List of University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni number around 243,628 worldwide.

Academy Award winners

• William Monahan, for adapted screenplay, The Departed
• Buffy Sainte-Marie, for best song, "Up Where We Belong" from An Officer and a Gentleman

Emmy Award winners

• Ed Christie 1979, BFA, art director/designer for The Jim Henson Company and Sesame Street
• Billy Taylor MA, PhD, musician, music educator

Grammy winners

• Natalie Cole 1972, singer
• Yusef Lateef 1975, composer
• Billy Taylor MA, PhD, composer
• Brian Vibberts Audio Engineer

Nobel Prize winners

• Russell Hulse 1972G, 1975 Ph.D.

Pulitzer Prize winners

• Herbert Bix 1960, historian
• Paul Harding 1992, author and musician
• Natasha Trethewey 1995, U.S. poet laureate

Royalty and nobility

• Yaduveera Wadiyar, 27th and present titular King of Mysore and head of the former ruling Wadiyar dynasty.

Academia

• Janet Abu-Lughod, sociologist, known for contributions to world-systems theory
• Christy Anderson G, Professor of Art and Architecture at University of Toronto
• Dorothy Barresi, Professor at California State University at Northridge
• Francis A. Bartlett 1905, eminent dendrologist
• Janet Catherine Berlo 1974, art historian
• Michael Blakey, National Endowment for the Humanities Professor at the College of William & Mary,
• Carlton Brown 1972, 1979G, president of Clark Atlanta University
• Lin Chao, Professor at University of California, San Diego
• Vicente Cabrera Funes, Professor and writer at University of Minnesota Morris
• Gennaro Chierchia, Professor and Department Chair of Linguistics at Harvard University
• Philip R. Day, G, former Chancellor of City College of San Francisco and Cape Cod Community College
• Michael Dirr, Professor of horticulture at University of Georgia
• Evan Dobelle 19363, 1970G, 1987 Ed.D., president of Westfield State College
• Larry W. Esposito 1977G, planetary astronomer, Professor at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics, University of Colorado
• Vera King Farris G, former president of Richard Stockton College of New Jersey
• Bertram Forer 1936, psychologist, namesake of the Forer effect
• Michael J. Franklin, Professor of Computer Science at UC Berkeley
• Leonard Katz, Professor of Psychology at University of Connecticut
• Devang Khakhar, Director of IIT Bombay
• Joy Ladin, professor at Yeshiva University
• Guy Livingston, food scientist and founder of Phi Tau Sigma
• Dominic W. Massaro, Professor of Psychology and Computer Engineering at the UC Santa Cruz
• Kembrew McLeod, Professor of Communication Studies at University of Iowa
• Li Minqi, Associate Professor of Economics at University of Utah
• Dana Mohler-Faria, president of Bridgewater State College
• Joseph B. Moore, president of Lesley University
• Ann C. Noble, Professor at UC Davis
• Steven Nock, Commonwealth Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia
• William Oakland, Professor of Economics
• Alexey A Petrov, 1997, Professor of Physics, Wayne State University, recipient of the National Science Foundation CAREER Award
• Carl Phillips, Professor of English and of African and Afro-American Studies at Washington University in St. Louis
• Mark Richard, Professor of Philosophy at Harvard University
• David Rosner, Professor at Columbia University
• Alexander Shishin, 1976G, Professor of English, Kobe Women's University, Japan; utopian novelist.
• Winthrop E. Stone 1882, former President of Purdue University
• Roger Stritmatter 2001 PhD, professor of humanities; a leading modern-day advocate of the Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship
• Jim Waldo Ph.D., Gordon McKay Professor at Harvard University
• Edward N. Zalta, Principal Editor of the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Zhi-Li Zhang, Distinguished University Professor of Computer Science at University of Minnesota
• Zhou Qifeng 1983 Ph.D., former President of Peking University
• Donald P. Zingale 1969G, president of the State University of New York at Cobleskill

Science and technology

• William P. Brooks 1875, agronomist, foreign advisor to the Japanese government in the Meiji period, president of the Massachusetts Agricultural College
• Catherine Coleman 1991, Ph.D., astronaut
• Chang-Gyu Hwang Ph.D., National Chief Technology Officer of South Korea
• Cynthia E. Rosenzweig, Senior Research Scientist at NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
• Dorion Sagan 1981, author
• Steven Sinofsky 1989G, president of Windows Division at Microsoft
• Sarah Stewart, first woman to be awarded an MD Degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine

Film

• Jere Burns, 1980, actor
• Rob Corddry, actor
• Jeffrey Donovan, actor
• Richard Gere, 1971, actor (did not graduate)
• Jonathan Hensleigh, 1981, screenwriter and film director
• Fardeen Khan, Bollywood actor (did not graduate)
• Bridget Moynahan, actress (did not graduate)
• William Monahan, screenwriter, The Departed
• Bill Pullman, 1980 MFA, actor
• Liev Schreiber, actor (attended classes)

Television

• Jim Dadonna, ESPN Producer, MLS Producer
• Norm Abram 1972, "America's most famous carpenter"
• Jake Blais 2007, Producer, LEGO Star Wars Droid Tales
• Rob Corddry 1993, former writer and correspondent for The Daily Show, actor on television series The Winner
• Bill Cosby 1972G, 1976 Ed.D., actor, comedian, writer, star of The Cosby Show
• Jeff Corwin 2002, Animal Planet's The Jeff Corwin Experience
• Jenny Dell, reporter for NESN (New England Sports Network) and the Boston Red Sox
• Jeffrey Donovan 1991, star of USA original series Burn Notice
• Marc Forgione 2010, competitor on Food Network's Iron Chef America; won season three of "The Next Iron Chef" in 2010; owner of restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City
• Lauren Koslow, actress on Days of Our Lives
• Phil Laak, professional poker player nicknamed "The Unabomber"
• Loretta Long 1973 Ph.D., long-time Sesame Street actress
• Ken Ober 1980, game show host, comedian, and actor
• Nancy Oliver writer for the series Six Feet Under
• Peter Tolan, television producer, director, and screenwriter
• Mark Wilding 1979, lead writer and executive producer of Grey's Anatomy
• Russ Whinnem 1986, producer NE Revolution Soccer, graphics producer Bellator MMA, associate producer ESPN basketball

Journalism

• Deepak Ananthapadmanabha 2006, web-based technology journalist
• Steve Buckley 1978, sportswriter
• Gerry Callahan, sports writer for the Boston Herald and radio talk show personality for WEEI
• Jill Carroll 1999, journalist for Christian Science Monitor kidnapped in Iraq on assignment in January 2006
• Gail Collins 1970 MA, New York Times columnist and former editorial page editor
• Audie Cornish 2001, "National Public Radio" host of "All Things Considered", former host of "Weekend Edition Sunday"
• James Foley 2003, freelance journalist and photojournalist of the Syrian Civil War
• Sarah McLean, best-selling Hay House author of Soul-Centered: Transform Your Life in 8 Weeks with Meditation
• Michael C. Moynihan, senior editor of the libertarian magazine Reason
• Wendi Nix, reporter for ESPN
• David Pakman, host of the internationally syndicated television and radio program The David Pakman Show
• Carol Rosenberg, a senior journalist with the McClatchy News Service known for her coverage of the operation of the Guantanamo Bay detention camps in Cuba
• Dan Wetzel, national columnist, Yahoo! Sports; New York Times best-selling author

History, literature, art, and music

• Kenny Aronoff 1975, drummer
• Vicente Cabrera Funes 1944, writer
• David Berman, poet, musician
• Frank Black, rock singer and guitarist in the Pixies
• Jack Canfield 1972G, best-selling author
• Gordon Chandler 1975G, sculptor
• Constance Congdon 1982, M.F.A., playwright
• Bill Cosby 1972G, 1976 Ed.D., actor, comedian, writer
• Patrick DeCoste 2000, guitarist, composer
• Stephanie Deshpande 1997, painter
• Jason Donati, animator and artist
• Sadie Dupuis, singer and guitarist for Speedy Ortiz
• Harvey Goldman, artist, educator
• Dana Gould 1986, comedian
• James Grinwis, poet
• Peter Hargitai, award-winning novelist, poet and translator
• Raymond Kennedy, novelist
• Fardeen Khan, Bollywood actor
• Beth Krommes 1980G, children's book illustrator
• Peter Laird, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
• Taj Mahal 1963, composer and singer
• William Manchester 1946, author, biographer, and recipient of the National Humanities Medal
• J Mascis, rock singer and guitarist in Dinosaur Jr
• Jeff Penalty (b. Jeff Alulis), former lead singer of Dead Kennedys
• Joe Pernice, singer in Pernice Brothers, Scud Mountain Boys, Chappaquiddick Skyline
• Jesse Richards, Stuckist painter, filmmaker, Remodernist film
• Louis Ross 1917, architect, designed many of the campus buildings
• Larry Ruttman 1952, author and attorney
• Buffy Sainte-Marie 1970, singer
• Joey Santiago, guitarist in the Pixies
• Flo Steinberg, of Marvel Comics
• Susan Straight 1984, writer, novelist, professor at the University of California, Riverside
• Paul Theroux 1963, travel writer and author
• Natasha Trethewey 1995, U.S. poet laureate
• Jane Yolen, author
• Airline Inthyrath 2006, Drag Queen known as Jujubee, Performer, TV Personality

Athletics

Baseball

• Ben Cherington 1998G, executive Vice President and General Manager of the Boston Red Sox
• Chick Davies 1914, pitcher and outfielder with the Philadelphia Athletics and New York Giants
• Gary DiSarcina 1995, MLB All-Star, California Angels
• Mike Flanagan 1975, 1979 Cy Young Award winner, Baltimore Orioles
• Nick Gorneault 2001, outfielder, Los Angeles Angels
• Bob Hansen, first baseman, Milwaukee Brewers
• Neal Huntington MA, General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Dave Littlefield 1984, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Pittsburgh Pirates
• Chad Paronto, relief pitcher, Houston Astros
• Jeff Reardon 1977, relief pitcher Minnesota Twins, Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox
• Mike Stone 1981, Vermont and UMass baseball coach
• Dave Telgheder, starting pitcher, New York Mets
• Ron Villone 1992, relief pitcher, St. Louis Cardinals

Basketball

• Tony Barbee 1993, collegiate basketball coach, Auburn University
• Bill Bayno (did not graduate), Division 1 collegiate coach and professional assistant coach
• Marcus Camby, 1996 Naismith College Player of the Year and current professional basketball player for the New York Knicks
• Julius Erving 1971, Hall of Fame professional basketball player (received earned bachelor's and honorary doctorate simultaneously)
• Gary Forbes 2008, professional basketball player, Toronto Raptors
• Derek Kellogg 1995, collegiate basketball coach University of Massachusetts Amherst
• Stephane Lasme 2007, professional basketball player, Miami Heat
• Rick Pitino 1974, professional and collegiate basketball coach
• Lou Roe 1995, professional basketball player, Detroit Pistons and Golden State Warriors
• Al Skinner 1974, basketball coach, Boston College

Football

• Neal Brown, Texas Tech Red Raiders offensive coordinator
• Victor Cruz 2010, professional football player and 2012 Super Bowl Champion, New York Giants; second-team All-Pro (2011) Pro Bowl (2012)
• Vladimir Ducasse, professional football player, New York Jets
• Tom Gilson, American football player
• Jeremy Horne, professional football player, Kansas City Chiefs
• James Ihedigbo professional football player, Baltimore Ravens
• Greg Landry 1968, quarterback, Detroit Lions
• Brandon London 2006, professional football player, Miami Dolphins
• John McCormick, 1961, professional football quarterback/punter, Minnesota Vikings, Denver Broncos
• Jeromy Miles, professional football player, Cincinnati Bengals
• Milt Morin 1966, tight end, All-Pro, Cleveland Browns
• Marcel Shipp, running back, Arizona Cardinals (former team), 2009 UFL Champions Las Vegas Locomotives (current team)
• Mike Tannenbaum, Executive Vice President of Football Ops, Miami Dolphins
• Chris Grier, General manager, Miami Dolphins

Hockey

• David Branch, president of the Canadian Hockey League
• Justin Braun, professional ice hockey player, San Jose Sharks
• Matt Irwin, professional ice hockey player, Boston Bruins
• James Marcou, professional ice hockey player, San Jose Sharks
• Brad Norton 1998, professional ice hockey player
• Thomas Pock, professional ice hockey player, New York Islanders
• Jonathan Quick, professional ice hockey player; 2010 Olympic silver medalist; 2012 NHL All-Star; 2012 Conn Smythe winner; 2014 Stanley Cup Champion, Los Angeles Kings
• Casey Wellman, professional ice hockey player, Washington Capitals

Lacrosse

• Doc Schneider, professional lacrosse player, Toronto Nationals

Other

• Danielle Henderson 1999, Olympic gold medal winner, softball
• Briana Scurry 1995, two-time Olympic gold medal winner and women's World Cup champion, soccer

Business

• Bruce Berkowitz 1980, Managing Director and Morningstar Domestic-Stock Fund Manager of the Decade (2010) of Fairholme Funds
• J. B. Bernstein, CEO of Access Group
• Douglas Cliggott 1978, former Managing Director and Chief Investment Strategist of JPMorgan Chase & Co.
• Chris Daggett, President and CEO of the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation
• Marc Forgione, owner of restaurant Marc Forgione in New York City
• Anshu Jain 1985, co-CEO of Deutsche Bank
• John Legere 1980, CEO of T-Mobile
• Agenor Mafra-Neto, CEO of ISCA Technologies
• Vivek Paul, ex-CEO, Wipro Technologies
• Gil Penchina 1991, CEO of Wikia, Inc.
• John F. Smith Jr. 1960, former Chairman of the Board of General Motors Corporation and later Delta Air Lines
• Jeff Taylor 2001, founder of Monster.com
• Jack Welch 1957, retired CEO of General Electric
• Jill Whalen, CEO of High Rankings; co-founder of Search Engine Marketing New England

Law and politics

Governors

• Madeleine Kunin 1956, first female Governor of Vermont and former United States Ambassador to Switzerland (1985–1991)

Congressmen

• Peter G. Torkildsen 1980, former member of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts (1993–1997)

U.S. government officials

• Kenneth S. Apfel 1970, former Commissioner of Social Security (1997–2001)
• Richard A. Baker, Historian of the United States Senate
• Charles B. Curtis 1962, former Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (1977–1981); acting United States Secretary of Energy (1997)
• Chris Daggett 1977 Ed.D, Regional United States Environmental Protection Agency Administrator, 2009 New Jersey Gubernatorial Candidate
• Kenneth Feinberg 1967, current Obama Administration "Compensation Czar" and former Special Master of the U.S. Government's September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
• James Kallstrom 1966, former FBI head
• Jack Ward Thomas 1972 Ph.D, former Chief of the United States Forest Service (1993–1996)

Diplomats

• Jeffrey Davidow 1965, former United States Ambassador to Zambia, Venezuela, and Mexico; named a Career Ambassador in 2002
• Thomas C. Krajeski, former United States Ambassador to Yemen
• Madeleine Kunin 1956, former United States Ambassador to Switzerland and first female Governor of Vermont
• Stephen A. Seche, United States Ambassador to Yemen since 2007

Jurists

• Marsha Kazarosian, 1978, attorney who handled high-profile cases
• Fred I. Parker 1962, served as a federal judge on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• Eduardo C. Robreno 1967 MA, federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

State legislators and executives

• Denise Andrews, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (2011–present)
• David M. Bartley 1956, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1969–1973) and 1984 candidate for the United States Senate
• Joan Bray, former member of Missouri State Senate (2003–2010) and Missouri House of Representatives (1993–2002)
• Stephen Brewer 1971, member of the Massachusetts State Senate (1995–present)
• Linda Dean Campbell member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (2007–present)
• Reuven Carlyle 1987, member of the Washington House of Representatives (2009–present)
• George C. Cross G1981, member of the Vermont House of Representatives (1999–2007)
• Steven D'Amico, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (2007–2011)
• Eileen Donoghue 1976, member of the Massachusetts State Senate (2011–present)
• Lewis G. Evangelidis 1984, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (2003–present)
• Christopher M. Fierro 2002, 2004 MS, former member of the Rhode Island House of Representatives, (2009–2011)
• John J. Finnegan, former Massachusetts State Auditor (1981–1987)
• Nancy Flavin 1986, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1993–2003)
• Thomas N. George, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1997–2005)
• Guy Glodis, former member of the Massachusetts State Senate (1999–2005) and Massachusetts House of Representatives (1997–1999)
• Frederick D. Griggs 1913, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1925–1928)
• Christopher Hodgkins, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1983–2003)
• Kate Hogan, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (2009–present)
• Philip W. Johnston, former Massachusetts Secretary of Human Services
• Sally Kerans 1982, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1991–1997)
• Stephen Kulik, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1993–present)
• Patrick Landers, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1987–1999)
• Gary LeBeau, member of the Connecticut State Senate (1997–present)
• Paul Mark, member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (2011–present)
• Michael W. Morrissey, District Attorney of Norfolk County, Massachusetts (2011–present)
• Betty Jo Nelsen, former member of the Wisconsin State Assembly (1979–1990)
• Arthur D. Norcross 1871, former member of the Massachusetts State Senate (1908–1909) and Massachusetts House of Representatives (1904–1906)
• Andrea F. Nuciforo, Jr. 1986, former member of the Massachusetts State Senate (1997–2007)
• Carmen Hooker Odom, former secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
• David Poisson, former member of the Virginia House of Delegates (2006–2010)
• Ruth Provost, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1997–2003)
• Stanley C. Rosenberg 1977, openly gay member of the Massachusetts State Senate (1986–present)
• Marie St. Fleur, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1999–2011)
• Barry Trahan, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1987–1989)
• Joseph Wagner, former member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives (1991–present)
• Rachel Weston 2003, member of the Vermont House of Representatives (2007–present)

International figures

• Kang Kyung-wha MA, Ph.D., United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
• Hina Rabbani Khar 2001, current Pakistani Minister of Foreign Affairs, the first female to hold this post
• Hau Lung-pin, 1982 Ph.D, Mayor of Taipei, Republic of China (Taiwan)
• Makaziwe Mandela, daughter of Nelson Mandela
• Minouche Shafik, Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund
• Mose Penaani Tjitendero 1977 Ed.D., former Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia

Military

• Jody J. Daniels, Brigadier General in the United States Army
• Frederick Heyliger 1950, officer with Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, in the 101st Airborne Division of the United States Army during World War II; featured in the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers
• Andrew P. Iosue 1951, retired four-star general of the United States Air Force who served as Commander, Air Training Command (COMATC) from 1983 to 1986
• Brian G. Neal, Major General in the United States Air Force
• Mark MacCarley, Major General in the United States Army

County and municipal officials

• Bonnie Dumanis (attended), District Attorney of San Diego County (served 2003–present)
• Maura Hennigan 1972, former Boston City Councilor and first female Clerk-Magistrate of Suffolk County
• Billy Kenoi 1993, Mayor of Hawaii County
• Salvatore LaMattina 1981, District 1 Boston City Councilor
• Joseph Sullivan (mayor), mayor of Braintree, Massachusetts

Activists

• Jack A. Cole, drug policy reform activist
• Brian Darling 1987, conservative activist and senior fellow at The Heritage Foundation
• Jackson Katz, social activist
• Hugh Loebner, social activist for the decriminalization of prostitution
• Ray Rogers, labor rights activist and labor union strategist
• Tony Rudy, lobbyist and associate of Jack Abramoff
• Allen St. Pierre 1989, Executive Director of NORML
• Betty Shabazz 1975 PhD, widow of Malcolm X