Oklahoma State University: A Legacy of Notable Alumni
Oklahoma State University (OSU) has a rich history of producing accomplished individuals across a wide range of fields. From arts and entertainment to business, politics, and athletics, OSU alumni have made significant contributions to society. This article aims to highlight some of the most notable alumni who have brought distinction to the university.
EduRank places Oklahoma State University at 272nd in the world, 114th in North America, and 108th in the United States based on aggregated alumni prominence, reflecting the institution's global impact through its graduates. There are more than 250,000 living Oklahoma State University alumni worldwide.
Arts and Entertainment
OSU boasts a remarkable array of alumni who have achieved fame in the entertainment industry:
James Marsden: An American actor, James Paul Marsden began his acting career guest-starring in television shows such as Saved by the Bell: The New Class (1993), Touched by an Angel (1995), and Party of Five (1995). He is renowned for his role as Cyclops in the X-Men film series (2000-2014) and for his roles in films like The Notebook (2004), Superman Returns (2006), Hairspray (2007), Enchanted (2007), 27 Dresses (2008), and Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues (2013). Marsden also portrayed John F. Kennedy in The Butler (2013) and Tom Wachowski in the Sonic the Hedgehog film series (2020-present).
Reba McEntire: Known as the "Queen of Country," Reba Nell McEntire is an American country music singer, actress, and businesswoman. Since the 1970s, McEntire has had over 100 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, with around a quarter reaching number one. She has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. In the early 2000s, she starred in the WB sitcom Reba, which aired for six seasons. McEntire also owns several businesses, including a restaurant and a clothing line.
Read also: Diploma Frame Styles for Oklahoma State University Diplomas
Garth Brooks: Troyal Garth Brooks is an American country singer and songwriter who enrolled at Oklahoma State University in 1984 to study advertising. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him immense popularity. Brooks has achieved success on country music charts with multi-platinum recordings and record-breaking live performances, crossing over into the mainstream pop arena.
Paul Sparks: An American actor, Paul Sparks is known for his roles as Mickey Doyle in Boardwalk Empire, writer Thomas Yates in House of Cards, John Breem in Physical, and David Tellis in The Girlfriend Experience. He has also starred in films such as Deception (2008), Afterschool (2008), The Missing Person (2008), Mud (2012), Parkland (2013), Stealing Cars (2015), Thoroughbreds (2017), and The Greatest Showman (2017).
Sports
OSU's athletic programs have produced numerous accomplished athletes:
Daniel Cormier: An American former professional mixed martial artist, freestyle wrestler, and commentator for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Daniel Ryan Cormier is a former UFC Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight Champion. He is the second fighter in UFC history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously and the first to have title defenses in two divisions. He is regarded as one of the greatest mixed martial artists of his generation.
Randy Couture: Randall Duane Couture is an American mixed martial arts commentator, actor, former United States Army sergeant, former professional mixed martial artist, and former collegiate and Greco-Roman wrestler. During his tenures in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), he became a three-time UFC Heavyweight Champion, two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, an interim UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, making him a six-time UFC Champion and the UFC 13 Heavyweight Tournament winner. He is the first of nine fighters to hold two UFC championship titles in two different divisions. He currently serves as a commentator and analyst for the Professional Fighters League.
Read also: Oklahoma Regents Scholarship Eligibility
Rickie Fowler: Rick Yutaka Fowler is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He was the number one ranked amateur golfer in the world for 36 weeks in 2007 and 2008. On January 24, 2016, he reached a career high fourth in the Official World Golf Ranking following his victory in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.
Marcus Smart: An American professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Marcus Osmond Smart played college basketball for the Oklahoma State Cowboys.
Johny Hendricks: An American former mixed martial artist and collegiate wrestler, Johny Hendricks competed in the welterweight and middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is a former UFC Welterweight Champion.
Mason Rudolph: Brett Mason Rudolph III is an American professional football quarterback for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, where he was a three-year starter and won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award during his last year. Rudolph was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft.
Cade Cunningham: An American professional basketball player for the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association (NBA), Cade Parker Cunningham attended Bowie High School in his hometown of Arlington, Texas, before transferring to Montverde Academy in Florida. As a senior, he led one of the best high school teams in history and received national player of the year recognition.
Read also: Oklahoma Baptist Football: A Look Back
Viktor Hovland: A Norwegian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and European Tour, Viktor Hovland reached number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking in 2019.
Muhammed Lawal: Also known as "King Mo", Muhammed Lawal is an American professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently signed to Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship. As a mixed martial artist, he is a former Strikeforce Light Heavyweight Champion and Rizin Heavyweight Grand Prix Champion.
Tony Allen: Anthony Allen, nicknamed "the Grindfather," is an American former professional basketball player who played for 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), primarily for the Boston Celtics and Memphis Grizzlies. He is a six-time member on the NBA All-Defensive Team, including three first-team selections. Allen won an NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008. Known for his suffocating on-ball pressure, he is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in NBA history.
Justin Blackmon: An American former professional football player, Justin Carl Blackmon was a wide receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Oklahoma State Cowboys, twice earning unanimous All-American honors before being selected by the Jaguars fifth overall in the 2012 NFL draft. Blackmon was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2024.
Mason Cox: An American-Australian professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), Mason Cox played basketball for Oklahoma State University from 2010-2014. Playing as a ruckman and key forward, he first played Australian rules football in April 2014 before making his AFL debut two years later in April 2016. Standing at 211 cm (6 ft 11 in), he is the tallest player to ever be measured at an AFL Draft Combine.
Politics and Public Service
OSU alumni have also made significant contributions to the world of politics and public service:
Markwayne Mullin: An American businessman and politician, Markwayne Mullin has served as the junior United States senator from Oklahoma since 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected in a special election in 2022 to serve the remainder of Jim Inhofe's term. He is also the second Cherokee Nation citizen elected to the Senate.
Kevin Stitt: John Kevin Stitt is an American businessman and politician serving as the 28th governor of Oklahoma since 2019. A member of the Republican Party, he was elected in 2018 and reelected to a second term in 2022.
Mary Fallin: An American politician, Mary Fallin served as the 27th governor of Oklahoma from 2011 to 2019. A member of the Republican Party, she was elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014. She is the first and only woman to be elected governor of Oklahoma.
Tom Coburn: Thomas Allen Coburn was an American politician and physician who served as a United States senator from Oklahoma from 2005 to 2015. A Republican, Coburn previously served as a United States representative from 199…
Eka Zguladze: A Georgian and Ukrainian government official, Ekaterine "Eka" Zguladze served as First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Ukraine from 17 December 2014 until 11 May 2016. She had also served as Georgia's First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs from 2006 to 2012 and Acting Minister of Internal Affairs in 2012.
Business and Entrepreneurship
OSU alumni have achieved success in the business world as well:
- T. Boone Pickens: Thomas Boone Pickens Jr. was an American business magnate and financier. Pickens chaired the hedge fund BP Capital Management. He was a well-known takeover operator and corporate raider during the 1980s.
Academics and Activism
OSU alumni have also made significant contributions in the fields of academics and activism:
Anita Hill: An American lawyer, educator, and author, Anita Faye Hill is a professor of social policy, law, and women's studies at Brandeis University.
Bill Self: Billy Eugene Self Jr. is an American basketball coach who is the head coach of the Kansas Jayhawks men’s basketball team.
Other Notable Alumni
Wally Funk: Mary Wallace Funk is an American aviator, commercial astronaut, and Goodwill Ambassador. She was the first female air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board, the first female civilian flight instructor at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, and the first female Federal Aviation Administration inspector, as well as one of the Mercury 13.
Joyce Meyer: Pauline Joyce Meyer is an American Charismatic Christian author, speaker, and president of Joyce Meyer Ministries.
Don Haskins: Donald Lee Haskins, nicknamed "The Bear", was an American basketball player and coach. He played college basketball for three years under coach Henry Iba at Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State University). He was the head coach at the University of Texas at El Paso from 1961 to 1999 (the school was known as Texas Western College until 1967). In 1966 his team won the NCAA tournament over the Wildcats of the University of Kentucky, coached by Adolph Rupp.
tags: #oklahoma #state #university #notable #alumni #list
