Notable Alumni of the University of Colorado Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) has a rich history of producing influential figures in various fields, from astronauts and athletes to actors and activists. Founded in 1876, CU Boulder has grown into a prominent public research university, attracting students from around the world and fostering an environment of innovation and achievement. This article explores some of the most famous and notable alumni who have left their mark on the world.
Introduction
Choosing the most famous alumnus from the University of Colorado Boulder is a daunting task. Former Supreme Court Justice Byron White, astronaut Scott Carpenter, and actor Robert Redford are often mentioned in the same breath. However, beyond the realm of fame lies a collection of alumni whose contributions and accomplishments deserve recognition. This article aims to highlight a diverse group of individuals who have attended CU Boulder and made significant impacts in their respective fields.
Famous Figures
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford Jr., an American actor and filmmaker, attended CU in the 1950s for a year and a half. While a student, he worked at The Sink restaurant and spent time with his fraternity brothers, which led to him being kicked out of school. Despite not graduating, Redford has had a successful career, including an Academy Award and several nominations. He also received an honorary degree from CU in 1988. Redford is also known for his environmental activism and for establishing the Sundance Institute for aspiring filmmakers.
Steve Wozniak
Stephen Gary Wozniak, known as "Woz," is an American technology entrepreneur, electrical engineer, computer programmer, philanthropist, and inventor. In 1976, he co-founded Apple Computer with Steve Jobs. Wozniak attended CU but was expelled after one year.
Kalpana Chawla
Kalpana Chawla was an Indian American astronaut and aerospace engineer. Chawla expressed an interest in aerospace engineering from an early age. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in 1986 and a Doctor of Philosophy in aerospace engineering in 1988 from the University of Colorado Boulder. She was the first woman of Indian origin to fly to space.
Read also: Baylor's Notable Alumni
Christopher Meloni
Christopher Peter Meloni is an American actor known for portraying NYPD Detective Elliot Stabler on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and its spin-off Organized Crime.
Trey Parker and Matt Stone
Trey Parker and Matt Stone met as students at the University of Colorado in the late 1980s while taking a film class together. Sharing a love of irreverent comedy, they went on to co-create the popular animated sitcom "South Park" in 1997. Parker studied Japanese and musicology. Stone studied film and mathematics.
Glenn Miller
Alton Glenn Miller was an iconic American jazz musician. He entered school at CU in 1923, but after failing several classes ended up dropping out to pursue his musical career. The Glenn Miller Ballroom in the University Memorial Center on CU's campus is named in his honor.
Jack Swigert
Jack Swigert was an American pilot and astronaut who took part in the Apollo 13 space mission in 1970. Swigert received a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from CU Boulder in 1953. He also played football for the Buffaloes.
Chauncey Billups
Chauncey Billups is a name that has become synonymous with basketball at CU Boulder. He played basketball for Colorado from 1995-97 before being selected third overall by the Boston Celtics in the 1997 NBA Draft. Billups helped the Buffs earn their first NCAA Tournament bid in 28 years.
Read also: Columbia University Legacy
Jenny Simpson
Jenny Simpson is an accomplished American track athlete, competing in middle-distance running events and the steeplechase. Simpson attended the University of Colorado from 2006-2009, earning numerous individual NCAA records and championships. She was awarded the inaugural Bowerman Award in 2009, given annually to college track's top athlete.
Honorees and Award Winners
Dr. Susan Taylor Mayne
Dr. Susan Taylor Mayne is the recipient of the George Norlin Award for her work in shaping national policy on added sugars, sodium reduction, and food safety as part of the Food and Drug Administration.
Dave Sheanin
Dave Sheanin is the recipient of the Alumni Recognition Award for his dedication to guiding student-athletes as assistant coach of the CU Club Triathlon Team and for making triathlons accessible to athletes with physical limitations.
Aaditya Pore
Aaditya Pore is a winner of the Forever Buffs Student Award for his contributions to advances in additive manufacturing, materials science, and engine component design as a NASA Pathways intern, and for his leadership roles on campus.
Camden Dempsey
Camden Dempsey is the recipient of this year’s Forever Buffs Student Award for his leadership and advocacy for student-athletes as a member of CU Football and co-president of the Big 12 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.
Read also: Excellence at Hofstra University
Dr. Stephen Kissler
Dr. Stephen Kissler is the recipient of the Kalpana Chawla Outstanding Recent Graduate Award for his research in applied mathematics and infectious disease modeling, and for his role in shaping equitable vaccination strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dale
Dale is the recipient of the Leanne Skupa-Lee Award for his leadership in the Forever Buffs Washington, D.C. chapter and for raising scholarship support for CU students.
David
David is the recipient of the Robert L. Stearns Award for his dedication to creating pathways of opportunity for first-generation, rural, and marginalized students.
Russell L. Moore
Russell L. Moore is the recipient of the Robert L. Stearns Award for shaping CU Boulder’s academic mission, strengthening student success, and advancing a culture of innovation.
Other Notable Alumni
Dave Logan
Dave Logan has had a large presence in the Denver area since the 1970s. He lettered in both basketball and football at CU. He was eventually selected in both the NBA and NFL drafts, becoming one of three athletes in history to be selected in the MLB, NBA and NFL drafts. Logan has been the play-by-play voice of the Broncos on KOA radio since 1997. He is also the head football coach at Cherry Creek High School.
Brendan Schaub
Brendan Peter Schaub is an American podcast host, former professional mixed martial artist, and stand-up comedian.
Joey Diaz
José Antonio Díaz, also known as Joey "CoCo" Diaz, is a Cuban-American stand-up comedian, actor, podcaster, and author.
Townes Van Zandt
John Townes Van Zandt was an American singer-songwriter.
Leon Allen White
Leon Allen White, better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or simply Vader, was an American professional wrestler and professional football player.
Sheryl Lee
Sheryl Lee is an American film, stage, and television actress.
Larry Linville
Lawrence Lavon Linville was an American actor known for his portrayal of Major Frank Burns on the television series MAS*H.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a Liberian politician who served as the 24th president of Liberia from 2006 to 2018. Sirleaf was the first elected female head of state in Africa.
Judy Collins
Judith Marjorie Collins is an American singer-songwriter and musician with a career spanning nearly seven decades.
Ross Marquand
Roscoe Wayne Marquand is an American actor. He has played Aaron on the television series The Walking Dead, Red Skull and Ultron in various projects connected to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and voices numerous characters in the animated television series Invincible.
Lynne Cheney
Lynne Ann Cheney is an American author, scholar, and former talk show host. She served as the second lady of the United States from 2001 to 2009 when her husband was vice president.
Erinn Hayes
Erinn Hayes is an American actress and comedian.
Eric Bieniemy
Eric M. Bieniemy Jr. is an American football coach and former running back who is currently the running backs coach for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Colorado Buffaloes and is their all-time leader in rushing yards (3,940) and touchdowns (42).
Sheree J. Wilson
Sheree Julienne Wilson is an American actress, producer, businesswoman, and model.
Spencer Dinwiddie
Spencer Gray Dinwiddie is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Colorado Buffaloes and earned first-team all-conference honors in the Pac-12 as a sophomore in 2013.
Early Trailblazers
Charles Franklin Holly and Elijah S. Wilhite
Charles Franklin Holly and Elijah S. Wilhite were instrumental in the founding of the University of Colorado Boulder. Holly authored and promoted the bill to designate the university as a territorial institution, while Wilhite officially introduced it to the Territorial Legislature.
Timothy William Stanton
Timothy William Stanton was among the first students at the University of Colorado Boulder, matriculating on the school’s first day of classes, Sept. 5, 1877.
Mary Rippon
In January 1878, Mary Rippon became CU’s first female professor.
Joseph A. Sewall
Joseph A. Sewall was the first president of the University of Colorado.
Conrad Blum
Conrad Blum was on the first football team in 1890 and edited the first book detailing CU Boulder's early history.
Lingoh K. Wang
Lingoh K. Wang, from what is now Beijing, China, was admitted as a sophomore to CU Boulder’s College of Commerce in 1907.
Charles Durham Campbell
Charles Durham Campbell graduated in 1912 as one of the first Black men to earn a degree from the university, majoring in mathematics.
Adele “Della” Parker
Adele “Della” Parker was the first Black woman to enroll at Colorado Law School, beginning classes in October 1911.
Fred Folsom
Fred Folsom compiled a 77-23-2 record throughout his three different stints as head coach. His 15 coaching seasons remain a school record, and his 77 wins stood as the most in school history for 78 years. In 1944, Colorado Stadium, home of the Buffaloes football team, was renamed Folsom Field in his honor.
Ralph J. Lee
Before Ralphie the buffalo took on the permanent job in 1966, a young boy named Ralph J. Lee was one of CU Boulder's early mascots.
George Norlin
George Norlin became president of CU in 1917.
Lucile Berkeley Buchanan
Lucile Berkeley Buchanan is known as the first Black woman to graduate from CU, earning a degree in German in 1918.
Frank Potts
Frank Potts coached the cross country and track teams for 41 years (1927-1968). The track at CU is named for him.
Warner Imig
A faculty member and dean from 1937-1978, Warner Imig was one of America's foremost choir directors.
Byron White
Byron White, who graduated in 1938 as the student body president, class valedictorian and an all-American athlete, was one of the greatest students in the history of CU Boulder.
Masao Igasaki
Masao Igasaki was a Japanese American student at CU Boulder in 1944 and became an instructor for the US Navy Japanese Language School during World War II.
Walter Orr Roberts
Walter Orr Roberts was a renowned scientist, leader, and pioneer in the fields of solar-terrestrial study, astronomy, and climate science.
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