University Of Houston Notable Alumni

Discover the notable alumni of University Of Houston. The list includes people like Elizabeth Warren, Lil Wayne, James Franco, Dennis Quaid & Randy Quaid. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as sportspersons, singers, film & theater personalities, musicians and scientists etc.
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 1 
Kenny Rogers
(Best-Selling Country Music Artists of All Time)
Kenny Rogers
27
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: August 21, 1938
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Died: March 20, 2020

Kenny Rogers was an American singer-songwriter. He is among the best-selling musicians of all-time list, having sold over 100 million records. His songs and albums remain influential among country music lovers. A multi-talented personality, Rogers was also successful as an actor and entrepreneur; he was the co-founder of the Kenny Rogers Roasters chain of restaurants.

 2 
Hakeem Olajuwon
(One of the Greatest Basketball Players of All Time)
Hakeem Olajuwon
24
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lagos, Nigeria

Hakeem Olajuwon is a former basketball player. Nicknamed The Dream, because of his dream-like ability to dunk effortlessly, Olajuwon is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketballers of all time. Apart from leading the Houston Rockets to two back-to-back NBA championships, Hakeem Olajuwon also helped the US national team win the Olympic gold medal in the 1996 Summer Olympics.

 3 
Jim Parsons
122
Birthdate: March 24, 1973
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States

In 2018, Jim Parsons was named by Forbes as the world's highest-paid TV actor. His role as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory has played a major role in determining his success as a TV actor. Apart from making him rich, the series was also responsible for earning him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

 4 
Carl Lewis
(American Track-and-Field Athlete Who Won Nine Olympic Gold Medals During the 1980s and 1990s)
Carl Lewis
14
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 1, 1961
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama, United States

A dominant sprinter and long jumper, Carl Lewis has won ten Olympic medals, nine of them gold. From 1981 to 1991, he topped the world rankings in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump events, slowly starting to lose his dominance thereafter, eventually retiring in 1997. Currently a businessperson, he has also appeared in films and television productions.

 5 
Dennis Quaid
(American Actor Best Known for His Dramatic & Comedic Roles)
Dennis Quaid
25
Birthdate: April 9, 1954
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Regarded as one of the best actors to have not received an Oscar nomination by The Guardian, Dennis Quaid is popular for portraying a wide variety of roles. He fought drug addiction early in his career to become a successful actor. He is also a musician and golfer; Golf Digest magazine mentioned him as the top golfer among Hollywood celebrities.
 6 
Lizzo
(Rapper Know for Her Hit Songs "Good as Hell" "Truth Hurts" & "Juice")
Lizzo
128
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: April 27, 1988
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Three-time Grammy-winning rap and hip-hop sensation Lizzo is also a queer and body-positivity icon. She began singing with groups such as The Chalice and Grrrl Prty, and graced the Billboard 200 with the album Cuz I Love You. Time’s 2019 Entertainer of the Year, Lizzo is also a talented flute-player.
 7 
Clyde Drexler
(Basketball player)
Clyde Drexler
23
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 22, 1962
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
 8 
Liza Koshy
(American YouTube Star)
Liza Koshy
49
Listed In: YouTubers
Birthdate: March 31, 1996
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States

Liza Koshy serves as an inspiration to many social media stars and YouTubers as she went on to become an actress and TV host after starting her career on Vine. She even received an Emmy nomination for hosting a game show called Double Dare. In 2019, she was named in Time magazine's 25 Most Influential People on the Internet list.

 9 
Fred Couples
(Professional Golfer and Former World No. 1)
Fred Couples
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 3, 1959
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States

Fred Couples is a professional golfer who is a former World No.1. He has competed on the PGA Tour and the PGA Tour Champions and has won 64 professional tournaments. He is known for his long and accurate driving ability off the tee. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013. 

 10 
Randy Quaid
(American Actor Who is Known for His Roles in Both Serious Drama and Light Comedy)
Randy Quaid
21
Birthdate: October 1, 1950
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States

Randy Quaid is an American actor who received critical acclaim for playing President Lyndon Johnson in the 1987 television movie LBJ: The Early Years. Controversy's favorite child, Randy Quaid could not work for almost a decade due to legal troubles; Quaid has been charged with burglary and defraud among other illegal activities.

 11 
Master P
(Rapper)
Master P
26
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: April 29, 1970
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 12 
Brent Spiner
(Actor)
Brent Spiner
8
Birthdate: February 2, 1949
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 13 
Loretta Devine
(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Adele Webber’ in the TV Series ‘Grey's Anatomy’)
Loretta Devine
16
Birthdate: August 21, 1949
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Loretta Devine is best known for her portrayal of Lorrell Robinson in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Her performance as Adele Webber in Grey's Anatomy won her an Emmy. She has also delivered stellar performances in the films Waiting to Exhale and The Preacher's Wife and the series Family Reunion.
 14 
Case Keenum
(Football Player)
Case Keenum
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 17, 1988
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Brownwood, Texas
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 15 
Shannon Miller
(American Former Artistic Gymnast and Two-Times Olympic Gold Medallist)
Shannon Miller
8
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 10, 1977
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rolla, Missouri, United States

Shannon Miller is a former artistic gymnast who is one of the most decorated US female gymnasts in Olympics history. She is the winner of seven Olympic medals, including the five she won at the 1992 Olympics, and 16 World Championships.  She is a member of the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame and the United States Olympic Hall of Fame.   

 16 
Tom Landry
(American Professional Football Player and Coach)
Tom Landry
12
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 11, 1924
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Mission, Texas, United States
Died: February 12, 2000
American football player and two-time Superbowl-winning coach Tom Landry had successful stints with the New York Yankees and the New York Giants. He was also the longest-tenured NFL coach, working with the Dallas Cowboys for 29 seasons. He pioneered the 4–3 defense and the flex defense. 
 17 
Tilman Fertitta
(Chairman and CEO of ‘Landry's, Inc’ and Onwer of NBA Team 'Houston Rockets')
Tilman Fertitta
12
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: June 25, 1957
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Galveston, Texas, United States
Entrepreneur Tilman Fertitta is the CEO and owner of Landry's, Inc., one of the largest hospitality brands in the U.S., which owns multiple restaurants, casinos, and hotels. He is also the owner of the NBA team Houston Rockets and has his own reality series, Billion Dollar Buyer.
 18 
Jim Nantz
(Sportscaster)
Jim Nantz
5
Birthdate: May 17, 1959
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 19 
Elvin Hayes
(Basketball player)
Elvin Hayes
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 17, 1945
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rayville, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
 20 
Wade Phillips
(American football coach)
Wade Phillips
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 21, 1947
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Orange, Texas, USA
 21 
Elizabeth Warren
(United States Senator from Massachusetts and Vice Chair of the Senate Democratic Caucus)
Elizabeth Warren
61
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: June 22, 1949
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

Considered a progressive, American politician Elizabeth Warren has been an US senator from Massachusetts since 2013. She is known as a supporter of worker representation on board of corporations, harsher punishment for white-collar crimes and a higher minimum wage, among other things. She ran in the Democratic Party presidential primaries for the 2020 elections, but later pulled out of the race.

 22 
Christine Ha
(First blind contestant of MasterChef and the winner of its third season in 2012)
Christine Ha
7
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 9, 1979
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Los Angeles County, California, United States
 23 
Larry Hovis
(Singer)
Larry Hovis
5
Birthdate: February 20, 1936
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wapato, Washington, United States
Died: September 9, 2003
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 24 
Peter Breck
(Actor)
Peter Breck
6
Birthdate: March 13, 1929
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA
Died: February 6, 2012
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 25 
Victoria Osteen
(Writer)
Victoria Osteen
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 28, 1961
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Huntsville

Better known as the wife of pastor Joel Osteen, Victoria Osteen is a co-pastor at the Lakewood Church. She had met Joel at her mother’s jewelry store. Initially a student of psychology, she later deviated to spirituality. She is also a bestselling author of books such as Love Your Life.

 26 
Brene Brown
(Researcher Known in Particular for Her Research on Shame, Vulnerability, and Leadership)
Brene Brown
8
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: November 18, 1965
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, United States

Apart from being a University of Houston research professor, Brene Brown has also been a successful author of New York Times bestsellers such as Braving the Wilderness, and a podcast host. She also has a lecture featured on Netflix, while her Ted Talk is one of the world’s top-five most-viewed. 

 27 
Chamillionaire
(Rapper)
Chamillionaire
13
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: November 28, 1979
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 28 
Jonathon Simmons
(Basketball player)
Jonathon Simmons
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 14, 1989
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 29 
Paul Wall
(Rapper, Disc jockey who became successful with his major label debut The Peoples Champ)
Paul Wall
8
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: March 11, 1981
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 30 
Julian Schnabel
(American Painter and Filmmaker)
Julian Schnabel
2
Birthdate: October 26, 1951
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 31 
Monica Rial
(Voice Actress)
Monica Rial
3
Birthdate: October 5, 1975
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 32 
Robert Wuhl
(Actor)
Robert Wuhl
3
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: October 9, 1951
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Union, New Jersey, United States
 33 
Alice Sebold
(Writer)
Alice Sebold
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 6, 1963
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
 34 
Gene Wolfe
(Writer)
Gene Wolfe
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: May 7, 1931
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New York City
Died: April 14, 2019
 35 
Flo Hyman
(American Volleyball Player and Olympic Silver Medalist)
Flo Hyman
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 31, 1954
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: January 24, 1986
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 36 
Lee Labrada
(American Professional Bodybuilder, Author and CEO of Labrada Nutrition)
Lee Labrada
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 8, 1960
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Havana, Cuba
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 37 
Danuel House
(Basketball Player)
Danuel House
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 7, 1993
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
 38 
Michelle Smith
(Irish Lawyer and Retired Olympic Swimmer)
Michelle Smith
6
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 16, 1969
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: County Dublin, Ireland
 39 
Quentin Grimes
(Basketball player)
Quentin Grimes
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 8, 2000
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 40 
Andre Ware
(American football player, Announcer)
Andre Ware
0
Birthdate: July 31, 1968
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Galveston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 41 
Kevin Kolb
(American football player)
Kevin Kolb
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 24, 1984
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Victoria, Texas, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 42 
D'Eriq King
(American football quarterback)
D'Eriq King
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 24, 1997
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Manvel, Texas, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 43 
Star Jones
(Lawyer, Journalist, Television Personality & Fashion Designer)
Star Jones
4
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: March 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Badin, North Carolina, United States
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
 44 
Tommy Tune
(Actor)
Tommy Tune
3
Birthdate: February 28, 1939
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wichita Falls, Texas, U.S.
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 45 
Fuzzy Zoeller
(American Professional Golfer)
Fuzzy Zoeller
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 11, 1951
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New Albany, Indiana, United States

Fuzzy Zoeller is a golfer who has 19 professional wins under his belt. Zoeller has won 10 PGA Tour events, including the 1979 Masters Tournament and the 1984 U.S. Open. His performance in the U.S. Open earned him the Bob Jones Award in 1985. Zoeller has represented the U.S. team, helping his team win the 1979 and 1983 Ryder Cups.

 46 
Jack Valenti
(Lobbyist)
Jack Valenti
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: September 5, 1921
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Died: April 26, 2007
 47 
Ed Oliver
(American football player)
Ed Oliver
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 12, 1997
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 48 
Benny Anders
(Basketball player)
Benny Anders
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 3, 1963
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Monroe, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 49 
Tom DeLay
(Politician)
Tom DeLay
5
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 8, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Laredo, Texas, United States
 50 
Matt Mullenweg
(American Entrepreneur and Web Developer)
Matt Mullenweg
2
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: January 11, 1984
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
The University of Houston, situated in Texas, is not only one of the top institutions in the American state, but also popular across the world. Currently, more than 40,000 students are pursuing their education at this notable university. Interestingly, the university has been a great contributor to the economy of Texas as a whole. It is believed that approximately 24,000 people are employed with the university. Since its humble beginning in 1927, this university’s reputation has grown by leaps and bounds. According to a survey conducted by the ‘U.S News & World Report’, this university stood 194th in the list of top universities in the world. The breathtakingly beautiful campus of this university is spread over a distance of 2.7 kilometers. The university offers a wide variety of courses related to the fields of arts, science, management and humanities. Apart from its vast size and its reputation for providing holistic education, the University boasts of a notable alumni association which has been making the institution proud. The list of noteworthy former students of this university includes names like actors Jim Parsons and Dennis Quaid, athlete Carl Lewis, basketball player Hakeem Olajuwon as well as American politician Elizabeth Warren. Jim Parsons is currently a household name across the world, thanks to his outstanding performances in the sitcom ‘The Big Bang Theory’. The list of notable alumni of ‘University of Houston’ includes many more eminent personalities who have been making waves for their remarkable achievements.