Vassar College: A Legacy of Notable Alumni

Vassar College, a private liberal arts college in Poughkeepsie, New York, has a rich history of producing accomplished individuals across diverse fields. Founded in 1861 by Matthew Vassar, it was the second degree-granting institution of higher education for women in the United States. While initially a women's college, Vassar became coeducational in 1969. This article explores the notable alumni of Vassar College, highlighting their achievements and contributions to society.

A Diverse Array of Accomplished Graduates

Vassar's alumni network spans various domains, including arts and culture, media, science, politics, and activism. The college has fostered an environment that encourages intellectual curiosity, creativity, and a commitment to making a difference in the world. This has resulted in a diverse and impressive list of graduates who have left their mark on society.

Prominent Figures in Film and Theatre

Vassar College has produced a remarkable number of successful actors and filmmakers.

Anne Hathaway

One of the highest-paid actresses in the world in the 2010s, Anne Hathaway is the recipient of many awards, including an Academy Award. Born in Brooklyn, New York, she began acting as a teenager in the early 2000s and often portrayed princesses in her initial films. As her career progressed, she started taking up versatile roles. Hathaway is an advocate for gender equality and supports LGBTQA+ rights. Her notable films include "Les Misérables," "The Devil Wears Prada," and "Rachel Getting Married."

Meryl Streep

Often described as the "best actress of her generation," Meryl Streep is acclaimed for her versatility. After debuting in the 1970s, she built a solid reputation by portraying challenging roles in dramatic films. In a career spanning over half a century, she has received numerous awards, including three Academy Awards and eight Golden Globe Awards. Meryl's early performing ambitions leaned toward the opera. enrolled in the Yale School of Drama. The Deer Hunter (1978). Kramer vs. A Cry in the Dark (1988). Marvin's Room (1996). that "…no matter what happens, my work will stand…"

Jane Fonda

Hailed as one of the best actresses ever, Jane Fonda has won two Oscars. She has acted in popular and acclaimed films like "Barefoot in the Park," "Barbarella," "Klute," "Coming Home," "Julia," "The Morning After," "The China Syndrome," and "California Suite." She’s also known for her exercise videos and is famous for her opposition to the Vietnam War. Born in New York City to legendary screen star Henry Fonda and Ontario-born New York socialite Frances Seymour Brokaw, Jane Seymour Fonda was destined early to an uncommon and influential life in the limelight. Although she initially showed little inclination to follow her father's trade, she was prompted by Joshua Logan to appear with her father in the 1954 Omaha Community Theatre production of "The Country Girl". Her interest in acting grew after meeting Lee Strasberg in 1958 and joining the Actors Studio. Her screen debut in Tall Story (1960) (directed by Logan) marked the beginning of a highly successful and respected acting career highlighted by two Academy Awards for her performances in Klute (1971) and Coming Home (1978), and five Oscar nominations for Best Actress in They Shoot Horses, Don't They? (1969), Julia (1977), The China Syndrome (1979), The Morning After (1986) and On Golden Pond (1981), which was the only film she made with her father. Her professional success contrasted with her personal life, which was often laden with scandal and controversy. Her appearance in several risqué movies (including Barbarella (1968)) by then-husband Roger Vadim was followed by what was to become her most debated and controversial period: her espousal of anti-establishment causes and especially her anti-war activities during the Vietnam War. Her political involvement continued with fellow activist and husband Tom Hayden in the late 1970s and early 1980s. In the 1980s she started the aerobic exercise craze with the publication of the "Jane Fonda's Workout Book". She and Hayden divorced, and she married broadcasting mogul Ted Turner in 1991.

Lisa Kudrow

Lisa Kudrow rose to international fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the American television sitcom Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004. The series earned her Primetime Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, Satellite, American Comedy and TV Guide awards. Phoebe has since been named one of the greatest television characters of all time and is considered to be Kudrow's breakout role, spawning her successful film career. Hardly the dumb blonde of Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), Lisa was born in Encino, California on July 30, 1963. Her mother, Nedra S. (Stern), worked as a travel agent, and her father, Lee N. Kudrow, is a physician. Her parents are both from Jewish families (from Belarus, Russia, and Hungary). Lisa was raised in Tarzana and played varsity-level tennis in high school and college, and is a pool shark who has mastered some of the more difficult trick shots (so beware). She graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychobiology. At first, she wanted to pursue a career in research, so she returned to Los Angeles to begin working with her father. However, Lisa got inspired to perform by one of her brother's friends, comedian Jon Lovitz, and so the tall (5' 8") blonde-haired, green-eyed beauty entered show biz. Lisa auditioned for the improv theater group, The Groundlings, based in Los Angeles. Cynthia Szigeti, a well-known improv teacher, took Lisa under her wing. In that class, Lisa became a friend of Conan O'Brien. Graduating with honors in 1989, Lisa became a full-fledged member of The Groundlings. Breaking into TV, she got a recurring role as Ursula, the ditsy waitress on Mad About You (1992). This led to her starring role on Friends (1994). In the debut season (1994-95) of Friends (1994), Lisa earned an Emmy nomination as Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series; in 1998, she won that award for her role as Phoebe, the ditsy but lovable folk singer. Lisa has also been nominated for Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild and American Comedy Awards for her performances.Lisa made the transition to the big screen with a lot of success. In 1997, she starred opposite Oscar winner Mira Sorvino in the above-mentioned Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997). Lisa garnered more praise for her film work when she got the New York Film Critics Award for her starring role in The Opposite of Sex (1998).Lisa married Michel Stern, an advertising executive, on May 27, 1995. On May 7, 1998, they were blessed with a son, Julian Murray; they live in Los Angeles.

Justin Long

Justin Long is an American actor and comedian known for playing the boy-next-door characters. He is best known for his roles in "Jeepers Creepers," "Dodgeball," and "Accepted." A likable, boyish-looking actor with thick eyebrows and a friendly smile, Justin Long is a native of Connecticut.He was born and raised in Fairfield, the second of three sons. His father, R. James Long, is a Professor of Philosophy at Fairfield University, and his mother, Wendy Lesniak, is a former Broadway actress. He is of German, Sicilian, and Polish descent. He attended Fairfield Prep, and after graduating, he attended Vassar College. He first really showed his promise as a member of the comedy troupe "LaughingStock." His performing talent garnered favorable notices and he won roles in some independent productions, notably Galaxy Quest (1999). However, he refused to act full time until after he graduated, which he did in 2000. He first gained notice when he played the nervous teenager Warren Cheswick in the TV series Ed (2000). The following year, he starred in the offbeat horror film Jeepers Creepers (2001). The film, with its ghoulish ending, was a major hit on the horror circuit and raised his profile.He played the boyfriend of Britney Spears in Crossroads (2002), and won a supporting role in the Vince Vaughn comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004). He had high-profile roles in some offbeat independent films, most notably Raising Genius (2004) and Waiting… (2005), and scored commercial success again when he played Lindsay Lohan's boyfriend in Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005). In 2007, he appeared as second lead in the fourth "Die Hard" film, Live Free or Die Hard (2007).He continues to win acclaim and fans. He scored commercial success again with a role in the Jennifer Aniston romantic comedy The Break-Up (2006). He is private about his personal life and does not make a point of attending nightclubs and parties.

Hope Davis

Hope Davis is best known for her roles in films such as "About Schmidt" and "Synecdoche, New York." She also delivered a Tony-winning performance in the Broadway play "God of Carnage." Fans also loved her Emmy-nominated performances in the series "In Treatment" and the TV film "The Special Relationship." Davis, second of three children, was born in Englewood, New Jersey, the daughter of Joan, a librarian (at one time, for the elementary section of Elisabeth Morrow School), and William Davis, an engineer. Davis has described her mother as a "great storyteller" who would take Davis and her siblings to museums or to "something cultural" every Sunday after church. Davis was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey and graduated in 1982 from Tenafly High School. She was a childhood friend of Mira Sorvino, with whom she wrote and acted in backyard plays. She is married to actor Jon Patrick Walker. They have two daughters, Georgia (born August 31, 2002) and Mae (born December 30, 2004).

Leaders in Music and Media

Vassar College has also nurtured talent in the music and media industries.

Read also: A Look at Vassar College

Mark Ronson

Seven-time Grammy-winning music producer and DJ Mark Ronson shot to fame with Amy Winehouse’s album "Back to Black" and single "Rehab," and his own single "Uptown Funk," featuring Bruno Mars. He won both the Grammy and the Golden Globe for co-writing "Shallow".

Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain was an American celebrity chef, renowned author, media personality, and travel documentarian. His shows about the exploration of international culture and cuisine were very popular. Apart from writing several books on food and cooking and travel explorations, Bourdain also wrote fiction and historical non-fiction. In June 8, 2018, he died by suicide in France.

Elisabeth Murdoch

Elisabeth Murdoch is an Australian-born media executive best known for founding the UK-based TV production company Shine Group in 2001. She is also known as the daughter of popular multi-billionaire media mogul Rupert Murdoch. In 2013, Elisabeth Murdoch was named UK’s fifth most powerful woman by Woman's Hour.

Mike D

Michael Louis Diamond, better known as Mike D, is an American rapper, musician, and music producer. He is a founding member of the hip hop group Beastie Boys.

Influential Figures in History and Politics

Vassar College has a long tradition of producing influential figures in history and politics.

Read also: ACT Scores and Vassar

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Jacqueline Kennedy was a literature editor, photographer, and socialite who was once married to the former American President John F. Kennedy. She became the First Lady of the United States when her husband became the president. She was known for her iconic fashion style. She is considered one of the most popular and recognizable First Ladies in American history. Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis was an American writer, book editor, and socialite who served as the first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of president John F. Kennedy. A popular first lady, she endeared herself to the American public with her devotion to her family, dedication to the historic preservation of the White House, the campaigns she led to preserve and restore historic landmarks and architecture along with her interest in American history, culture, and arts. During her lifetime, she was regarded as an international icon for her unique fashion choices, and her work as a cultural ambassador of the United States made her very popular globally.

Katharine Graham

The daughter of American publisher and financier Eugene Meyer, Katharine Graham later carried forward her family’s newspaper, The Washington Post. While the newspaper was initially handed over to her husband, Philip Graham, by her father, she took over as the owner, following Philip’s suicide. She later penned a Pulitzer Prize-winning memoir. Katharine Meyer Graham was an American newspaper publisher. She led her family's newspaper, The Washington Post, from 1963 to 1991. Graham presided over the paper as it reported on the Watergate scandal, which eventually led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon. She was one of the first 20th-century female publishers of a major American newspaper and the first woman elected to the board of the Associated Press.

Lucy Burns

Co-founder for the National Woman’s Party, Lucy Burns was a leader of the militant-wing of the women’s suffrage movement. Known for her vehement fight for women’s right to vote and her resilience under opposition, Burns is also remembered as one of the early trailblazers in the movement for gender equality.

Ellen Churchill Semple

Ellen Churchill Semple was an American geographer best remembered for her association with the Association of American Geographers, where she served as the first female president. Semple made immense contributions to the development of geography as discipline in the US, especially studies of human geography.

Bernadine Healy

Bernadine Healy created history by becoming the first woman to serve as the director of the National Institutes of Health. Apart from being a seasoned cardiologist, she had also taught medicine at institutes such as Johns Hopkins and had been the president of the American Red Cross and other non-profits.

Pioneers in Science and Technology

Vassar College has also produced pioneers in science and technology.

Grace Hopper

Navy rear admiral Grace Hopper was one of the first programmers of the Harvard Mark I computing system. She pioneered the machine-independent programming language technique, and the FLOW-MATIC language used by her was later used to create COBOL. She received a posthumous Presidential Medal of Freedom. Grace Brewster Hopper was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and United States Navy rear admiral. She was a pioneer of computer programming. Hopper was the first to devise the theory of machine-independent programming languages, and used this theory to develop the FLOW-MATIC programming language and COBOL, an early high-level programming language still in use today. She was also one of the first programmers on the Harvard Mark I computer. She is credited with writing the first computer manual, "A Manual of Operation for the Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator."

Vera Rubin

American astronomer Vera Rubin is best known for her pioneering discoveries on galaxy rotation rates, her groundbreaking work confirming the existence of dark matter and for her life-long advocacy for women in science. She studied the galactic rotation curves and provided strong evidence of the existence of dark matter. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory in Chile is named after her.

Notable Authors and Writers

Vassar College has fostered a strong literary tradition, producing numerous notable authors and writers.

Joe Hill

Joseph Hillström King, known by his pseudonym, Joe Hill, has gained famed with his novels such as "Heart-Shaped Box" and "Horns" and his short story anthologies such as "20th Century Ghosts" and "Strange Weather." He has also authored the comic book series "Locke & Key."

Other Notable Alumni

In addition to the individuals mentioned above, Vassar College has a long list of other notable alumni who have made significant contributions in their respective fields:

Ethan Zohn: Association football player.
Jonás Cuarón: Co-writer of the 2013 film "Gravity" and son of director Alfonso Cuarón.
Mary Oliver: Poet, Writer.
Ruth Benedict: American Anthropologist.
Greg Rucka: Comics artist.
Marguerite Moreau: Actress.

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