. Grant
Alan Greenspan—former Chairman of Federal Reserve System (1987-2006), studied for a Ph.D. in economics
Joseph Rudolph Grimes—(M.A.) second Foreign Minister (Secretary of State) of Liberia (1960-1971) (longest serving in history of Liberia), Acting Secretary of State of Liberia
Philip Gunawardena—(post-graduate work) Cabinet Minister in government of Sri Lanka
Alexander Haig—(CBS, 1954 & 1955) United States Secretary of State in Ronald Reagan's administration, twice White House Chief of Staff under Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, NATO Supreme Commander
John D. Hawke, Jr.—Comptroller of the Currency (1998-2004), Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance
Alexander Hamilton—the first United States Secretary of Treasury (1789-1795)
Eric Holder—(1976) 82nd United States Attorney General (2009-); first African-American Attorney General; former Acting United States Attorney General in Clinton Administration; United States Deputy Attorney General
Johan Jørgen Holst—(B.A. 1960) Norwegian Foreign Minister (Secretary of State), the Oslo Accord of 1994 between Israel and the Palestinians
Charles Evans Hughes—United States Secretary of State (1921-1925), Associate and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
Radu Irimescu—(1920) Romanian Minister of War, Minister of the Air Forces
John Jay—Second United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs (1763-1789)
Robert Joseph—(1978 Ph.D.) Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security (2005-2007)
Georgina Kessel—(Ph.D.) Mexican economist, Secretary of Energy in cabinet of Felipe Calderon (2006-)
Leon Keyserling—(A.B. 1928) Head (1950-1953) and Acting Head (1949) of the Council of Economic Advisers under President Harry S. Truman; helped draft major New Deal legislation, including National Industrial Recovery Act, Social Security Act, and the National Labor Relations Act
Madeleine Kunin—(M.A.) Deputy United States Secretary of Education (1993-1997)
Irving Lewis "Scooter" Libby—(J.D. 1975) former Chief of Staff for Vice President Dick Cheney
Robert R. Livingston—First United States Secretary of Foreign Affairs (1781-1783)
Gunnar Lund—(M.A. 1972) Minister in the Swedish cabinet (2002-2004)
Harry McPherson—(1949-1950) White House Counsel under President Lyndon Johnson (1963-69)
Franklin MacVeagh—(1864) United States Secretary of the Treasury (1909-13)
Carlos Tello Macias—(M.A.) former Mexican Secretary of Budget and Planning in the cabinet of Jose Lopez Portillo, economist, academician
F. David Mathews—(Ph.D.) Secretary of the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare under Gerald Ford (1975-1977), President of University of Alabama
Raymond Moley—(Ph.D. 1918) senior adviser to Franklin D. Roosevelt; a leading New Dealer; leading member of first Brain Trust; recruited its members from Columbia faculty; became sharp critic of New Deal; senior adviser to President Richard Nixon; Presidential Medal of Freedom (1970)
Claude Morin (PQ MNA)—Canadian Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in cabinet of Rene Levesque
Rogers Morton—(CUCP&S-attended) 39th United States Secretary of the Interior (1971-1975), 22nd United States Secretary of Commerce (1975-1976), special counsellor to President Gerald Ford (with Cabinet rank), chairman of the Republican National Committee
Michael Mukasey—(B.A. 1963) United States Attorney General (2007-2009), former U.S. District Judge and Chief Judge
Jim Nicholson (U.S. politician)—United States Secretary of Veterans Affairs (2005-2007) under (George W. Bush)
Bernard Nussbaum—White House Counsel under Bill Clinton
Francis Perkins—United States Secretary of Labor (1933-1945), first female cabinet member, United States Civil Service Commission (1946-1953)
Frank Polk—Acting United States Secretary of State (1920), Under Secretary of State (1919-1920), headed American Commission to Negotiate Peace (1919)
Randal Quarles—(B.A.) Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance (2005-2006)
Theodore Roosevelt—25th Vice-President of the United States (1901), United States Civil Service Commission (1888-1895)
Samuel I. Rosenman—(1919) first White House Counsel (1943-46)
William K. Reilly—(M.S. 1971) Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (1989-93)
Carlos P. Romulo—(M.A. 1921) served eight Philippine presidents from President Manuel L. Quezon to President Ferdinand Marcos as a cabinet member or as the country's representative to the United States and to the United Nations
James P. Rubin—(B.A. 1982, M.A. 1984) United States Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs (1997–2000), Chief Spokesperson for the State Department, considered Secretary Albright's right hand man in Clinton Administration
Charles F.C. Ruff—White House Counsel under Bill Clinton; in Watergate scandal, Special Prosecutor who investigated President Richard Nixon; represented Anita Hill (vs. Clarence Thomas) and Bill Clinton (impeachment)
Brent Scowcroft—(M.A., Ph.D.) twice United States National Security Advisor under Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush
Joan E. Spero—(M.A.-Internatl. Aff., 1968; Ph.D. 1973) Under Secretary of State at several bureaus (1993-97), current President of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation (1997-)
Maurice H. Stans—(1928-30) United States Secretary of Commerce (1969-72); deputy director (1957-1958) and director (1958-1961) Office of Management and Budget; Deputy United States Postmaster General (1955-1957) (Cabinet rank until 1971), Accounting Hall of Fame
George Stephanopoulos—(B.A. 1982) senior advisor to President Bill Clinton
Harlan Fiske Stone—United States Attorney General (1924-1925), Associate and Chief Justice of U.S. Supreme Court
Oscar S. Straus—(1873), United States Secretary of Commerce and Labor (1906-09), the first Jewish Presidential Cabinet Secretary
George Tenet—(M.I.A.) Director of Central Intelligence for the United States Central Intelligence Agency (1997-2004)
Daniel D. Tompkins—6th Vice-President of the United States (1817-1825), declined appointment as United States Secretary of State by President James Madison
Russell E. Train—(J.D. 1948) Second Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (1973-77), chairman of newly formed President's Council on Environmental Quality (1970-73), Under Secretary of the United States Department of the Interior (1967-1970)
Harold E. Varmus—one of three co-chairs of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology in the administration of President Barack Obama (2009-), Nobel Laureate
Murray Weidenbaum—(M.A.) Chairman of President Ronald Reagan's first Council of Economic Advisors
Harry Dexter White—senior Treasury official for Franklin D. Roosevelt, helped found World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), alleged in Venona list to be Soviet spy

Solicitors general

Lloyd Wheaton Bowers—United States Solicitor General (1909-1910)
Charles Fried—United States Solicitor General (1985-1989)
Daniel M. Friedman—Acting United States Solicitor General (1977)
Stanley Foreman Reed—United States Solicitor General (1935-1938)
R. Kent Greenawalt—Deputy United States Attorney General (1971-1972)

Supreme Court Justices

Samuel Blatchford—United States Supreme Court Justice
Benjamin Cardozo—U.S. Supreme Court Justice
William O. Douglas—U.S. Supreme Court Justice; Chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC); professor of law at Columbia and Yale law schools
Ruth Bader Ginsburg—Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, Judge of the D.C. Circuit Court, former professor at Columbia Law School
Charles Evans Hughes—Associate and Chief Justice of U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Secretary of State; Governor of New York; Republican candidate for President of the United States in 1916 (against Wilson and Roosevelt)
John Jay—first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court; Governor of New York
Joseph McKenna—(studied at the Columbia Law) Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1892-1897)
Stanley Forman Reed—U.S. Supreme Court Justice, Solicitor General of the United States
Harlan Fiske Stone—Associate and Chief Justice of U.S. Supreme Court; U.S. Attorney General; Professor and Dean, Columbia Law School

Judges

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia Law School (Federal judges and State government) and Columbia College of Columbia University (Legal and judicial figures) for additional listing of more than 69 federal judge positions and 20 state supreme court justices (total more than 79 federal and 28 state judgeships)

Willard Bartlett—(B.A.) Chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals (1914-1916)
Egbert Benson—(1765) Chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; First Attorney General of the State of New York and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of New York
Samuel Blatchford—(1837) Chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
José A. Cabranes—(1961) judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; first Puerto Rican appointed to serve on a U.S. District Court, United States District Court for the District of Connecticut
Edgar M. Cullen—(B.A. 1860) Chief judge of the New York Court of Appeals (1904-1913)
Paul S. Diamond—(B.A. 1974) judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Joseph A. Greenaway, Jr.—(B.A. 1978) judge of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Murray Gurfein—federal judge in the Pentagon Papers case; United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit; judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Eric Holder—(1973) judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Deputy U.S. Attorney General, Acting U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Attorney General (2008-)
Philip Jessup—(Ph.D.) judge, International Court of Justice (1961-1970), namesake of Philip C. Jessup Cup
Shi Jiuyong—(LL.M.) President (2003-) and judge (1994-2003), International Court of Justice
Samuel Jones (chancellor)—(1790) Fifth Chancellor of New York, ex officio member of the New York Court of Appeals
Robert Katzmann—(A.B. 1973) judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
V.K. Wellington Koo—(Ph.D.) judge, International Court of Justice (1957-1967)
Robert Livingston (1746-1813)—First Chancellor of New York, administered oath of office to President George Washington, negotiated the Louisiana Purchase, U.S. Minister to France
Constance Baker Motley—(L.L.B. 1946) First African-American woman federal court judge, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York; New York State senator; Manhattan Borough President
Michael Mukasey—(1963) Chief judge (2000-06) and judge (1987-2000) of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, U.S. Attorney General (2006-2009)
Richard Roberts—(Law 1978) judge of the United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Augustus B. Woodward—(B.A. 1793) first Chief Justice of the Michigan Territory; appointed by President Thomas Jefferson; with the governor and two associate justices possessed all the legislative power in the Territory from 1805 until 1824; co-founded the University of Michigan

Legislators

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia Law School (Legislative branch) and Columbia College of Columbia University (United States Political figures) for additional listing of more than 25 U.S. Senators and more than 65 U.S. Congresspersons (total of more than 40 senators and more than 95 congresspersons)

Egbert Benson—(B.A. 1765) served in the First and Second United States Congresses
Fred Biermann—(B.A. 1905) U.S. Congressman from Iowa (1933-1939)
Francois Blanchet (physician)—(M.D. 1800?) member, Legislative Assembly of Lower Canada
Shirley Chisholm—(M.Ed. Teacher's College) First African American woman elected to congress; represented Brooklyn, New York in congress for seven terms; first African American and first woman to make a serious bid for the presidency of the United States
DeWitt Clinton—U.S. Senator from New York
Paul Douglas—(M.A. 1915; Ph.D. 1921) U.S. Senator from Illinois (1949-1967)
Millicent Fenwick—(B.A.) four term U.S. Congresswoman from New Jersey (1975-1983)
Hamilton Fish—U.S. Senator from New York
De Witt C. Flanagan—(c. 1892) represented New Jersey's 4th congressional district from 1902 to 1903.^[3]; built and operated Cape Cod Canal
Slade Gorton—(J.D. 1953) member of 9/11 Commission, U.S. Senator From Washington (1981-1987), Attorney General of Washington
Frank Porter Graham—(grad. degree ?, 1916) U.S. Senator from North Carolina (1949-51)
Mike Gravel—(B.S. 1956) Democratic Senator from Alaska (1969-1981), candidate for the 2008 U.S. Presidential election
Judd Gregg—(B.A. 1969) Republican Senator from New Hampshire (1993-)
Ken Hechler—(M.A., Ph.D.) U.S. Congressman from West Virginia (1959-1977), West Virginia Secretary of State (1885-2001)
Abram Stevens Hewitt—(1842) U.S. Congressman from New York (1875-1879, 1881-1887)
Hal Holmes—(B.A. 1927) U.S. Congressman from Washington (1943-1959)
Andy Ireland—(grad studies) U.S. Congressman from Florida (1981-1993)
Jacob Javits—(School of General Studies) Republican Senator from New York (1957–1981); Member of the U.S. House of Representatives; New York State Attorney General; Presidential Medal of Freedom
Daniel T. Jewett—(B.A. 1830) U.S. Senator from Missouri (1870-1871)
Martin John Kennedy—(1909) U.S. Congressman from New York (1930-1945)
William Langer—U.S. Senator from North Dakota, Attorney General of North Dakota
James J. Lanzetta—(1917) U.S. Congressman from New York (1933-1935, 1937-1939)
Frank Lautenberg—(B.Sc. 1949, economics) Democratic Senator from New Jersey (1982-2001; 2003-), Chairman and CEO of Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (ADP)
Sander M. Levin—(M.A. 1954, international relations)—U.S. Congressman from Michigan (1983-)
Joseph C. O'Mahoney—(B.A.) U.S. Senator from Wyoming (1934-53;1954-61)
Thomas F. Magner—(B.A. 1882) U.S. Congressman from New York (1889-1895)
Chester Earl Merrow—(TC 1937) U.S. Congressman from New Hampshire (1943-1963)
Arthur W. Mitchell—(attended) African American U.S. Congressman from Illinois (1935-1943)
E.A. Mitchell—U.S. Congressman from Indiana (1947-1949)
Gouverneur Morris—(B.A. 1768, M.A. 1771) U.S. Senator from New York, author of large sections of the United States Constitution
James W. Mott—(B.A. 1909) U.S. Congressman from Oregon (1933-1945)
Karl Earl Mundt—(M.A. 1927) U.S. Senator (1948-1973) and Congressman (1939-1948) from South Dakota
Barack Obama—(B.A. 1983) U.S. Senator from Illinois (2005-2008)
David A. Ogden—(B.A.) U.S. Congressman from New York (1817-1819)
Claiborne Pell—(M.A. 1946) U.S. Senator from Rhode Island (1961-1997), sponsor of the Pell Grant
Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.—(M.A. 1932) U.S. Congressman from New York (1945-1971), one of 100 Greatest African Americans
John Slidell—(B.A. 1810) U.S. Senator from Louisiana (1853-61)
Edward J. Stack—(M.A. 1938) U.S. Congressman from Florida (1979-1981)
Richard Stone (politician)—(J.D. 1954) U.S. Senator from Florida (1975-80), Ambassador at Large to Central America, Amb. to Denmark (1992-93), Secretary of State of Florida
William Sulzer—U.S. Congressman from New York
Daniel C. Verplanck—(B.A. 1788) U.S. Congressman from New York (1803-1809)
Gulian Crommelin Verplanck—(B.A. 1801) U.S. Congressman from New York (1825-1833)
Gulian Verplanck (speaker)—(B.A. 1768) Speaker of the New York State Assembly (1789-1790, 1796-1797)
Peter Dumont Vroom—(B.A.) U.S. Congressman from New Jersey (1839-41), U.S. Envoy to Prussia (1853-57)
William H. Wiley—(CCSM 1868) U.S. Congressman from New Jersey (1903-1907, 1909 1911)
Stewart Lyndon Woodford—(B.A. 1854) U.S. Congressman from New York, Lieutenant Governor of New York (1867-1868)

Diplomats

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia Law School (Diplomats), Columbia College of Columbia University (United States Diplomatic figures), School of International and Public Affairs for separate listing of more than 40 diplomats

Hans Blix—Swedish diplomat, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (1981-1997)
Boutros Boutros-Ghali—(Fulbright Research Scholar, 1954–1955) Secretary-General of the United Nations (1992-1997)
Arthur Frank Burns—(B.A., M.A., Ph.D.) United States Ambassador to West Germany (1981-1985)
Reuben Clark—United States Ambassador to Mexico (1930-1933)
William Joseph Donovan (Wild Bill)—United States Ambassador to Thailand (1953-1954)
Millicent Fenwick—(B.A.) Ambassador to the United Nations Agencies for Food and Agriculture (1983-1987)
Dore Gold—(B.A. 1975, M.A. 1976, Ph.D. 1984) U.S.-born Israeli diplomat, Ambassador to the United Nations (1997–1999), President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs
Radu Irimescu—(1920) Romanian Minister to the United States
Jeane Kirkpatrick—(Ph.D. 1968, political science) United States Ambassador to the United Nations under Reagan (1981-1985)
Madeleine M. Kunin—(CSJ) United States Ambassador to Switzerland (1996-1999), United States Ambassador to Liechtenstein (1996-1999)
James F. Leonard—(1963-64) United States Ambassador to the United Nations (1977-1979)
Gunnar Lund—(1972) Swedish Ambassador to the United States (2004-2007), Swedish Ambassador to France (2007-)
Carlos Tello Macias—(M.A.) former Mexican Ambassador to Cuba, Portugal, and Russia
Jim Nicholson (U.S. Politician)—United States Ambassador to the Holy See (2001-2005)
Michael Oren—Israeli Ambassador to the United States
Mario Laserna Pinzón—(B.A. 1948) Colombian statesman and educator; Columbian Ambassador to France (1976-1979) and Austria (1987-1990); founder, Universidad de los Andes
Carlos P. Romulo—(M.A.) former United Nations General Assembly President
Dov S. Zakheim—(B.A. 1970)

Soldiers

Samuel Auchmuty (British Army officer)—loyalist during the American Revolutionary War, Commander-in-Chief, Ireland (1882) and member of the Privy Council of Ireland
William Joseph Donovan (Wild Bill)—World War I hero (Medal of Honor); wartime Head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) (predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency); known as father of the CIA
Francis "Gabby" Gabreski—(B.A. 1949) top American fighter ace in Europe during World War II and a jet fighter ace in Korea, Distinguished Service Cross (U.S.A.), Distinguished Flying Cross (U.K.), Croix de Guerre with Palm (France), Legion d'honneur (France), and 16 other military decorations
Alexander Hamilton—Major General during American Revolutionary War; aide-de-camp and confidant to General George Washington; led three battalions at the Siege of Yorktown; Battle of White Plains, Battle of Trenton, Battle of Princeton, Battle of Monmouth
David Kay—(M.S., Ph.D.) United Nations Chief Weapons Inspector, head of Iraq Survey Group
Philip Kearny—(Law 1833) Civil War general
Stephen W. Kearney—Conqueror of California in the Mexican American War, military Governor of California (Territory)
Alfred Thayer Mahan—(1858), president, U.S. Naval War College, and author of The Influence of Sea Power Upon History
Hyman G. Rickover—United States Navy Admiral, father of the U.S. nuclear submarine fleet, Enrico Fermi Award, Presidential Medal of Freedom, twice awarded Congressional Medal of Freedom
John Watts de Peyster—(studied law at the law school, M.A.) Major General during the American Civil War; author on the art of war, one of the first military critics, noted for his histories of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars; also published drama, poetry, other military history, military biography, and military criticism
Theodore Roosevelt—during the Spanish American War, TR organized the First U.S. Volunteer Cavalry Regiment, dubbed the Rough Riders by news reporters; Colonel Roosevelt was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor (in 2001) for gallantry shown during dual charges up Kettle Hill and San Juan Hill on July 1, 1898
Henry Rutgers—(1766) American Revolutionary War hero and philanthropist; primary supporter of Rutgers College, his namesake (which, in 1924, became Rutgers University)
Robert Troup—Lieutenant Colonel in American Revolutionary War, aide-de-camp to General Horatio Gates, participated in the surrender of General Burgoyne at the Battle of Saratoga
Charles Wilkes—United States Navy Admiral, noted for his 1838–1842 Pacific expedition as well as for his role in the Trent Affair during the Civil War

Attorneys

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia Law School (Miscellaneous U.S. government; Non-U.S. government; State government; and Private legal practice) for separate listing of more than 120 attorneys in U.S. government service, non-U.S. government service, state government, and private practice

William Joseph Donovan (Wild Bill)—United States Attorney for the Western District of New York, first head of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), known as the father of the United States Central Intelligence Agency
William O. Douglas—third chairman of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, professor at Columbia Law and Yale Law School
Julius Genachowski—chairman of the United States Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in the Obama Administration, former General Counsel of the FCC
Harvey Goldschmid—commissioner, General Counsel, Special Adviser to the Chairman, United States Securities and Exchange Commission; Professor at Columbia Law School
Jack Greenberg—(B.A. 1945, LL.B. 1948) litigator of Brown v. Board of Education, argued 40 civil rights cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, Professor at Columbia Law School
William Kovacic—commissioner (2006) and chairman (2008-) of the United States Federal Trade Commission
Annette Nazareth—commissioner of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission
Jim Nicholson (U.S. Politician)—former Chairman of the Republican National Committee
Robert Pitofsky—commissioner (1978-81) and chairman (1995-2001) of the United States Federal Trade Commission
Lawrence E. Walsh—Independent Prosecutor for the Iran-Contra Affair
Edward Baldwin Whitney—United States Assistant Attorney General

Mayors

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia College of Columbia University (United States Political figures) and Columbia Law School (City government) for additional listing of 15 mayors

Seth Low—University president, Mayor of New York City, Mayor of Brooklyn
Jerome Choquette—(CBS) Mayor of Outremont, Montreal (Canada)
Kenny Bowen—(M.A.) three term Mayor of Lafayette, Louisiana (1972-1980, 1992-1996)
DeWitt Clinton—Mayor of New York City
Abram Stevens Hewitt—(1842) Mayor of New York City
Frank S. Katzenbach—former Mayor of Trenton, New Jersey
Edward J. Stack—(M.A.) City Commissioner-Mayor Pompano Beach, Florida
Raymond Tucker—(B.A.) Mayor of St. Louis, Missouri

Commentators

Amotz Asa-El—(M.A. History and Journalism) leading commentator on Israeli, Middle Eastern, and Jewish affairs
Dan Abrams—(J.D. 1992) media legal commentator
Paul Stuart Appelbaum—(B.A.) psychiatrist, commentator and expert on legal and ethical issues in medicine and psychiatry
Joyce Brothers—(Ph.D.) known as Dr. Joyce Brothers, advice columnist, commentator, and first media psychologist
Pat Buchanan—(CSJ 1962) conservative columnist, broadcast commentator
Dalton Camp—(CSJ) Canadian journalist, political commentator and strategist, central figure in Red Toryism
Leonard A. Cole—(M.A., Ph.D.) commentator and expert on bioterrorism and terror medicine
Monica Crowley—(Ph.D.) radio and television political commentator
Lennard J. Davis—(B.A., M.A., M.Phil., Ph.D.) commentator on the intersection of culture, medicine, disability, and biotechnology
Lawrence Fertig—(M.A.) libertarian journalist, economic commentator
Mario Gabelli—(CBS) financial commentator
Ralph Gleason—American jazz and popular music critic and commentator
Keli Goff—political commentator and blogger
Ellis Henican—(M.A.) commentator, columnist for Newsday
Jim Hightower—political commentator
Molly Ivins—(CSJ) political commentator, newspaper columnist, humorist, bestselling author
Hilton Kramer—U.S. art critic and cultural commentator
Steve Liesman—(CSJ) senior economic commentator on NBC
Edward Luck—(MIA, M.A., M.Ph., Ph.D.) media commentator on arms control, defense, foreign policy, Russian and East Asian affairs, as well as United Nations reform and peacekeeping
Kenneth McFarland—(M.A.) conservative commentator, public speaker, author, superintendent of Topeka, Kansas school system during Brown v. Board of Education
John McLaughlin—(Ph.D.) political commentator, host of The McLaughlin Group on PBS
Shireen Mazari—(Ph.D.) commentator on global strategic issues affecting peace and security; Pakistani political scientist
Julie Menin—(B.A.) television news commentator on politics and the law
Dick Morris—(B.A. 1967) political commentator and author
Norman Podhoretz—(B.A.) editor of Commentary, a founder of Neoconservatism connected with the controversial Project for the New American Century, Presidential Medal of Freedom
Alvin F. Poussaint—(B.S. 1956) commentator on race and American society; well known psychiatrist; author
James Rubin—(B.A. 1982, MIA 1984) Sky News commentator and television journalist
Ralph Schoenstein—(B.A.) former commentator on NPR's All Things Considered
Laura Schlessinger—(Ph.D. 1974) nationally-syndicated radio show, The Dr. Laura Program; conservative commentator
Thomas Sowell—(M.A.) economist, conservative social commentator, author
Ben Stein—(B.A. 1966) conservative economic and political commentator, writer, actor, attorney
George Stephanopoulos—(B.A. 1982) senior adviser to Bill Clinton, television anchor, media journalist, and political commentator
Ilan Stavans—(Ph.D.) commentator on American, Hispanic, and Jewish cultures
Samuel A. Tannenbaum—(CSJ) early commentator on Shakespeare and his contemporaries

Candidates

Nicholas Murray Butler—(B.A., M.A., Ph.D.) vice-presidential candidate with President William Howard Taft in 1912 election (against former President Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson)
D. Leigh Colvin—(Law) Prohibition Party vice-presidential candidate (1920) (lost)
Thomas Dewey—(Law 1925) presidential candidate in 1944 election (against Franklin D. Roosevelt) and in 1948 (against President Harry S. Truman) in famous "Dewey Beats Truman" election
Miguel Estrada—(B.A. 1983) controversial nominee to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
Matt Gonzalez—(B.A. 1987) Ralph Nader 2008 vice-presidential running mate, former president San Francisco Board of Supervisors
Judd Gregg—(B.A. 1969) Republican Senator from New Hampshire (1993-); nominee for United States Secretary of Commerce in the Democratic administration of President Barack Obama; the senator withdrew his name from nomination on February 12, 2009 (because of widening ideological differences with the administration)
William B. Hornblower—(B.A. 1875) unsuccessfully nominated to the United States Supreme Court by President Grover Cleveland in 1893
Charles Evans Hughes—(Law 1884) presidential candidate in 1916 election (against President Woodrow Wilson)
Franklin Roosevelt—(Law) vice-presidential candidate with James M. Cox in 1920 election (against Warren Harding)
Theodore Roosevelt—(Law) presidential candidate in 1912 election (against President William Howard Taft and Woodrow Wilson); formed Progressive Party, known as the Bull Moose Party
Wayne Allan Root—(B.A. 1983—same class as President Barack Obama) journalist, 2008 vice-presidential candidate for United States Libertarian Party

Spies (or alleged)

Whittaker Chambers—Admitted Soviet spy in the Ware Group, famously testified against Alger Hiss
Morris Cohen—Soviet spy, subject of Hugh Whitemore's drama for stage and TV "Pack of Lies"; instrumental in relaying atomic bomb secrets to the Kremlin in the 1940s, eventually settling in Moscow where for decades he helped train Soviet agents against the West
Victor Perlo—Soviet spy involved in Harold Ware spy ring and Perlo group as shown in Venona list of suspected subversives
Bernard Redmont—(M.S. 1939) Soviet spy
William Remington—(M.A. 1940) convicted Soviet spy killed in prison
Harry Dexter White—Soviet spy helped establish World Bank and the International Monetary Fund; later revealed to have been involved with the Silvermaster and Ware groups of communist spies while he was a senior U.S. Treasury department official in President Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration

Other

Prince Hussain Aga Khan—(2004) Elder son of Prince Karim Aga Khan IV
B. R. Ambedkar—(M.A. 1915, Ph.D. 1928, LLD[hons.] 1952) A founding father of modern India and the architect of its constitution; honoured with the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, given for the highest degree of national service
Chelsea Clinton—(Currently enrolled at the University's Mailman School of Public Health)
Jonathan W. Daniels—(failed out of Columbia Law School) White House Press Secretary under Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman
Bela Gold—Economist on Venona list of suspected Soviet subversives who operated in the U.S.
Ian Kagedan—Canadian known for his work on inter-religious and inter-ethnic relations
Caroline Kennedy—(J.D. 1988) director of Commission on Presidential Debates; adviser to the Harvard Institute of Politics; one of three co-chairs of President-elect Barack Obama's Vice Presidential Search Committee; one of founders of Profiles in Courage Award; attorney, editor, and writer
John H. Langbein—(B.A. 1964), legal scholar and professor at Yale Law School
Robert Moses—leader of mid-century urban "renewal" that re-shaped New York
Charles J. O'Byrne—(B.A. 1981, J.D. 1984) Secretary to the Governor of New York (2008)
Patricia Robinson—(M.A. 1957), economist and First Lady of Trinidad and Tobago from 1997-2003^[4]
Karenna Gore Schiff—(J.D. 2000) author, journalist, and attorney
Thomas Sowell—African American economist and author
Dov Zakheim—Rabbi, United States Defense Department comptroller (2001–2004), ex-V.P. of System Planning Corp.,signatory to controversial manifesto Rebuilding America's Defenses (2000) of the Project for the New American Century

Business

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia Business School, Columbia Law School (Business and Philanthropy), Columbia College of Columbia University (Businesspeople) for separate listing of more than 100 businesspersons

John Jacob Astor III—19th century real estate baron
Frank Lusk Babbott—(LLB 1880) jute merchant and art patron
Warren Buffett—(M.S., economics, 1951) Investor, president of Berkshire Hathaway
Ursula Burns—(M.S., mechanical engineering, 1981) CEO of Xerox Corporation (July 1, 2009-)
William Campbell (business executive)—(B.A.) Chairman of Board (incumbent as of 2009) and former CEO of Intuit, Inc.
Bennett Cerf—(B.A. 1919, Litt.B. 1920) Founder of Random House
Jason Epstein—Editorial director at Random House
Stephen Friedman—Chairman of Goldman Sachs, National Economic Council director, chairman of the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board
Mario Gabelli—investor
Noam Gottesman, B.A., billionaire, GLG Partners
Michael Gould—(B.A. 1966) CEO of Bloomingdale's
Larry Grossman—former CEO of PBS and NBC
Armand Hammer—President, Occidental Petroleum, noted internationalist, convicted for illegal campaign donations
Herman Hollerith—(Engineer of Mines 1879, Ph.D. 1890)- founder of the Tabulating Machine Company, a predecessor to IBM
John Kluge—Founder of Metromedia
Alfred A. Knopf—(B.A. 1912) Founder of Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. Publishers
Robert Kraft—(B.A. 1963) Owner of New England Patriots
Henry Kravis—(MBA 1969) Investment banker who invented the leveraged buyout
Randolph Lerner—(1984) CEO of MBNA Bank, and owner of Cleveland Browns
Frank Lorenzo—(B.A. 1961) corporate raider
John R. MacArthur—(B.A. 1917) President and publisher of Harper's, the oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the country
Eric Ober—Former President of CBS News division, and Food Network
Vikram Pandit—(B.S.1976,M.S.1977,Ph.D1986,Trustee) CEO of Citigroup
Wayne Allyn Root—(B.A. 1983) Founder & Chairman of Winning Edge International, inducted into Las Vegas Walk of Stars in 2006
Edwin Schlossberg—(B.A. 1967, Ph.D. 1971) Founder of ESI Design (also its Principal Designer)
David O. Selznick—Legendary movie producer
Robert Shaye—(J.D. 1964) CEO of New Line Cinema
Lawrence L. Shenfield— (B.A. 1915), Advertising executive and philatelist
Richard L. Simon—(1920) Co-Founder of Simon & Schuster
S. Robson Walton—(J.D. 1969) Chairman of the Board, Wal-Mart
Martin D. Weiss— (Ph.D.) Financial market analyst, founder of Weiss Research, Inc.

Religion and ministry

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia College of Columbia University (Religious figures) for separate listing of 10 religious figures

Reuben Clark—(J.D.) prominent leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Herbert S. Goldstein—(B.A., M.A.) prominent American rabbi and Jewish leader
Thomas Merton—(B.A. 1938, studied for M.A.) 20th century Catholic writer, student of comparative religions, trappist monk, poet, author of "The Seven Story Mountain", see Thomas Merton Award and Thomas Merton Center
Jim Mitulski, LGBT activist and elder in the Metropolitan Community Church
Frederick Buckley Newell—(M.A., 1916) Bishop of The Methodist Church
Hazen Graff Werner—Bishop of The Methodist Church
Paula Reimers—(M.A. 1971) Rabbi
Milton Steinberg Rabbi and novelist

Arts and literature

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia College of Columbia University (Artists and architects; and Writers) and Columbia Law School (Arts and Letters) for separate listing of more than 75 architects, artists, and writers

Max Abramovitz—(M.S. 1931) architect for the Avery Fisher Hall of Lincoln Center.
Aravind Adiga—(B.A. 1997) author of The White Tiger and winner of the 2008 Man Booker Prize.
Mitch Albom—(M.A., M.B.A.) Author
Jacob M. Appel—(M.A., M.Phil.) Author ("Creve Coeur") and playwright (Arborophilia, The Mistress of Wholesome)
John Ashbery—(M.A. 1951) Poet
Isaac Asimov—(B.S. 1939, Ph.D. 1948) Science fiction author, I, Robot
Paul Auster—(B.A. 1969) Postmodern author, The New York Trilogy, Moon Palace (named after now-defunct Chinese restaurant near campus)
Josh Bazell—(M.D.) novelist
Béla Bartók—Composer, pianist, and early scholar in ethnomusicology
James Blish—Science fiction author
Pat Boone, pop singer (General Studies)
Jim Carroll—writer (The Basketball Diaries), poet, punk rocker ^[5]
Jerome Charyn—(B.A. 1959) Novelist
John Corigliano—(B.A. 1959) American composer
Kiran Desai— (M.F.A. 1999) novelist, winner of 2006 National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction and the Man Booker Prize, 1998 Betty Trask Award
Alden B. Dow—(B.A. 1931) noted Architect
Peter Eisenmann—(M.A.) Architect
Walter Farley—(B.A. 1941) Author, The Black Stallion
Amanda Filipacchi—(M.F.A) Author, Nude Men, Vapor, Love Creeps
Richard Florida—(Ph.D. 1986) Author, "Rise of the Creative Class"
Rolf G. Fjelde—playwright, educator and poet. Founding President of The Ibsen Society of America.
Allen Forte—(B.A.) Music theorist, now Battell Professor of Music, Emeritus at Yale University
Nicholas Gage—Author, "Eleni", "A Place For Us", "Greek Fire"
Paul Gallico—(1919) Author, The Snow Goose, The Poseidon Adventure, The Silent Miaow
Federico García Lorca—(1929–1930) poet & playwright
Allen Ginsberg—(B.A. 1949) Beat Generation poet
Louise Gluck—United States Poet Laureate (2003-2004), Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, Bobbitt National Prize for Poetry, Bollingen Prize, William Carlos Williams Award, among other awards
Philip Gourevitch—(M.F.A. 1992) recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award, editor of The Paris Review
Edwin Granberry—(1920) writer of the Buz Sawyer comic strip
Gulgee—(1926–2007) Pakistani artist famous for his paintings and Islamic calligraphy, qualified engineer
Anthony Hecht—(M.A.) Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, United Sates Poet Laureate (1982-1984), 1983 Bollingen Prize, 1988 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, 1997 Wallace Stevens Award, 1999/2000 Frost Medal
Joseph Heller—(M.A. 1949) Author, Catch-22
Henry Beaumont Herts—architect
Daniel Hoffman—(B.A. 1947, M.A. 1949, Ph.D. 1956) poet, essayist, United States Poet Laureate (1973-1974)
John Hollander—(B.A.) poet, MacArthur Fellowship "genius grant", Bollingen Prize (1983)
Richard Howard—(B.A. 1951) poet, literary critic, essayist, translator; American Book Award, Pulitzer Prize, PEN Translation Prize, MacArthur Fellowship, Poet Laureate for the State of New York (1994-1997)
Langston Hughes—African-American writer and poet
Jack Kerouac—(College 1940–1942; dropped out) Founder of the Beat Generation movement; author, On the Road
Ursula K. Le Guin—(M.A. 1951) Author primarily known for science fiction and fantasy novels
Edward MacDowell—American composer, professor of music
Patricia McCormick—(M.S. 1985) author for young adults
Carson McCullers—Author, The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter
Terrence McNally playwright
John Matteson—(PhD.) Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer (2008)
Kate Millett (Ph.D. 1970) Author of Sexual Politics, feminist and artist
Fereydoun Motamed—(M.A. 1952) Linguist, Louis de Broglie award winner from the French Academy (1963)
Isamu Noguchi—Sculptor
Sharon Olds—(Ph.D.) National Book Critics Circle Award, T.S. Eliot Prize, Lamont Poetry Prize, Poet Laureate for the State of New York (1998-2000)
Ron Padgett—Poet
James Renwick, Jr.—(B.A. 1836, M.A. 1839) Gothic Revival architect who designed St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York and the Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington, D.C., among other commissions.
J.D. Salinger—Author, The Catcher in the Rye
Karenna Gore Schiff—(J.D. 2000) Author, journalist, and attorney
Robert Silverberg—Science fiction author
Upton Sinclair—Populist and Pulitzer Prize-winning author, The Jungle; presidential candidate
William Jay Smith—United States Poet Laureate (1968-1970), Rhodes Scholar
Robert A. M. Stern—(B.A. 1960) Postmodern architect
Hunter S. Thompson—Author, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Melvin B. Tolson—(M.A.) Poet Laureate of Liberia, he is the central character (played by Denzel Washington) in the movie The Great Debaters (2007)
Erica Simone Turnipseed—Writer
Mark Van Doren—(Ph.D. 1920) Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
Charles Van Doren—(M.A., Ph.D. 1955) Author, English professor whose national disgrace was the subject of the Oscar-nominated film Quiz Show
Eric Van Lustbader—Author, The Ninja
Kara Walker—Artist, Professor of Professional Practice
Eudora Welty—(Business, 1930-31, hon. LHD 1982) Pulitzer Prize-winning author, The Optimist's Daughter
George Wyatt—(B.A. 1971) sculptor
Herman Wouk—(B.A. 1934) Pulitzer Prize-winning author, War and Remembrance
Mako Yoshikawa—(B.A. 1988) Author
Roger Zelazny—(M.A. 1962) Science fiction author

Performing arts

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia College of Columbia University (Actors; Musicians, composers, lyricists; Playwrights, screenwriters, and directors), Columbia University School of the Arts

Casey Affleck—(B.A. 1998)—Golden Globe-nominated and Oscar-nominated actor, Good Will Hunting, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, Gone Baby Gone
Sarah Atereth—Dance music recording artist, songwriter, and professional dancer (both modern and ballet)
Emanuel Ax—(B.A. 1970)—Pianist, won Avery Fisher prize at age 30, won three Grammy Awards along with cellist Yo-Yo Ma; also awarded the John Jay Award by the University
Ramin Bahrani—(B.A. 1996)— Director and writer Man Push Cart, Chop Suey, and Goodbye Solo
Kathryn Bigelow—(M.F.A. 1981) Academy Award-nominated director, Strange Days, Point Break, The Hurt Locker
Albert Berger—(M.F.A ?)—Academy Award-nominated producer of Cold Mountain
Jeremy Blackman—(B.A. 2009)—Actor, starred in Magnolia
Sorrell Booke—(B.A. 1949)—Actor, best known as "Boss Hogg" on the TV series The Dukes of Hazzard
Pat Boone—(B.S. 1957)—Singer and Actor
Joshua Brand (M.A. 1974) - Emmy Award-winning creator of St. Elsewhere, I'll Fly Away, and Northern Exposure
Sidney Buchman—(B.A. 1923)—screenwriter, won an Academy Award for writing for Mr. Smith Goes To Washington.
Cara Buono—(B.A. 1993) Actress, Third Watch
James Cagney—(dropped out)—Academy Award-winning Actor, White Heat and Yankee Doodle Dandy, Presidential Medal of Freedom
Vanessa Carlton—Singer, songwriter
Peter Cincotti—Pianist, singer, songwriter, actor, model
Spencer Treat Clark—(B.A. 2010) Actor, Gladiator, Mystic River, and Unbreakable
Bill Condon—(B.A. 1976) Academy Award-winning Writer, Gods and Monsters, Chicago, and Director, Kinsey and Dreamgirls
Ben Cooper — Actor
John Corigliano—(B.A. 1959) composer of classical music, Academy Award
Joseph Cross— Actor, Milk
Adam Davidson—(M.F.A 1990) Academy Award-winning director for Best Short Subject, The Lunch Date
Ossie Davis—(GS 1948) Golden Globe-nominated actor and activist, Do the Right Thing
Brian Dennehy—(B.A. 1960)—Actor, First Blood, Tommy Boy, Romeo + Juliet, Ratatouille
Brian De Palma—(B.A. 1962) Movie director, Carrie, Scarface, and The Untouchables
I.A.L. Diamond—(B.A. 1941) Co-winner of an Academy Award for writing for The Apartment
R. Luke DuBois—(B.A. 1997, M.A. 1999, D.M.A. 2003)—Composer/artist, member of the Freight Elevator Quartet
Fred Ebb—(M.A. 1957) lyricist who collaborated with John Kander on such Broadway musicals as Cabaret, Chicago, Woman of the Year and Kiss of the Spider Woman and the soundtracks of Funny Lady and New York, New York
Peter Farrelly—(M.F.A. 1986) - Filmmaker, with his brother Bobby Farrelly, There's Something About Mary, Dumb and Dumber
Matthew Fox—(B.A. 1989) Golden Globe-nominated actor, Lost, Party of Five
James Franco— (M.F.A.) Actor, Spiderman, Pineapple Express, Milk
Dan Futterman—(B.A. 1989) Actor, The Birdcage, Judging Amy
Art Garfunkel—(B.A. 1965) Singer, songwriter of Simon and Garfunkel
Greg Giraldo—(B.A. 1987) Comedian
William Goldman—(M.A. 1956), novelist, playwright and two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter
Joseph Gordon-Levitt—Actor, 3rd Rock from the Sun (attended four years in GS but did not graduate)
Lauren Graham — Actress, "Gilmore Girls" (Barnard College; B.A. 1988)
James Gunn—(M.F.A.) Film Director (Slither), Screenwriter (Dawn of the Dead, Scooby-Doo), and Novelist (The Toy Collector)
Jake Gyllenhaal—Academy Award-nominated Actor, Brokeback Mountain, star of Donnie Darko, Jarhead (attended first two years)
Maggie Gyllenhaal—(B.A. 1999) Golden Globe and Academy Award-nominated Actress, Crazy Heart, Secretary, The Dark Knight
Oscar Hammerstein II—(A.B. 1916) Lyricist and librettist of such musicals as the Pulitzer Prize-winning Oklahoma!, The King and I and The Sound of Music, collaborator with Richard Rodgers and winner of 2 Academy Awards, 35 Tony Awards, and two Pulitzer Prizes
Ed Harris— Golden Globe-winning and Academy Award-nominated actor, The Truman Show, A Beautiful Mind (attended first two years)
Lorenz Hart—Broadway lyricist, collaborator with both Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, wrote such songs as "Blue Moon", "The Lady is a Tramp" and "My Funny Valentine"
Utada Hikaru—Japanese pop singer (did not graduate)
Lauryn Hill—Grammy Award winning R&B singer, one-time Fugees frontwoman (attended first year)
Boyd Holbrook, Fashion model
Katie Holmes—Actress (only attended a summer session)
Famke Janssen—(B.A. 1992) Actress, Goldeneye, X-Men
Jim Jarmusch—(B.A. 1975) Filmmaker, Dead Man, Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, Broken Flowers
John Kander—(M.A.) lyricist who collaborated with Fred Ebb on such Broadway musicals as Cabaret, Chicago, Woman of the Year and Kiss of the Spider Woman and the soundtracks of Funny Lady and New York, New York
Jean Kelly—(B.A. 1994) Actress
Alicia Keys—Grammy Award winning singer, composer (attended first year)
Joel Krosnick—(B.A. 1963) Cellist; member of the Juilliard String Quartet; chairman of Cello Department at Juilliard School
Robert Kurka—(M.A. 1948) Composer; the opera and instrumental suite The Good Soldier Schweik
Tony Kushner—(B.A. 1978) Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, Angels in America
Michael Lehmann—(B.A. 1978) director, Heathers, Hudson Hawk
Sean Lennon— Singer and songwriter, son of John Lennon and Yoko Ono (attended first year)
Al Lewis—(Ph.D. 1941)—Actor, The Munsters, basketball scout, New York gubernatorial candidate, restaurateur
William Ludwig—(B.A. 1932) Screenwriter, co-winner of an Academy Award in 1955 for Interrupted Melody, founder of the Screen Writers Guild (known now as the Writers Guild of America)
Sidney Lumet—Academy Award-winning film director (nominated five times)
Yo-Yo Ma— Renowned cellist (transferred to Harvard University)
James Mangold—(M.F.A. 1991) Filmmaker, Walk the Line
Herman J. Mankiewicz—(B.A. 1917) Won an Academy Award for co-writing Citizen Kane; older brother of Joseph L. Mankiewicz
Joseph L. Mankiewicz—(B.A. 1928) Won four Academy Awards, including Academy Award for Best Director and writing. Younger brother of Herman J. Mankiewicz
Robert Maschio—(B.A. 1988) actor, Scrubs
Terrence McNally—(B.A. 1960) Dramatist, winner of four Tony Awards, an Emmy, a Pulitzer Prize, and two Guggenheim Fellowships
Max Minghella—(B.A. 2009)—Actor, starred in Syriana and Art School Confidential
Greg Mottola—(M.F.A. 1991) film director, Superbad
Rachel Nichols—Actress, model
Anna Paquin—Academy Award-winning actress, The Piano and X-Men (attended first year)
Lena Park - Popular Korean singer
Amanda Peet—(B.A. 1995) Actress, The Whole Nine Yards
Kimberly Peirce—(M.F.A. 1996) Filmmaker Boys Don't Cry
Anthony Perkins, Actor, best known for his work as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho
Richard Rodgers—Composer of musicals including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Oklahoma!, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, collaborator with Oscar Hammerstein II and winner of 1 Academy Awards, 35 Tony Awards and two Pulitzer Prizes
Paul Robeson—(J.D. 1923) Basso cantante concert singer, multi-lingual actor
Cameron Russell, Fashion model
Maureen Ryan—(M.F.A. 1992) Co-produced Academy Award-winning documentary, Man on Wire
Franklin Schaffner—Academy Award-winning film director
George Segal—(B.A. 1955) Academy Award-nominated actor, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Just Shoot Me!
David O. Selznick; (GS, 1923) Academy Award-winning producer of Gone with the Wind and King Kong
Jenny Slate—(B.A. 2004) cast member, Saturday Night Live
Scott Smith—(M.F.A. 1990) Author and Screenwriter, A Simple Plan
Sarah Steele— Actress, Spanglish
Julia Stiles—(B.A. 2005) Actress, Save the Last Dance, Mona Lisa Smile
Stephen Strimpell—(B.A. ?, J.D. ?) Actor, star of the cult television classic Mister Terrific
Rider Strong—(B.A. 2004) Actor, Boy Meets World
Craig Timberlake—(M.A.) stage actor, opera singer, and later Columbia faculty member
Mario Van Peebles—(B.A. 1978) Actor and director, New Jack City, BAADASSSSS!
Alan Wagner—(B.A. 1951, M.A. 1952) first president of the Disney Channel, East Coast vice president of programming at CBS, radio personality, and highly respected opera historian and critic
Allie Wrubel—composer and songwriter, Academy Award ("Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah")
Charles Wuorinen—(B.A. 1961, M.A. 1963) American musician, pianist, and composer

Journalism

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia College of Columbia University (Journalism and media figures; and Publishers), and Columbia Law School (Journalists) for separate listing of more than 175 journalists, media figures, and publishers

William M. Abrams - (M.A.) senior executive and journalist for the New York Times, ABC News and The Wall Street Journal
R.W. Apple—(B.S. 1961) Senior Correspondent, Associate Editor, former Washington Bureau chief, New York Times
Marcus Brauchli, managing editor, The Wall Street Journal
Steve Kroft—60 Minutes, three Peabody Awards, nine Emmy Awards
Jamal Dajani—(B.A. Political Science) Director of Middle Eastern Programming, Link TV, Producer of Mosaic: World News from the Middle East winner of a Peabody Award
Max Frankel—(B.A.) Executive editor, New York Times
Melissa Fung—(M.A., journalism) Canadian CBC News journalist
Nicholas Gage—Investigative reporter, Foreign Correspondent, The New York Times (1970–1980), Journalist, The Boston Herald Traveler, The Wall Street Journal
Robert Giles—current curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard
Caroline Glick—(B.A. 1991) American-Israeli Journalist, the deputy managing editor of The Jerusalem Post
Ken Hechtman—Maverick journalist jailed by the Afghanistan's Taliban government as a suspected spy in 2001
Jay Irving—reporter, cartoonist, father of Clifford Irving who is best known for perpetrating hoax biography of Howard Hughes
Leonard Koppett—Acclaimed sports writer, columnist, author
Joseph Lelyveld—(M.A., Journalism) Executive editor, New York Times
Andy Levy — Ombudsman, Red Eye with Greg Gutfeld, Fox News Channel
Thomas Lippman—journalist and author
Robert Lipsyte—(B.A. 1957) winner of an Emmy Award in 1990, host of The Eleventh Hour on PBS, correspondent for The New York Times and ABC Nightly News
John McWethy—five Emmy Awards, Overseas Press Club Award
Andrés Martinez—(J.D.) Editorial page editor of the Los Angeles Times
Gabriele Marcotti—(M.A., Journalism) Football writer for The Times, The Sunday Herald, La Stampa, Il Corriere dello Sport, Host of Five Live Sport on Fridays and The Game Podcast
Ted Rall—(B.A. 1991) Editorial cartoonist, Pulitzer finalist, columnist, pundit, author of Revenge of the Latchkey Kids
John L. O'Sullivan—Editor of the Democratic Review during the 1840s, coined the phrase Manifest Destiny
Neil Strauss—(B.A. 1991) journalist and author of The Game: Penetrating the Secret Society of Pickup Artists
Wayne Allyn Root—Spike TV, Discovery Channel, CNBCCreator, Executive Producer, and Host of "Wayne Allyn Root's Winning Edge" and "King of Vegas" Anchorman & Host FNN- Financial News Network
Claire Shipman—(B.A. 1986) Senior National Correspondent for ABC, winner of an Emmy Award for her CNN coverage of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989; her work also contributed to the CNN network winning a Peabody Award for its coverage of the Soviet coup attempt of 1991
Howard Simons—former curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard
Allan Sloan—seven time winner of Gerald Loeb Award
Richard Smith—(M.I.A.) CEO of Newsweek
Ron Suskind—(M.A. 1983)—journalist, author
Tiziano Terzani—reporter and correspondent
Liz Trotta—(CSJ) journalist, three Emmy Awards and two Overseas Press Club awards
Richard Watts, Jr.—longtime theatre critic for the New York Post
Gideon Yago—(B.A. 2000)—MTV News Correspondent
Helen Dalley—Respected Australian journalist, currently an anchor with Sky News Australia

National Book Awards

John Ashbery - National Book Award, National Book Critics Circle Award
Karen Brazell - National Book Award
Robert Caro - National Book Award, two National Book Critics Circle Awards
Lennard J. Davis (B.A., M.A., M.Phil, Ph.D., 1976) - National Book Award
Jason Epstein - National Book Award
Peter Gay - National Book Award
Allen Ginsberg - National Book Award
Stephen Jay Gould - National Book Award, National Book Critics Award, MacArthur Fellow "genius grant"
Ursula K. Le Guin - National Book Award
Herbert Kohl (education) - National Book Award
Jerzy Kosinski - National Book Award
Salvador Luria - Nobel Laureate, National Book Award
Bernard Malamud - National Book Award, O. Henry Award
Robert Nozick - National Book Award
Walker Percy - National Book Award
Gregory Rabassa - National Book Award
Robert V. Remini - National Book Award
Francis Steegmuller - twice winner of National Book Award
Gerald Stern - National Book Award, Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize
Tim Weiner - National Book Award (2007)

Pulitzer prizes

Leroy F. Aarons - Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Reporting (shared)
Elie Abel - Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting (shared)
Herbert Agar - Pulitzer Prize for History
John Ashbery - Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, National Book Award, National Book Critics Circle Award
John Berryman - Pulitzer Prize for poetry
Katherine Boo - Pulitzer Prize for Public Service, MacArthur Fellowship "genius grant"
Louis Bromfield - Pulitzer Prize for Early Autumn
Ethan Bronner - Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism
Geraldine Brooks - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Robert Neil Butler - Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
Edwin Burrows - Pulitzer Prize for History in 1999 for the book Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898
Robert Campbell (journalist) - Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic
Robert Caro - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography
Hodding Carter - Pulitzer Prize for his editorials
Holland Cotter (M.Phil)) - Pulitzer Prize for Criticism (2009)
Margaret Clapp - Pulitzer Prize for Biography
Robert Coles (M.D.) - Pulitzer Prize, MacArthur Fellowship "genius grant", Presidential Medal of Freedom
John Corigliano - Pulitzer Prize for Music, Academy Award, Grammy Award
Richard Ben Cramer - Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting
Lawrence A. Cremin - Pulitzer Prize for History, Bancroft Prize
John Cummings - Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Journalism
Justin Davidson - Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
Bob Drogin - Pulitzer Prize
Will Durant - Pulitzer Prize for Literature, Presidential Medal of Freedom
Jim Dwyer - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for Commentary and for Spot News Reporting)
Andrea Elliot - Pulitzer Prize (2007); reporter, New York Times
Glenn Frankel - Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, author
Max Frankel - Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting
Robert Giles - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize (under his editorship), current curator of the Nieman Foundation for Journalism at Harvard
Louise Gluck - 12th U.S. Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize, National Book Critics Circle Award, Bollingen Prize
Charles Gordone - Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Juan Gonzalez (journalist) - Pulitzer Prize, George Polk Award
Oscar Hammerstein II - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize
Anthony Hecht - U.S. Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, Bollingen Prize, Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, Frost Medal
Marguerite Higgins - first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting (1951)
Jim Hoagland - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for International Reporting and for Commentary)
Richard Hofstader - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for History and General Non-Fiction)
Michael Holley - Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service (team)
Tony Horwitz - Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting
Richard Howard - Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, American Book Award, Pen Translation Prize, MacArthur Fellowship "genius grant"
Nigel Jaquiss - Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting
Margo Jefferson - Pulitzer Prize for Criticism
Frederick Kempe - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize (both team)
Glenn Kessler (journalist) - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for Spot News Reporting)
Carolyn Kizer - Pulitzer Prize, poet, three-time winner of the Pushcart Prize, Frost Medal
Edward Kleban - Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Award, Drama Desk Award
Tony Kushner - Pulitzer Prize for Drama, Tony Award
Joseph Lelyveld - Pulitzer Prize, journalist
David Levering Lewis - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Biography, Bancroft Prize, Francis Parkman Prize
Steve Liesman - Pulitzer Prize (team leader) for International Reporting
Terrence McNally - Pulitzer Prize, 4 Tony Awards, 4 Drama Desk Awards, 2 Obie Awards
Eileen McNamara - Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Reporting, Yankee Quill Award
Bernard Malamud - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, O. Henry Award
John Matteson - Pulitzer Prize for Biography
Louis Menand - Pulitzer Prize for History, Francis Parkman Prize
Steven Millhauser - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Paul Moravec - Pulitzer Prize for Music
Tad Mosel - Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Mirta Ojito - Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting
Dele Olojede - Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting, first African-born winner of the Pulitzer prize
Tim Page (music critic) - Pulitzer Prize, music critic
Michael Pupin - Pulitzer Prize, physicist
Richard Rodgers - twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize
Carlos P. Romulo - Pulitzer Prize in Correspondence
Morrie Ryskind - Pulitzer Prize for Drama
Carl Emil Schorske - Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction, MacArthur Fellowship "genius grant"
William Schuman - Pulitzer Prize for Music, president of the Juilliard School of Music, president of Lincoln Center
Louis Simpson - Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, Prix de Rome
Upton Sinclair - Pulitzer Prize, wrote over 90 books in many genres, his novel Oil! was the basis of There Will Be Blood (2007)
R. Jeffrey Smith - Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting
Paul Starr - Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction, Bancroft Prize, Goldsmith Book Prize
Ron Suskind - Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing
William Taubman - Pulitzer Prize for Biography, National Book Critics Circle Award
Edwin Way Teale - Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
Allan Temko - Pulitzer Prize, architectural critic
John Kennedy Toole - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Anne Tyler - Pulitzer Prize (Breathing Lessons), National Book Critics Circle Award (The Accidental Tourist)
Irwin Unger - Pulitzer Prize for History
Carl Clinton Van Doren - Pulitzer Prize, biographer
Mark Van Doren - Pulitzer Prize, poet
Mike Wallace (historian) - Pulitzer Prize for History
Charles Warren (U.S. author) - Pulitzer Prize for History
Tim Weiner - Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting
Eudora Welty - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters
Diamond Winter (B.A.) - Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography (2009)
Herman Wouk - Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Charles Wuorinen - Pulitzer Prize for Music, MacArthur Fellowship "genius grant", Guggenheim Fellowships, among many other awards

Science and technology

See also: Notable alumni of Columbia College of Columbia University (Scientists and inventors) for additional listing of 15 scientists and inventors

Roy Chapman Andrews—(M.A.)—Dinosaur bone hunter
Virginia Apgar—(M.D. 1933) effectively founded field of Neonatology, created the Apgar score which is used to evaluate the health of newborn babies
Edwin Armstrong—(B.S. 1913) Inventor of radio circuitry such as the regenerative circuit and FM radio, pioneer in feedback amplifiers, National Inventors Hall of Fame
Oswald Avery—(M.D. 1904) discoverer of DNA's role in transmitting genetic information
John Backus—(B.S. - mathematics, 1949) Inventor of Fortran programming language, ACM Turing Award, Draper Prize
T. Romeyn Beck—(M.D.) forensic medicine pioneer
Baruj Benacerraf—(B.S.) Venezuelan immunologist, National Medal of Science
H. I. Biegeleisen—(B.S.) American physician and vein expert, pioneer of phlebology
Ira Black (B.A. 1961), neuroscientist and stem cell researcher who served as the first director of the Stem Cell Institute of New Jersey.^[6]
Wallace Smith Broecker—Crafoord Prize in Geoscience, National Medal of Science
Mildred Cohn—(M.S. and Ph.D.) biochemist, National Medal of Science
Marie Maynard Daly—(Ph.D. 1947), first African American woman to earn a doctorate in chemistry
Charles Drew—(M.D. 1940) Inventor of blood plasma preservation system
Helen Flanders Dunbar—(Ph.D. 1929) important early figure in U.S. psychosomatic medicine
Joseph Engelberger—engineer and entrepreneur, often credited with being father of Robotics
David Eppstein—(Ph.D. 1989) Computer Scientist
Val Logsdon Fitch—(Ph.D.) nuclear physicist, National Medal of Science
James C. Fletcher—physicist, 4th and 7th Administrator of NASA
Tom Frieden—(M.D., MPH) Director, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (2009-); former New York City Health Commissioner (2002-2009)
James Glimm—(Ph.D.) mathematical physicist, Priestley Medal, National Medal of Science
Gordon Gould—(Ph.D., did not complete), inventor of the laser
Stephen Jay Gould—(Ph.D. 1967) Paleontologist and author, MacArthur Fellowship "genius grant"
Benjamin Graham—(B.A. 1914) Father of Modern Security Analysis and value investing, taught Warren Buffett
William Stewart Halsted—(M.D.) thought by many to be the most innovative, influential and important surgeon the U.S. has ever produced
Louis Plack Hammett—(Ph.D.) physical chemist, creator of Hammett equation, Curtin-Hammett principle bears his name, Priestley Medal, National Medal of Science
Michael Heidelberger—immunologist, Lasker Award, National Medal of Science
Jean Emily Henley—(M.D. 1940) Wrote the first German anesthesia textbook after World War II
Roald Hoffman—chemist, National Medal of Science
Robert Jastrow—(B.A, M.A. Ph.D.) Astronomer
Arthur Jensen—(Ph.D. 1956) Educational psychologist who argued for heritability of intelligence
Radovan Karadžić—(M.D. 1975) Serb politician, poet and psychiatrist
Leon M. Lederman—(Ph.D.) experimental physicist, Wolf Prize in Physics, National Medal of Science, Presidential Medal of Freedom
Kai-Fu Lee—(B.S. 1983) former professor at Carnegie Mellon University; former Vice President at Apple Computer; former President of Cosmo Software; established China division of Microsoft Research, establishing China research division for Google
Robert Lefkowitz—(B.A., M.D.) physician, Shaw Prize, National Medal of Science
William Malisoff—(Ph.D.) Scientist accused of being a Soviet spy in the Venona project
Raymond D. Mindlin—(B.A., B.S., C.E., Ph.D.) mechanician, National Medal of Science, Presidential Medal for Merit
Robert Moog—Inventor of Moog synthesizer
Joel Moses—(B.A., M.A.) MIT Provost and Institute Professor, author of Macsyma
Edward Lawry Norton—(M.S. 1925) Electrical Engineer, discovered the Norton circuit equivalent
William Barclay Parsons—(B.S. 1879) Civil Engineer
William Perl—physicist imprisoned for five years for his involvement in the Rosenberg ring of atomic spies
Frank Press—(M.A., Ph.D.) geophysicist, National Medal of Science
Michael I. Pupin—(B.S. 1883)—Inventor of telephone transmission coils and scientist, Edison Medal, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for his autobiography
Julian Schwinger—(B.A., M.D.) theoretical physicist, National Medal of Science
Benjamin Spock—(M.D. 1929)—Olympic rower, pediatrician, author of The Common Sense Book of Baby and Child Care
Paul Stelzer—(M.D. 1972)—cardiothoracic surgeon and expert in the Ross procedure^[7]
Alfred Sturtevant—(Ph.D.) geneticist, National Medal of Science
John Stevens (inventor)—(A.B. 1768)—Built first steam railroad, responsible for first patent law in the U.S.
Joseph F. Traub—(Ph.D.) Computer Scientist, National Academy of Engineering
Roy Vagelos—(M.D.) mastered three professions: medicine, science, business
Harold Varmus—(M.D. 1941) Director of the National Institutes of Health, Nobel Laureate, National Medal of Science, president and CEO of the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
Allen Whipple—(M.D.) surgeon known for pancreatic surgery bearing his name (the Whipple procedure)

Astronauts and aviators

Kenneth D. Bowersox—(M.S. 1979)
Kevin P. Chilton—(M.S. 1977)
Amelia Earhart—(attended one semester, 1920)
William G. Gregory—(M.S. 1980)
Gregory H. Johnson—(M.S. 1985)
Michael J. Massimino—(B.S. 1984)
Story Musgrave—(M.D. 1964)
Eugene H. Trinh—(B.S. 1972)

Academics and theorists

See also: above at Nobel Laureates (Alumni) for separate listing of 39 academics and theorists, Notable alumni at Columbia College of Columbia University (Academicians), Columbia Law School (Academia: University presidents and Legal Academia), and Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (Economists-Natural Scientists, Social Scientists) for separate listing of more than 163 academics and theorists

Mortimer Adler—Founder of the Great Books movement
Claude Ake (Ph.D. 1966)—Nigerian political scientist
Carmen Twillie Ambar (J.D.)—Ninth woman to lead Douglass College, 13th president of Cedar Crest College
Kenneth Arrow (M.S., Ph.D.)—economist, John Bates Clark Medal, National Medal of Science
Frederick A.P. Barnard—University president, namesake of Barnard College
Jacques Barzun—Historian
Ruth Benedict—cultural anthropologist, author of The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, a World War II-era study of Japanese culture
Walter Block (Ph.D.)—Austrian School free market economist
Lee Bollinger (JD 1971)—First Amendment scholar; current president of Columbia, former president of the University of Michigan and former Provost of Dartmouth College; named defendant in two key affirmative action cases in the United States Supreme Court
H. Keith H. Brodie (M.D.)—former chancellor (1982–1985) and president (1985–1993) of Duke University
Harold Brown—physicist; former president of Caltech; former dean of the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University; former U.S. Secretary of Defense
George F. Budd (M.A., Ph.D.)—past president of Pittsburg State University, former president of St. Cloud University
Nicholas Murray Butler—Columbia University President, Nobel Laureate, president of Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Colin Campbell—13th president of Wesleyan University
Joseph Campbell—Noted professor of mythology
John Maurice Clark—economist
Wm. Theodore de Bary (B.A.)—East Asian studies expert
James S. Coles—former president of Bowdoin College
Michael Crow—president of Arizona State University
John Dewey—Philosopher, developed theory of pragmatism
Donna Robinson Divine—political scientist
Norman Dorsen—(B.A. 1950) Professor of Law at NYU Law School (Constitutional Law, Civil Liberties, and Comparative Constitutional Law); Fellow of American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Irwin Edman—Philosopher and writer
Noam Elkies—mathematician, three-time Putnam Fellow, co-creator of Schoof-Elkies-Atkin algorithm
Richard Epstein—(B.A. 1964) considered one of the most influential legal thinkers of modern times
Livingston Farrand (M.D.)—public health advocate; President of the University of Colorado and Cornell University
Charles Ferster (M.A., Ph.D.)—behavioral psychologist
Moses Finley—Historian famous for his work on the ancient economy
Joshua Fishman (Ph.D.)—Distinguished linguist specializing in social linguistics, language and culture, and Yiddish
James C. Fletcher— president of University of Utah and head of NASA
Lether Frazar (Ph.D.)—president of University of Louisiana at Lafayette and McNeese State University, Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana
Gilberto Freyre (M.A. 1922)—Brazilian sociologist, cultural anthropologist and historian
Milton Friedman (Ph.D.)—Free market economist, John Bates Clark Medal, National Medal of Science, Presidential Medal of Freedom
Ellen V. Futter (J.D. 1974)—president of Barnard College (1980-93), president of the American Museum of Natural History
Gordon Gee (J.D., Ed.D.)—Chancellor of Vanderbilt University and former president of Brown University, Ohio State University, the University of Colorado at Boulder and the West Virginia University
Frank Goodnow—president of Johns Hopkins University
Lynne Hanley—literary critic
Edward Harris (archaeologist) (B.A. 1971)—inventor of the Harris matrix
Jane Jacobs—Urban theorist
Edward Kasner (Ph.D. 1899)—Mathematician who coined the term googol
Marshall Kay—Noted geologist
Thomas Kean—president of Drew University, head of 9/11 Commission
Donald Keene—Japanese studies expert
Grayson L. Kirk—University President
Ruth Landes—author, City of Women (1947)
George Latimer (Minnesota politician)—regent of the University of Minnesota
Paul Lazarsfeld—Founder of the University's Bureau for Applied Social Research
Joshua Lederberg—Nobel prize-winning biologist and former president of Rockefeller University, National Medal of Science, Presidential Medal of Freedom
Harvey J. Levin (M.A. 1948, Ph.D. 1953)—communications economics pioneer
Ronald D. Liebowitz (Ph.D. 1985)—president of Middlebury College
John V. Lombardi (M.A. 1964, Ph.D. 1968)—president of the University of Florida (1990–1999); chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Amherst (2002–2007); president of the Louisiana State University System (2007–present)
Seth Low—president of Columbia University, chairman of Tuskegee Institute (1907-1916)
Alfred Thayer Mahan—president of U.S. Naval War College, author of The Influence of Sea Power upon History
James L. McConaughy—president of Wesleyan University and Knox College
Anthony Marx—president of Amherst College
Peter Likins—electrical engineer; president of the University of Arizona; former president of Lehigh University
Seymour Martin Lipset—sociologist
Paul Massing—Sociologist in the Redhead group of Soviet spies at the University's Institute of Social Research
Margaret Mead—Noted anthropologist
Martin Meyerson—president of State University of New York at Buffalo and the University of Pennsylvania, acting Chancellor of the University of California, Berkeley
J. Hillis Miller, Sr. (Ph.D. 1933)—Fourth President of the University of Florida (1947-1953)
Robert A. Millikan (Ph.D. 1895)—Nobel prize-winning physicist; first to measure the charge of the electron; early president of Caltech (1921–1945)
Robert Nozick—Philosopher
Marvin Opler—Noted anthropologist and social psychiatrist
Michael Oren—historian and author; Israeli ambassador to the United States
Mario Laserna Pinzon—founded the Universidad de Los Andes
Peter Pouncey—classicist and former president of Amherst College
Mihajlo Idvorski Pupin (B.A., Ph.D.)—Serbian physicist and physical chemist, IEEE Medal of Honor, Edison Medal for his work in mathematical physics
Jehuda Reinharz—president of Brandeis University
Nicanor Reyes, Sr. (Ph.D.)—Founder and 1st President of the Far Eastern University in the City of Manila, Philippines
Thomas Hedley Reynolds—Historian, president of Bates College.
Judith Rodin (Ph.D.)—Psychologist; Chancellor and former president of the University of Pennsylvania; and former provost of Yale University
James R. Russell—Ancient Near Eastern scholar; professor at Harvard University
Edward Sapir (B.A. 1904, M.A. 1905, Ph.D. 1909)—Linguist and anthropologist, one of creators of Sapir-Whorf hypothesis
William Schuman—president of the Juilliard School of Music, president of Lincoln Center
Nathan A. Scott, Jr. (Ph.D.), literary scholar and founder of the theology and literature doctoral program at the University of Chicago
Judith Shapiro (Ph.D.)—former president of Barnard College, anthropologist
Anwar Shaikh (M.A., Ph.D. 1973)—Professor of Economics; Professor at The New School for Social Research of New York, economist
Michael Sovern (B.A., Ph.D.)—president of Columbia University; Dean of Columbia Law School; professor at Columbia Law School
Patrick Suppes (Ph.D.)—philosopher, National Medal of Science
Lida Lee Tall - sixth president/principal of State Teachers College at Towson (now Towson University)
Stephen Joel Trachtenberg—president of George Washington University and the University of Hartford
Lionel Trilling—Literary critic
David Truman—Political scientist and educator; former president of Mount Holyoke College
Andrew Truxal (Ph.D. 1928)—president of Hood College and Anne Arundel Community College
Immanuel Wallerstein (B.A., M.A., Ph.D.)—sociologist
Sean Wilentz (B.A. 1972)—Chair of American Studies at Princeton University; winner of the Bancroft Prize in history
Jay Winter (B.A. 1966)—World War I scholar at Yale University
Aaron D. Wyner (Ph.D. 1963), information theorist noted for his contributions in coding theory.^[8]
Michael K. Young—president of the University of Utah; former dean of the George Washington University law school
Howard Zinn (MA, PhD)—historian

Sports

Roone Arledge—(B.A.) Pioneer of sports and news broadcasting with ABC, "Monday Night Football", "20/20", etc.; winner of 37 Emmy Awards
Norman Armitage— 17-time national champion sabre fencer, and 6-time Olympian
José Raúl Capablanca—World Chess Champion (1921–1927)
Gary Cohen—(B.A.) New York Mets television play-by-play announcer
Eddie Collins—(CC 1907) Baseball Hall of Fame second baseman
Annie Duke—professional poker player
Lou Gehrig—(1921–1923) Baseball player for the New York Yankees, enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame, suffered from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (now commonly known as "Lou Gehrig's Disease")
Vitas Gerulaitis--Professional tennis player
Edward P. Hurt, Morgan's legendary football, basketball and track coach.
Max Kellerman— (B.A. 1998) ESPN Radio host and HBO boxing analyst
Dan Kellner— 4-time All-American, NCAA foil champion, national champion, 2-time Pan American gold medalist and 1-time silver medalist, 1-time Maccabiah silver medalist
Sandy Koufax—Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher
Howard Lederer — Professional poker player, brother of Annie Duke
Sid Luckman—(B.A.) American football quarterback, enshrinee of the Pro Football Hall of Fame
James M. "Jim" McMillian--NBA basketball player
Cliff Montgomery—(B.A.) American football quarterback, enshrinee of the College Football Hall of Fame,

captain and MVP of Rose Bowl winning squad, Silver Star recipient in U.S. Navy

Mark Pope—(M.D. Class of 2010) Former NBA player
Paul Robeson—American football All-American, attorney, musician, activist
Bob Sheppard—(M.A. 1933) sports announcer, "Voice of the Yankees"
William Milligan Sloane—Founder of the U.S. Olympic Committee
Keeth Smart, Business School, silver medal, fencing, 2008 Olympics
David Stern—(J.D.) NBA Commissioner
Cristina Teuscher— (B.A. 2000) Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer
Marcellus Wiley—(B.A. 1997) American football player, Pro-Bowl defensive end
James L. Williams—(B.A.) World Class Fencer, Olympic silver-medal winner

Activists

See also: notable alumni of Columbia Law School (Activism) and Columbia College (Miscellaneous) for a separate listing of more than 50 activist

Julius Chambers—(LL.M. 1964) civil rights leader, lawyer, and educator
Eugene Lang—(M.S. 1940) philanthropist, Presidential Medal of Freedom
Li Lu—(B.A., J.D., M.B.A., 1996) leader of the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, one of the first students in the history of Columbia to receive three degrees simultaneously
James Meredith—American civil rights movement figure
Paul Robeson—(J.D. 1923) civil and human rights activist, international social justice activist, writer, Spingarn Medal
Alex Safian—co-director of the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America
Leon Sullivan—(M.A. 1947) civil rights activist, anti-apartheid activist, long-time GM Board Member, and Baptist Minister
Franklin A. Thomas—president of the Ford Foundation (1976-1991)
Faye Wattleton—(M.S. 1967) president of the Center for the Advancement of Women, National Women's Hall of Fame
Anna Baltzer—public speaker and Jewish-American pro-Palestinian activist.

Notable faculty

See also above at Nobel Laureates ("Alumni" and "Faculty") for separate listing of 41 notable faculty

Alfred Aho—Computer Science professor, the "A" in the programming language AWK.
Hattie Alexander— Professor of Pediatrics, microbiologist
Samuel J. Danishefsky—Professor of Chemistry, winner of the Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 1995/96
Karen Barkey—Professor of Sociology
Charles Beard—Historian and co-author of The Development of Modern Europe
Peter Bearman—Professor of Sociology
Daniel Bell—Professor of Sociology
J. Bowyer Bell—Adjunct Professor at the School of International and Public Affairs, and Research Associate at the Institute of War and Peace Studies
Jagdish Bhagwati—Economics professor, author of In Defense of Globalization
Franz Boas—Father of American Anthropology
Lee Bollinger—University President/law professor, First Amendment scholar, Affirmative Action advocate
Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen—Professor of Germanic languages
Ronald Breslow—University Professor of chemistry, biology, pharmacology, and engineering.
Alan Brinkley—Professor of American history and University Provost; son of legendary newscaster David Brinkley
Zbigniew Brzezinski—National Security Advisor under the Carter Administration, taught Foreign Affairs
Richard Bulliet—History professor and Middle East scholar, author of Kicked to Death by a Camel
John Burgess—Founder of modern political science
Partha Chatterjee—Anthropologist and scholar of postcolonial nationalism
Hamid Dabashi—Cultural and literary critic
Arthur Danto—Johnsonian Professor of Philosophy emeritus, renowned art critic
William Theodore de Bary—Famous scholar and translator of East Asian texts, particularly the classical Chinese canon
Donald Dewey—Former Economics professor
John Dewey—Former Philosophy professor
Nicholas Dirks—Historian and anthropologist of South Asia
Theodosius Dobzhansky—Researcher in population genetics
Andrew Dolkart—architectural historian
John R. Dunning—physicist and part of the Manhattan Project
Samuel Eilenberg—winner of the Wolf Prize in Mathematics in 1986
Arnold Eisen—Chancellor-elect, Jewish Theological Seminary
Jon Elster—Robert Merton Professor of Social Science, leading theorist of rational choice theory, Marxism, and social theory
William Maurice Ewing—Earth scientist and pioneer
Enrico Fermi—Manhattan Project member, founder of Fermilab, Nobel laureate
Miloš Forman—Film director, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus, The People vs. Larry Flynt, two Academy Awards
Eric Foner—Noted historian, authority on Reconstruction
David Freedberg—Art historian
Erich Fromm—Noted psychologist
Fred W. Friendly—Pioneering CBS News producer and distinguished media scholar
Herbert J. Gans—Professor of Sociology; author of Popular Culture and High Culture
Frank Gehry—Pritzker Prize-winning architect
Benjamin Graham—Father of value investing, mentor of Warren Buffett
Brian Greene—Mathematics and Physics professor, researcher and popular author in String Theory
Ross Hassig—anthropologist and Mesoamerica scholar
Richard Hofstadter—Noted historian
Ralph Holloway—Physical Anthropologist
Carl Hovde (1926-2009), professor and Dean during the Columbia University protests of 1968.^[9]
Andreas Huyssen—Villard Professor of German and Comparative Literature
David Ignatow—Poet, Bollingen Prize-winner
Kenneth T. Jackson—Preeminent historian of New York City
Eric Kandel—Neuroscientist, 2000 Nobel laureate
Donald Keene—Japanese studies expert
James Kent—first professor of law at Columbia College (1793-98), legal scholar and jurist, author of seminal "Commentaries on American Law", highly respected in England and America; the "Commentaries" treated state, federal, and international law, and the law of personal rights and property
Rashid Khalidi—Middle East historian
Grayson L. Kirk—former president and instrumental in the founding of the United Nations Security Council
Kenneth Koch—Poet
Tsung Dao Lee—Physics professor, Nobel laureate
Konrad Lorenz—Psychology professor, Nobel laureate (Physiology or Medicine, 1973)
Walther Ludwig—Classical Studies professor
John Anthony McGuckin—Professor of Byzantine Christian Studies
Margaret Mead—Professor of Anthropology
Don Melnick—Professor of Environmental Biology and advisor to the UN on environmental issues
Edward Mendelson—Lionel Trilling Professor in the Humanities
Robert K. Merton—Professor of Sociology
Jacob Millman—Professor of Electrical Engineering
C. Wright Mills—Professor of Sociology
Eben Moglen—Law and the Internet Society, General Counsel of FSF
Sidney Morgenbesser—John Dewey Professor of Philosophy
Robert Mundell—Economics professor, 1999 Nobel laureate in Economics
Tristan Murail—Professor of Music Composition, French composer
Mira Nair—Director of Monsoon Wedding, film studies professor
Franz Leopold Neumann—Political science professor, Communist spy in Redhead group
John Ordronaux—Civil War army surgeon, a professor of medical jurisprudence, pioneering mental health commissioner
Victor Perlo—Economics professor, Soviet spymaster involved in Harold Ware spy ring and Perlo group as shown in Venona list of suspected subversives in the U.S.
Edmund Phelps—economist and Nobel laureate
Lorenzo da Ponte—first professor of Italian language and literature at Columbia; librettist to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Charles Lane Poor—Astronomer
Mary Robinson—7th President of Ireland, Professor of Practice in International Affairs
Jeffrey Sachs—Head of the United Nations Millennium Project to end poverty, author of The End of Poverty.
Edward Said—University Professor, professor of English and Comparative Literature, Palestinian activist, author of Orientalism, widely considered founder of Postcolonial studies
Andrew Sarris—Film Studies professor and famous auteur theorist
Simon Schama—History Professor
James Schamus—Film Studies professor, co-president of Focus Features, three time Academy Award nominated and BAFTA Award-winning film screenwriter and producer
Judge Sonia Sotomayor—Lecturer-in-Law, Columbia Law School (1999-); nominated by President Barack Obama, on May 26, 2009, to be a Justice of the United States Supreme Court
Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak—English professor
Julian Steward—Anthropologist, authority of Cultural ecology
Joseph Stiglitz—Economics professor, 2001 Nobel laureate in Economics
Gilbert Stork—winner of the Wolf Prize in Chemistry in 1995/6
Mark Strand—Poet, former U.S. Poet Laureate, Bollingen and Pulitzer Prize-winner
Robert Thurman—Je Tsong Khapa Professor of Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies, first American Tibetan Buddhist monk, father of actress Uma Thurman
Charles Tilly—Professor of Sociology
Lionel Trilling—Literary scholar
Charles Van Doren—English professor whose national disgrace was the subject of the Oscar-nominated film Quiz Show
Mark Van Doren—Pulitzer Prize-winning poet
Kenneth Waltz—Political Science professor and noted neorealism scribe
Duncan Watts—Professor of Sociology and author of "Six Degrees" and "Small Worlds"
Nancy Wexler—Higgins Professor of Neuropsychology
Harrison White—Professor of Sociology
Enos Wicher—Professor and Soviet spy named in Venona list of suspected subversives in the U.S., stepfather of State Department Soviet spy Flora Wovschin
Peter Woit—Mathematics professor, skeptic of string theory
Chien-Shiung Wu—Physics professor, first woman to head the American Physical Society and the winner of the Wolf Prize in Physics in 1978

References

^ Halbfinger, David M. "Man in the News; Flexibility in Victory; James Edward McGreevey", The New York Times, November 7, 2001. Accessed December 4, 2007. "He spent three semesters at Catholic University in Washington before transferring to Columbia University, where he majored in political science and graduated in 1978."
^ via Associated Press. "Joseph F. Finnegan, Ex-Director Of U.S. Mediation Service, Dies; Lawyer Held Federal Post From 1955 to 1961, Then Headed State Board", The New York Times, February 13, 1964. Accessed July 9, 2009.
^ De Witt Clinton Flanagan, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 5, 2007.
^ Lord, Richard (2009-09-11). "Patricia Robinson passes away". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 2009-10-07.
^ London Times obituary of Jim Carroll; 15 September 2009
^ Pearce, Jeremy. "Dr. Ira B. Black, 64, Leader in New Jersey Stem Cell Effort, Dies", The New York Times, January 12, 2006. Accessed August 13, 2009.
^ Ross Registry
^ Burkhart, Ford. "Aaron D. Wyner, 58; Helped Speed Data Around the Globe", The New York Times, October 13, 1997. Accessed November 9, 2007.
^ Hevesi, Dennis. "Carl F. Hovde, Former Columbia Dean, Dies at 82", The New York Times, September 10, 2009. Accessed September 11, 2009.

External links

Nobel Prize Winners associated with Columbia University
Nobel Prize Winners in Physics associated with Columbia University
Columbians Ahead of Their Time—list of notable Columbians created by Columbia University for their 250th anniversary.
After Columbia "Notable Alumni & Former Students" published by the Columbia University Office of Admission

[1] Halbfinger, David M. "Man in the News; Flexibility in Victory; James Edward McGreevey", The New York Times, November 7, 2001. Accessed December 4, 2007. "He spent three semesters at Catholic University in Washington before transferring to Columbia University, where he majored in political science and graduated in 1978."

[2] via Associated Press. "Joseph F. Finnegan, Ex-Director Of U.S. Mediation Service, Dies; Lawyer Held Federal Post From 1955 to 1961, Then Headed State Board", The New York Times, February 13, 1964. Accessed July 9, 2009.

[3] De Witt Clinton Flanagan, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Accessed September 5, 2007.

[ttg-4] Lord, Richard (2009-09-11). "Patricia Robinson passes away". Trinidad and Tobago Guardian. Retrieved 2009-10-07.

[5] London Times obituary of Jim Carroll; 15 September 2009

[6] Pearce, Jeremy. "Dr. Ira B. Black, 64, Leader in New Jersey Stem Cell Effort, Dies", The New York Times, January 12, 2006. Accessed August 13, 2009.

[7] Ross Registry

[8] Burkhart, Ford. "Aaron D. Wyner, 58; Helped Speed Data Around the Globe", The New York Times, October 13, 1997. Accessed November 9, 2007.

[9] Hevesi, Dennis. "Carl F. Hovde, Former Columbia Dean, Dies at 82", The New York Times, September 10, 2009. Accessed September 11, 2009.

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@@ Line 1,124: / Line 1,124: @@
 *[[Herbert Agar]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for History]]
 *[[John Ashbery]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Poetry]], [[National Book Award]], [[National Book Critics Circle Award]]
-*[[John Berryman]] - Pulitzer prize for poetry
+*[[John Berryman]] - Pulitzer Prize for poetry
 *[[Katherine Boo]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Public Service]], [[MacArthur Fellowship]] "genius grant"
-*[[Louis Bromfield]] - Pulitzer prize for ''[[Early Autumn]]''
+*[[Louis Bromfield]] - Pulitzer Prize for ''[[Early Autumn]]''
 *[[Ethan Bronner]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Journalism]]
 *[[Geraldine Brooks]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Fiction]]
 *[[Robert Neil Butler]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction]]
-*[[Edwin Burrows]] - Won the [[Pulitzer Prize for History]] in 1999 for the book [[Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898]]
+*[[Edwin Burrows]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for History]] in 1999 for the book [[Gotham: A History of New York City to 1898]]
-*[[Robert Campbell (journalist)]] - [[Pulitzer prize]]-winning architectural critic
+*[[Robert Campbell (journalist)]] - [[Pulitzer Prize]]-winning architectural critic
 *[[Robert Caro]] - '''twice''' winner of the [[Pulitzer Prize for Biography]]
 *[[Hodding Carter]] - Pulitzer Prize for his editorials
 *[[Holland Cotter]] (M.Phil)) - [[Pulitzer Prize for Criticism]] (2009)
 *[[Margaret Clapp]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Biography]]
-*[[Robert Coles]] (M.D.) - Pulitzer prize, [[MacArthur Fellowship]] "genius grant", [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]]
+*[[Robert Coles]] (M.D.) - Pulitzer Prize, [[MacArthur Fellowship]] "genius grant", [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]]
 *[[John Corigliano]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Music]], [[Academy Award]], [[Grammy Award]]
 *[[Richard Ben Cramer]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting]]
 *[[Lawrence A. Cremin]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for History]], [[Bancroft Prize]]
-*[[John Cummings]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Journalism]]
+*[[John Cummings]] - [[Pulitzer Prize]] for Investigative Journalism
 *[[Justin Davidson]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Criticism]]
-*[[Bob Drogin]] - Pulitzer prize
+*[[Bob Drogin]] - Pulitzer Prize
 *[[Will Durant]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Literature]], [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]]
-*[[Jim Dwyer (journalist)|Jim Dwyer]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer prize (for Commentary and for Spot News Reporting)
+*[[Jim Dwyer (journalist)|Jim Dwyer]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for Commentary and for Spot News Reporting)
-*Andrea Elliot - reporter, [[New York Times]], 2007 Pulitzer prize-winner
+*Andrea Elliot - Pulitzer Prize (2007); reporter, [[New York Times]]
-*[[Glenn Frankel]] - author, [[Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting]]
+*[[Glenn Frankel]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting]], author
 *[[Max Frankel]] - Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting
-*[[Robert Giles]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer prize (under his editorship), current curator of the [[Nieman Foundation for Journalism]] at Harvard
+*[[Robert Giles]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize (under his editorship), current curator of the [[Nieman Foundation for Journalism]] at Harvard
-*[[Louise Gluck]] - 12th U.S. [[Poet Laureate]], Pulitzer prize, [[National Book Critics Circle Award]], [[Bollingen Prize]]
+*[[Louise Gluck]] - 12th U.S. [[Poet Laureate]], Pulitzer Prize, [[National Book Critics Circle Award]], [[Bollingen Prize]]
 *[[Charles Gordone]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Drama]]
-*[[Juan Gonzalez (journalist)]] - Pulitzer prize, [[George Polk Award]]
+*[[Juan Gonzalez (journalist)]] - Pulitzer Prize, [[George Polk Award]]
-*[[Oscar Hammerstein II]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer prize
+*[[Oscar Hammerstein II]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize
 *[[Anthony Hecht]] - U.S. [[Poet Laureate]], [[Pulitzer Prize for Poetry]], [[Bollingen Prize]], [[Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize]], [[Frost Medal]]
-*[[Marguerite Higgins]] - in 1951, first woman to win a [[Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting]]
+*[[Marguerite Higgins]] - first woman to win a [[Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting]] (1951)
-*[[Jim Hoagland]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer prize (for International Reporting and for Commentary)
+*[[Jim Hoagland]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for International Reporting and for Commentary)
-*[[Richard Hofstader]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer prize (for History and General Non-Fiction)
+*[[Richard Hofstader]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for History and General Non-Fiction)
 *[[Michael Holley]] - Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service (team)
 *[[Tony Horwitz]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting]]
@@ Line 1,162: / Line 1,162: @@
 *[[Nigel Jaquiss]] - Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting
 *[[Margo Jefferson]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Criticism]]
-*[[Frederick Kempe]] - '''twice''' winner of Pulitzer prize (both team)
+*[[Frederick Kempe]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize (both team)
-*[[Glenn Kessler (journalist)]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer prize (for Spot News Reporting)
+*[[Glenn Kessler (journalist)]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize (for Spot News Reporting)
-*[[Carolyn Kizer]] - Pulitzer prize-winning poet, three-time winner of the [[Pushcart Prize]], [[Frost Medal]]
+*[[Carolyn Kizer]] - Pulitzer Prize, poet, three-time winner of the [[Pushcart Prize]], [[Frost Medal]]
 *[[Edward Kleban]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Drama]], [[Tony Award]], [[Drama Desk Award]]
 *[[Tony Kushner]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Drama]], [[Tony Award]]
-*[[Joseph Lelyveld]] - Pulitzer prize-winning journalist
+*[[Joseph Lelyveld]] - Pulitzer Prize, journalist
 *[[David Levering Lewis]] - '''twice''' winner of the [[Pulitzer Prize for Biography]], [[Bancroft Prize]], [[Francis Parkman Prize]]
-*[[Steve Liesman]] - Pulitzer prize (team leader) for International Reporting
+*[[Steve Liesman]] - Pulitzer Prize (team leader) for International Reporting
-*[[Terrence McNally]] - Pulitzer prize, 4 [[Tony Award]]s, 4 [[Drama Desk Award]]s, 2 [[Obie Award]]s
+*[[Terrence McNally]] - Pulitzer Prize, 4 [[Tony Award]]s, 4 [[Drama Desk Award]]s, 2 [[Obie Award]]s
-*[[Eileen McNamara]] - Pulitzer prize for Spot News Reporting, [[Yankee Quill Award]]
+*[[Eileen McNamara]] - Pulitzer Prize for Spot News Reporting, [[Yankee Quill Award]]
 *[[Bernard Malamud]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Fiction]], [[O. Henry Award]]
 *[[John Matteson]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Biography]]
 *[[Louis Menand]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for History]], [[Francis Parkman Prize]]
-*[[Steven Millhauser]] - novelist and winner of [[Pulitzer Prize for Fiction]]
+*[[Steven Millhauser]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Fiction]]
 *[[Paul Moravec]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Music]]
 *[[Tad Mosel]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Drama]]
 *[[Mirta Ojito]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting]]
 *[[Dele Olojede]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting]], first African-born winner of the Pulitzer prize
-*[[Tim Page (music critic)]] - Pulitzer prize-winning [[music critic]]
+*[[Tim Page (music critic)]] - Pulitzer Prize, [[music critic]]
-*[[Michael Pupin]] - Pulitzer prize-winning physicist
+*[[Michael Pupin]] - Pulitzer Prize, physicist
-*[[Richard Rodgers]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer prize
+*[[Richard Rodgers]] - '''twice''' winner of the Pulitzer Prize
 *[[Carlos P. Romulo]] - Pulitzer Prize in Correspondence
 *[[Morrie Ryskind]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Drama]]
@@ Line 1,188: / Line 1,188: @@
 *[[William Schuman]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Music]], president of the [[Juilliard School of Music]], president of [[Lincoln Center]]
 *[[Louis Simpson]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Poetry]], [[Prix de Rome]]
-*[[Upton Sinclair]] - Pulitzer prize, wrote over 90 books in many genres, his novel ''[[Oil!]]'' was the basis of ''[[There Will Be Blood]]'' (2007)
+*[[Upton Sinclair]] - Pulitzer Prize, wrote over 90 books in many genres, his novel ''[[Oil!]]'' was the basis of ''[[There Will Be Blood]]'' (2007)
 *[[R. Jeffrey Smith]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Investigative Reporting]]
-*[[Paul Starr]] - Pulitzer prize for General Non-Fiction, [[Bancroft Prize]], [[Goldsmith Book Prize]]
+*[[Paul Starr]] - Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction, [[Bancroft Prize]], [[Goldsmith Book Prize]]
 *[[Ron Suskind]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing]]
 *[[William Taubman]] - Pulitzer Prize for Biography, [[National Book Critics Circle Award]]
 *[[Edwin Way Teale]] - Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction
-*[[Allan Temko]] - Pulitzer prize-winning architectural critic
+*[[Allan Temko]] - Pulitzer Prize, architectural critic
 *[[John Kennedy Toole]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for Fiction]]
-*[[Anne Tyler]] - Pulitzer prize (''[[Breathing Lessons]]''), [[National Book Critics Circle Award]] (''[[The Accidental Tourist]]'')
+*[[Anne Tyler]] - Pulitzer Prize (''[[Breathing Lessons]]''), [[National Book Critics Circle Award]] (''[[The Accidental Tourist]]'')
 *[[Irwin Unger]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for History]]
-*[[Carl Clinton Van Doren]] - Pulitzer prize-winning biographer
+*[[Carl Clinton Van Doren]] - Pulitzer Prize, biographer
-*[[Mark Van Doren]] - Pulitzer prize-winning poet
+*[[Mark Van Doren]] - Pulitzer Prize, poet
 *[[Mike Wallace (historian)]] - [[Pulitzer Prize for History]]
 *[[Charles Warren (U.S. author)]] - Pulitzer Prize for History