Ohio University Notable Alumni

Discover the notable alumni of Ohio University. The list includes people like Paul Newman, Matt Lauer, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Jonathan Edwards & Nancy Cartwright. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as media personalities, film & theater personalities, miscellaneous, artists & painters and sportspersons etc.
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 1 
Paul Newman
(One of the Most Influential Actors of 20th-Century)
Paul Newman
109
Birthdate: January 26, 1925
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Shaker Heights, Ohio, United States
Died: September 26, 2008

One of the most celebrated actors of the 1960s and 1970s, Paul Newman was a multi-faceted man. Apart from winning acting accolades, such as the Academy Award, he had also won many championships as a driver as part of the Sports Car Club of America. Also known for his philanthropy and political activism, Newman founded many nonprofit organizations.

 2 
Ed O’Neill
(Actor & Comedian Best Known for His Portrayal of 'Al Bundy' in the Fox Network Sitcom ‘Married...With Children’)
Ed O’Neill
18
Birthdate: April 12, 1946
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Youngstown, Ohio, United States
Footballer-turned-actor Ed O'Neill is best known for his Golden Globe-nominated role of Al Bundy in Married... with Children and his Emmy-nominated portrayal of Jay Pritchett in Modern Family. He was seen in the Wayne's World films and did voice-work in Finding Dory. He has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
 3 
Nancy Cartwright
(Actress)
Nancy Cartwright
16
Birthdate: October 25, 1957
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
 4 
Piper Perabo
(Best Known for Her Film ‘Coyote Ugly’ and TV Series ‘Covert Affairs’)
Piper Perabo
26
Birthdate: October 31, 1976
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States

Piper Perabo is an American actress who garnered wide acclaim for her portrayal of Violet Sanford in the musical comedy-drama film Coyote Ugly. Since then, Perabo has been an important actress in both film and TV industry. Also known for her political activism, Perabo was arrested twice for participating in protests. She also advocates for women empowerment and LGBT rights.

 5 
Arsenio Hall
(Comedian)
Arsenio Hall
20
Birthdate: February 12, 1956
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 6 
Mike Schmidt
(Baseball player)
Mike Schmidt
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 27, 1949
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Dayton
 7 
Vanessa Bell Calloway
(Actress)
Vanessa Bell Calloway
9
Birthdate: March 20, 1957
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
 8 
Patti Harrison
(Known for her supporting role as Ruthie in the television series Shrill)
Patti Harrison
4
Birthdate: October 31, 1990
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Orient, Ohio, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 9 
Bob Huggins
(Basketball coach)
Bob Huggins
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 21, 1953
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Morgantown, West Virginia, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 10 
Logan Paul
(YouTuber, Viner)
Logan Paul
187
Birthdate: April 1, 1995
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Westlake, Ohio, United States

A social media personality, Logan Paul shot to fame by posting stunts, comedy sketches and public pranks videos on You Tube and Vine. Later, he became the face of various advertisement campaigns and also ventured into acting in films and television. Logan Paul has been involved in several controversies too.

 11 
Allie LaForce
(Beauty pageant contestant, Journalist)
Allie LaForce
2
Birthdate: December 11, 1988
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Vermilion
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 12 
Matt Lauer
(Former American Television News Personality, Best Known for His Work With NBC News)
Matt Lauer
24
Birthdate: December 30, 1957
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Matt Lauer is a former TV news anchor who co-hosted the opening ceremonies of many Olympic Games. After a flourishing career at NBC News, Matt Lauer was forced to retire after a colleague accused him of engaging in inappropriate sexual behavior. His personal life too was affected because of sexual harassment allegations made against him.

 13 
Jason Preston
(Basketball player)
Jason Preston
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 10, 1999
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 14 
Erma Bombeck
(Humorist)
Erma Bombeck
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 21, 1927
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bellbrook, Ohio, United States
Died: April 22, 1996
 15 
Jonathan Edwards
(Preacher, Theologian, Philosopher)
Jonathan Edwards
3
Birthdate: October 5, 1703
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: East Windsor, Connecticut, United States
Died: March 22, 1758

Jonathan Edwards was an American philosopher, revivalist preacher, and Congregationalist Protestant theologian. Considered one of America's most prominent and influential philosophical theologians, Jonathan Edwards played a major role in shaping the Evangelical Revival of the 1730s and 1740s. His theological work is credited with paving the way for a new school of theology called the New England theology.

 16 
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
(Structural biologist)
Venkatraman Ramakrishnan
3
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: 1952 AD
Birthplace: Chidambaram,Tamilnadu India

Venkatraman Ramakrishnan is a British-American structural biologist whose research on the function of the ribosome earned him the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry which he shared with Ada Yonath and Thomas A. Steitz. From 2015 to 2020, he served as the president of the Royal Society.

 17 
Thom Brennaman
(Sports commentator)
Thom Brennaman
2
Birthdate: September 12, 1963
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Chapel Hill
 18 
Mark Dantonio
(American football coach)
Mark Dantonio
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 9, 1956
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: El Paso, Texas, United States
 19 
Bob Bradley
(American Soccer Coach)
Bob Bradley
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 3, 1958
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Montclair, New Jersey, United States

Apart from being the first American manager of a Premier League club, Bob Bradley now serves as the head coach of the MLS team Los Angeles FC. He is the father of Toronto FC soccer player Michael Bradley. The Princeton graduate had also worked with Procter & Gamble before stepping into sports.

 20 
Jenny Holzer
(Artist, Painter, Sculptor)
Jenny Holzer
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 29, 1950
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Gallipolis

Jenny Holzer is an American artist best known for her association with neo-conceptual art. Her work focuses on conveying ideas and messages in public spaces with the help of large-scale installations, illuminated electronic displays, projections on buildings, and advertising billboards. Over the course of her career, Holzer has received several awards like the Golden Lion at the 1990 Venice Biennale.

 21 
Robert Christopher Riley
(Actor)
Robert Christopher Riley
2
Birthdate: October 11, 1980
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 22 
Jonathan Freeman
(Actor)
Jonathan Freeman
3
Birthdate: February 5, 1950
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
 23 
Gary Trent
(Basketball player)
Gary Trent
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 22, 1974
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Height: 6'8" (203 cm)
 24 
Bob Brenly
(Baseball player)
Bob Brenly
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 25, 1954
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Coshocton, Ohio, United States
 25 
Nathan Rourke
(Canadian Professional Football Quarterback)
Nathan Rourke
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 24, 1998
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 26 
Joe Eszterhas
(Screenwriter, Writer, Journalist)
Joe Eszterhas
4
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 23, 1944
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Csákánydoroszló
 27 
Marie Tharp
(US Geologist and Oceanographer Known for Her Pioneering Work on 'Oceanographic Cartography')
Marie Tharp
0
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: July 30, 1920
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Ypsilanti, Michigan, United States
Died: August 23, 2006

US geologist and oceanographer Marie Tharp is remembered for her pioneering work on oceanographic cartography. She contributed to the development of the first scientific map of the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. She was associated with the Columbia University’s Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory and was one of the first women to work for it.

 28 
Jim Dine
(American Artist Whose œUvre Extends Over Sixty Years)
Jim Dine
1
Birthdate: June 16, 1935
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States

Jim Dine is an American artist who focuses on painting, printmaking, drawing, photography, and sculpting. Throughout his career, Dine has been linked with many art movements, including Neo-Dada, Pop Art, and Abstract Expressionism. Over the years, Jim Dine’s work has been displayed in various museums like the Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).

 29 
Tarell Basham
(American football player)
Tarell Basham
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 18, 1994
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rocky Mount, Virginia, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 30 
Rick Charls
(Former American High Diver Who Held the World Record for the Highest Dive of 172 Feet)
Rick Charls
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
 31 
Thomas F. Duffy
(American Actor)
Thomas F. Duffy
1
Birthdate: November 9, 1955
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, United States
 32 
Clarence Page
(Journalist)
Clarence Page
1
Birthdate: June 2, 1947
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Dayton, Ohio, United States
 33 
Edward James Roye
(Politician)
Edward James Roye
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 3, 1815
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Newark, Ohio, United States
Died: February 11, 1872
 34 
Chuck Swirsky
(Basketball player, Radio personality)
Chuck Swirsky
1
Birthdate: January 30, 1954
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Norfolk
 35 
Jeff Boals
(Basketball coach, Basketball player)
Jeff Boals
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 5, 1972
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Magnolia, Ohio, United States
 36 
Edward Lachman
(Cinematographer, Film director)
Edward Lachman
2
Birthdate: March 31, 1948
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Morristown

Cinematographer and director Edward Lachman is best known for his Academy Award-nominated movies Carol and Far from Heaven. Lachman has also worked on hits such as Erin Brockovich and Desperately Seeking Susan. The son of a movie distributor, he was educated at Harvard and later studied painting at Ohio University.

 37 
Tim Mickelson
(American Rower and Olympic Medalist)
Tim Mickelson
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 12, 1948
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Deerfield, Wisconsin, United States
Died: August 30, 2017
 38 
Nick Kellogg
(Basketball player)
Nick Kellogg
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 11, 1991
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Westerville, Ohio, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 39 
Hans-Ulrich Wehler
(Historian)
Hans-Ulrich Wehler
2
Birthdate: September 11, 1931
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Freudenberg, Germany
Died: July 5, 2014
 40 
Bernard Muir
(Basketball player)
Bernard Muir
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 22, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Gainesville, Florida, United States
 41 
Chuck Stewart
(Photographer)
Chuck Stewart
0
Listed In: Photographers
Birthdate: May 21, 1927
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Texas, United States
Died: January 20, 2017
 42 
Yang Xiaobo
(Chinese Structural Engineer and Former Mayor of Huangshi (2009 - 2014))
Yang Xiaobo
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: 1963
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tianmen, China
Died: January 28, 2020

Yang Xiaobo had been the mayor of Huangshi and was a qualified structural engineer. He also boasted of an MBA from the U.S. The Chinese Communist Party member, who had also been the president of the Central South Architectural Design Institute, died of COVID-19-induced pneumonia in Wuhan in 2020.

 43 
George Shiras Jr.
(Jurist)
George Shiras Jr.
2
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: January 26, 1832
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: August 2, 1924
 44 
William Starling Sullivant
(Botanist)
William Starling Sullivant
1
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: January 15, 1803
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Died: April 30, 1873
 45 
Stefana Defining Fitness
(TikTok Star Who Posts Health and Fitness Content)
Stefana Defining Fitness
0
Birthdate: December 27, 1998
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Iasi, Romania
 46 
Nujoom Al-Ghanem
(Poet)
Nujoom Al-Ghanem
2
Birthdate: October 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Situated in Athens, Ohio is one of America’s oldest universities, Ohio University. Since its commencement of classes began in 1809, the university has grown and branched out in order to be one of the finest universities of the United States. With an overall enrollment of over 40,000, the university practices an enrollment process with selective admission wherein the international student enrollment of over 1700 is also present. The campus extends over a beautiful property lined with trees, and buildings that have been designated as a National Historic Landmark. Ohio University offers various undergraduate and graduate programs in the fields of Arts & Science, Business, Communication, Education, Engineering and Medicine. The university has been rewarded with many honorable titles over the years by World Report, BusinessWeek, Forbes and Princeton Review for its academic excellence. Both, The Chronicle of Higher Education and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs have deemed Ohio University as a top producer of U.S. Fulbright Scholars, in the past. The university is well-known for producing various personalities who have achieved and contributed immensely in their respective areas of expertise. Roderick J. McDavis, Matt Lauer and Nancy Cartwright are some notable individuals who started their journey to success from Ohio University. Here is a list of some more famous personalities who top the list as Ohio University alumni.