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)
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.
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.
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)
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)
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")
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)
Birthdate: June 22, 1962
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
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)
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)
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.
Birthdate: April 29, 1970
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
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’)
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)
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)
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)
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')
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.
Birthdate: May 17, 1959
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
19
Elvin Hayes
(Basketball player)
Birthdate: November 17, 1945
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Rayville, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
20
Wade Phillips
(American football coach)
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)
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)
Birthdate: May 9, 1979
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Los Angeles County, California, United States
Birthdate: February 20, 1936
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wapato, Washington, United States
Died: September 9, 2003
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: March 13, 1929
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Haverhill, Massachusetts, USA
Died: February 6, 2012
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
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)
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.
Birthdate: November 28, 1979
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
28
Jonathon Simmons
(Basketball player)
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)
Birthdate: March 11, 1981
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
30
Julian Schnabel
(American Painter and Filmmaker)
Birthdate: October 26, 1951
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
31
Monica Rial
(Voice Actress)
Birthdate: October 5, 1975
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
Birthdate: October 9, 1951
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Union, New Jersey, United States
Birthdate: September 6, 1963
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
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)
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)
Birthdate: March 8, 1960
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Havana, Cuba
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
37
Danuel House
(Basketball Player)
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)
Birthdate: December 16, 1969
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: County Dublin, Ireland
39
Quentin Grimes
(Basketball player)
Birthdate: May 8, 2000
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
40
Andre Ware
(American football player, Announcer)
Birthdate: July 31, 1968
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Galveston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
41
Kevin Kolb
(American football player)
Birthdate: August 24, 1984
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Victoria, Texas, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
42
D'Eriq King
(American football quarterback)
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)
Birthdate: March 24, 1962
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Badin, North Carolina, United States
Height: 5'5" (165 cm)
Birthdate: February 28, 1939
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Wichita Falls, Texas, U.S.
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
45
Fuzzy Zoeller
(American Professional Golfer)
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.
Birthdate: September 5, 1921
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Died: April 26, 2007
47
Ed Oliver
(American football player)
Birthdate: December 12, 1997
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
48
Benny Anders
(Basketball player)
Birthdate: October 3, 1963
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Monroe, Louisiana, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
Birthdate: April 8, 1947
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Laredo, Texas, United States
50
Matt Mullenweg
(American Entrepreneur and Web Developer)
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.