Notable Alumni of Temple University: A Legacy of Achievement

Temple University, a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has a rich history of producing notable alumni across various fields. From its humble beginnings as a night school in 1884, Temple has grown into a renowned institution, educating thousands of students each year. This article explores the accomplishments of some of Temple's most distinguished graduates, showcasing their impact on the world.

A Foundation of Opportunity

Founded by Baptist minister Russell Conwell in 1884, Temple University has always been committed to providing educational opportunities to those who seek them. Conwell's initial act of tutoring a young man unable to afford college blossomed into a university known for its broad range of degrees and programs. Temple's history is interwoven with the stories of award-winning and famous alumni. The university's motto, "Perseverance Conquers," reflects the spirit of its students and alumni, who have gone on to achieve great things in their respective fields.

Temple's Impact on Arts, Film and Media

Temple University has a strong presence in the world of theater, film, and media arts. Several alumni have made significant contributions to these industries, both in front of and behind the camera.

Theater, Film & Media Arts Alumni

The School of Theater, Film and Media Arts has produced a diverse array of talent, including:

Kalen Allen: Actor and media personality.
Catalina Jordan Alvarez: Film and media artist.
Barbara Attie: Film and media artist.
Shelley Barry: Film and media artist.
Quinta Brunson: Actress, comedian, writer, and producer, best known for creating and starring in the ABC comedy series "Abbott Elementary."
Kait Calabrò: Film and media artist.
Sarah Christman: Film and media artist.
Chinonye Chukwu: Filmmaker.
Bryan Terrell Clark: Theater actor.
Jonathan Kohl: Film and media artist.
Michael Kuetemeyer: Film and media artist.
Maggie Lakis: Theater actress.
Donja Love: Theater actor.
James Madison: Film and media artist.
Nikiya Mathis: Theater actress.
Colin McIlvaine: Theater actor.
Kunal Nayyar: Actor, best known for his role as Raj Koothrappali in the CBS sitcom "The Big Bang Theory."
Jonathan Olshefski: Film and media artist.
Erlina Ortiz: Theater actress.
Lisa Marie Patzer: Film and media artist.
Danielle Pinnock: Theater actress.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph: Actress, known for her Tony-nominated performance in "Ghost" and her Oscar-winning role in "The Holdovers".
Benjamin Semanoff: Film and media artist.
Maria Shaplin: Theater actress.
Angel Sigala: Theater actor.
Paige Smallwood: Theater actress.
Kimi Takesue: Film and media artist.
Sean Thompson: Theater actor.
Josh Tower: Theater actor.
Daniel Trachtenberg: Filmmaker and podcast host.
Leo Trombetta: Film and media artist.
Ariel Wang: Theater actress.
Qiong "June" Wang: Film and media artist.
Gabriela Watson-Burkett: Film and media artist.

Adam McKay

Adam McKay is a notable alumnus in the arts sector, working as a screenwriter, director, actor, and comedian. McKay is one half of the dynamic duo that includes Will Ferrell as co-writers of the films Anchorman, Talladega Nights, Step Brothers, and The Other Guys. McKay was born in Philadelphia and attended Temple and studied English.

McKay was a writer on Saturday Night Live and worked as the head writer until 2001. He has directed, produced, and written screenplays for many famous shows and movies. Although McKay didn’t finish his undergraduate degree, he is still regarded as one of the most successful people to have attended Temple University.

Irvin Kershner

Irvin Kershner directed many films over the years, but the biggest and the one that he is most famous for is undoubtedly “The Empire Strikes Back.” Kershner was a surprise choice from producer George Lucas, who he knew from the USC School of Cinematic Arts. Kershner asked Lucas, “Of all the younger guys around, all the hot-shots, why me?" Lucas replied: "Well, because you know everything a Hollywood director is supposed to know, but you're not Hollywood." Of course, the Star Wars sequel went on to become a huge hit. Born in Philadelphia in 1952, Kershner focused on studying music in his early years, and he attended Temple University’s Tyler School of Fine Arts before teaching photography and studying cinema at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. Kershner passed away in his home in 2010 after battling lung cancer for three years.

Bob Saget

Known as the doting dad on the hit sitcom “Full House,” Bob Saget was also a stand-up comedian during his career. He was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1956 and attended the Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts at Temple University. Saget graduated in 1978 and became a huge part of the television industry. He hosted “America's Funniest Home Videos” for eight years as well.

Since then, Saget has worked on many other shows, including “How I Met Your Mother,” “Dirty Work,” “Raising Dad,” and “Fuller House.” Saget had started getting back into stand-up comedy when he died in 2022 after an unexpected fall.

Kevin Hart

Known as a comedian and actor, Kevin Hart was born in Philadelphia in 1979. He was a Temple owl, if only for a few years, before pursuing a career in show business. Hart starred in many films, including “Jumanji,” “Ride Along,” “The Secret Life of Pets,” “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie,” and “Hobbs & Shaw.” He recently created the Laugh Out Loud Network, which is a streaming comedy brand, along with Hartbeat Productions, launched in 2009. Hart also started a venture capital firm, Hartbeat Ventures, to invest in companies that may not have as much access to funds.

Read also: Is Temple a Good Fit?

Kunal Nayyar

Often recognized as Raj in “The Big Bang Theory,” Kunal Nayyar is an Indian actor who was born in London in 1981. After receiving a bachelor's degree in business, he earned his master's degree in fine arts from Temple University in 2006. Just one year after graduating from Temple, Nayyar landed this breakthrough role in “The Big Bang Theory,” which ran from 2006 to 2019. He has also been part of movies as a voice actor in the animated movies “Ice Age: Continental Drift” and “Trolls.” Nayyar continues to pursue acting in both TV and films.

Samira Wiley

Known for her depiction of a fellow handmaid in “The Handmaid's Tale,” Samira Wiley enjoys a successful acting career. Born in 1987 in Washington D.C., Wiley attended Temple University for only a semester before transferring to Juilliard and graduating in 2010. Wiley then started her acting career and landed a spot on “Orange Is the New Black” and later received a nomination for her performance as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in the show “The Handmaid's Tale” in 2017.

Tom Sizemore

As a resident "tough guy" in most of the movies he has performed in, Tom Sizemore is best known for his depictions of characters in WWII films. Born in 1961 in Detroit, Michigan, Sizemore loved the heroic characters in movies growing up. He received his master's degree in theater from Temple University in 1986 and went on to play many roles during his career.

Sizemore's big break was in “Saving Private Ryan” in 1998, directed by Steven Spielberg. He also worked with famous director Martin Scorsese and played leading roles in films like “Pearl Harbor” and “Black Hawk Down.”

Music and Media

Many Temple alumni have shared their creativity and talent through the music or broadcast industries as well.

Read also: Affording Temple

Daryl Hall

Born Daryl Hohl in 1946, he is known professionally as Daryl Hall and is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the music duo Hall & Oates. Hall started recording music in high school and went on to study music at Temple University in 1964.

He met John Oates in 1967 at Temple, although neither of them graduated there, and the two hit it off to become the best-selling duo of all time. Hall is part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and currently stars in “Live from Daryl's House,” featuring other musical artists.

John Oates

As the other half of the best-selling duo Hall & Oates, John Oates is a famous solo artist with plenty of accomplishments to his name. Oates was born in 1948 in New York City. He attended Temple in 1966 and was a wrestler his freshman year before giving up the sport. He met another student, Daryl Hall, and the two Temple University alumni were part of college bands and signed on with Atlantic Records in 1972.

Since then, the duo has recorded 21 albums and sold over 80 million units. Hall & Oates had ten #1 records and toured the world for many decades. Oates turned to a solo career in 1999 and has created seven solo albums. He continues to play music with Hall as well.

Diplo

Originally known as Thomas Pentax, Diplo was born in 1978 in Mississippi. He is well-known as an American DJ, songwriter, and record producer. Diplo first gained a following as a DJ while attending Temple University and received a degree in film studies in 2003. He released his first mixtape, “Never Scared,” in 2003, and it quickly found its audience.

Diplo moved on to become a producer for big artists like Bruno Mars, Shakira, Snoop Dog, and No Doubt. He continues to produce music and is active in many famous music groups, including Major Lazer, Mad Decent, and Silk City.

Jill Scott

As a Philadelphia native, Jill Scott was born in 1972 and grew up in the city of Brotherly Love. Scott attended Temple University and majored in education. She became a Grammy Award-winning artist and is a singer, songwriter, poet, actress, and model. Scott has worked with countless big names in the entertainment industry and is known for her soprano voice with a touch of jazz, hip-hop, and spoken word.

She also established the Blues Babe Foundation in 2003, which helps young minorities pay for college. Scott accepted an honorary doctorate from Temple University in 2020.

Tamron Hall

Born in Texas in 1970, Tamron Hall attended Temple in 1988 to study broadcast media. Hall worked for news stations in Texas in the 90s and then moved to Chicago to anchor Fox Morning News from 1997 to 2007. She became the first black female co-anchor of the “Today Show” on NBC and received the Edward R. Murrow Award in 2015.

Hall was elected to the Temple University Board of Trustees in 2015 and still serves on the board today. The “Tamron Hall Show” debuted in 2019, where Hall focuses on creating a space for honest conversations about racial, educational, and socioeconomic issues.

Politics

Consider changing the world in government like these famous alumni at Temple University.

Hage Geingob

Born in Namibia in 1941, Hage Geingob left for Temple University in 1964 on a scholarship, where he studied undergraduate classes. Geingob attended other universities and started a career as a politician in 1972. He worked for the United Nations and returned to his home country in 1989.

Geingob became the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Namibia in 1990 and served in that position for a total of 12 years. After some political shuffling, Geingob was elected as the third President of Namibia in 2014 and held the position until 2025.

Nikoloz Gilauri

Born in Tbilisi in the country of Georgia in 1975, Nikoloz Gilauri is another notable alumnus who chose to work in government. He earned a master's degree in international business management and moved on to work in the energy and telecommunications sector thereafter.

Gilauri joined the Georgian government in 2003 and helped the country receive better services during an energy crisis. After a political crisis in Georgia, Gilauri took office as the Prime Minister of Georgia in 2009 and remained in that position until 2012, when he retired from government service.

Notable Firsts

While some people become famous due to their industry choice, others change the world with their tenacity and courage as a pioneer to accomplish something.

Frederick C. Branch

Born in North Carolina in 1922, Frederick C. Branch attended Temple when he received a draft notice from the Army in 1943. Branch was chosen to become a Marine in the newly integrated Marine Corps. He applied to Officer Candidate School but was denied due to his race. While serving as a Marine in the Pacific, Branch's commanding officers recommended him for Officer Candidate School.

He then went to Purdue University for officer's training in the Navy's V-12 program and was the only African-American candidate out of a class of 250. Branch made the dean's list and became the first African-American officer in the Marine Corps in 1945. After serving during the war, Branch returned to Temple University and received a bachelor's degree in physics in 1947. He taught science in a Philadelphia high school after retiring from the Marine Corps from 1955 to 1988. Branch died in 2005.

Other Notable Alumni

Temple University has a long list of accomplished alumni who have made significant contributions to various fields. Here are some additional notable names:

John Baugh: Linguist known for developing the theory of linguistic profiling.
Angelo DiGeorge: Physician known for the discovery of DiGeorge syndrome.
Norman Fell: Comic actor best known for "Three's Company".
Jim Cawley: Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania.
Camillo Gonsalves: Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Billy Paul: Grammy Award winner and R&B singer.
Edith Windsor: Plaintiff in United States v. Windsor, a landmark Supreme Court case regarding same-sex marriage.
Ibram X. Kendi: Author and scholar on anti-racism.
Mark Levin: Radio personality, editor-in-chief, lawyer, journalist, television presenter.
Jesse Williams: Actor known for his role in "Grey's Anatomy".
Tim Heidecker: Comedian, writer, director, actor, and musician.
Robert K. Merton: Sociologist considered a founding father of modern sociology.
Paul F. Tompkins: Comedian, actor, and writer.
Jimmy Pop: Musician, lead vocalist of the Bloodhound Gang.
Robin Atkin Downes: Actor known for his voice work in animation and video games.
Kim Rhodes: Actress known for her roles in "The Suite Life of Zack & Cody" and "Supernatural".
Jessica Pressler: Journalist and writer.
Robert Prosky: Actor.
Jared Hasselhoff: Musician, bassist of the Bloodhound Gang.
Eric Wareheim: Comedian, actor, writer, director, and musician.
Dan Trachtenberg: Filmmaker and podcast host.
Patricia Wettig: Actress and playwright.
Dennis Christopher: Actor.
Veronica Hamel: Actress and model.
Jack Posobiec: American alt-right political activist, conspiracy theorist, and internet troll.

Athletics

Temple University's baseball program started in 1907 and Ben Rochefort was their first player to make it to the Major League level. Bobby Higginson once held the Temple University record for home runs with thirty (30), but did you know he was also kicked out of the school? The freshman walk-on received an F, I, R, and W during his first semester making him ineligible for baseball that year. Higginson said, "I thought I could do the same thing in college that I did in high school, which was pretty much show up to class, listen to what the teacher had to say and then go by memory when the test came around, but I couldn't do it. I was such an idiot, I look back at it now , and it's so stupid. I have a true story to tell when I tell people to stay in school. Did you know that there were fifteen former Temple University ballplayers who made it to the majors? There is also a good chance there will NEVER been any more, as TU cut funding to seven sports, including baseball, at the end of the 2013-14 academic year for financial reasons.

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