Duke University Notable Alumni

Discover the notable alumni of Duke University. The list includes people like Richard Nixon, Seth Curry, Tim Cook, Mike Posner & Rand Paul. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as intellectuals & academics, writers, scientists, media personalities and sportspersons etc.
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 1 
Kyrie Irving
(American Professional Basketball Player)
Kyrie Irving
77
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 3, 1992
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Melbourne, Australia

A six-time NBA All-Star, Kylie Irving has played for the Nets, Celtics, and Cavaliers. He won the gold in the Rio Olympics and the FIBA World Cup, as part of the U.S. national basketball team. He starred in the Pepsi series Uncle Drew and the movie of the same name.

 2 
Tim Cook
(Chief Executive Officer of 'Apple Inc.')
Tim Cook
59
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: November 1, 1960
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama, United States
Since taking over as the CEO of Apple, Inc. in 2011, till 2020, Tim Cook has, through his dedication, doubled its profits. He was the first Fortune 500 CEO to “come out” as gay, in 2014. A devoted philanthropist, Tim intends to donate most of his stocks to charity.
 3 
Richard Nixon
(37th President of the United States)
Richard Nixon
79
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 9, 1913
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Yorba Linda, California, United States
Died: April 22, 1994

Richard Nixon is the only American president in the history so far to resign from the office. His name is synonymous with the infamous Watergate scandal which led to his resignation. But his regime saw several positives too, such as end to the U.S involvement in the Vietnam War, improvement in the relationship with Soviet Union and China, and the establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency.

 4 
Ken Jeong
(Stand-Up Comedian and Actor Best Known for His Role in 'The Hangover' Film Series)
Ken Jeong
67
Birthdate: July 13, 1969
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States

From being a licensed physician, Korean-American actor Ken Jeong went on to do stand-up comedy and eventually ventured into acting. He got his breakthrough role with film Knocked Up but he garnered widespread fame with The Hangover film franchise and the acclaimed sitcom Community. His other notable films include Pineapple Express, Crazy Rich Asian and a recent Netflix stand-up special.

 5 
Zion Williamson
(American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as a Power Forward)
Zion Williamson
57
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 6, 2000
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Salisbury, North Carolina, United States

Zion Williamson is an American basketball player who plays in the power forward position for the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA. Also a humanitarian, Zion Williamson promised to pay for the salaries of the Smoothie King Center employees for 30 days as the 2019–20 NBA season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 6 
Seth Curry
(American Professional Basketball Player Who Plays as the Shooting Guard)
Seth Curry
37
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 23, 1990
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Philadelphia 76ers shooting guard/point guard Seth Curry, son of Dell Curry and brother of Stephen Curry, began his NBA career with the Memphis Grizzlies. He is a two-time NBA D-League All-Star and has had successful runs with the Liberty Flames and the Duke Blue Devils in college.
 7 
Jayson Tatum
(American Professional Basketball Player)
Jayson Tatum
50
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 3, 1998
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States

American basketball player Jayson Tatum was one of the best players in his school basketball team and played for the Duke University’s team, Duke Blue Devils, before being drafted by Boston Celtics of the NBA in 2017. Jayson Tatum is fast becoming one of Celtic’s most impactful player and also has the potential to become an NBA superstar.

 8 
Grant Hill
(Basketball player)
Grant Hill
9
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 5, 1972
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States
Height: 6'8" (203 cm)
 9 
Rand Paul
(United States Senator from Kentucky)
Rand Paul
69
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: January 7, 1963
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

The son of former U.S. Representative Ron Paul, Rand Paul is currently the junior US Senator from Kentucky. Also a physician, he started practising ophthalmology in 1993 and has his own clinic. After recovering from the coronavirus disease, he started volunteering at a hospital. As a politician, he has focused on criminal justice reform.

 10 
Ron Paul
(Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas)
Ron Paul
35
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: August 20, 1935
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Ron Paul is a physician, author, and retired politician who has played an important role in promoting libertarian vision by delivering speeches on American college campuses. A doctor by profession, Ron Paul served in the U.S. Air Force as a flight surgeon from 1963 to 1968. His life and career inspired the 2012 film Ron Paul Uprising.

 11 
Melinda Gates
(American Philanthropist and Co-Founder of ‘Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’)
Melinda Gates
38
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 15, 1964
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States
Melinda Gates, ex-wife of software magnate Bill Gates, is the co-founder of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. She previously worked at Microsoft and managed projects such as Microsoft Encarta and Expedia. She has authored a book, too, and has won several honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
 12 
Mike Posner
(Singer-songwriter, Record Producer)
Mike Posner
9
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: February 12, 1988
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 13 
Brandon Ingram
(Basketball player)
Brandon Ingram
16
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 2, 1997
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kinston, North Carolina, United States
Height: 6'7" (201 cm)
 14 
Retta
(Stand-up Comedian)
Retta
10
Birthdate: April 12, 1970
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Newark, New Jersey, U.S.
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 15 
JJ Redick
(Basketball player, Podcaster)
JJ Redick
4
Birthdate: June 24, 1984
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Cookeville, Tennessee, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 16 
Daniel Jones
(American football player)
Daniel Jones
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 27, 1997
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 17 
Grayson Allen
(Basketball player)
Grayson Allen
6
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 8, 1995
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Jacksonville, Florida, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 18 
Jahlil Okafor
(Basketball player - Center)
Jahlil Okafor
14
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 15, 1995
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States
Height: 6'10" (208 cm)
 19 
Marvin Bagley III
(Basketball player)
Marvin Bagley III
11
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 14, 1999
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Tempe, Arizona, United States
Height: 6'11" (211 cm)
 20 
Adam Silver
(Lawyer and 5th Commissioner of the NBA)
Adam Silver
15
Listed In: Lawyers & Judges
Birthdate: April 25, 1962
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Rye, New York, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 21 
Cody Ko
(YouTuber)
Cody Ko
8
Listed In: YouTubers
Birthdate: November 22, 1990
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Calgary, Canada
Canadian YouTuber Cody Ko initially gained fame on Vine. He has been part of the comedy-rap duo Tiny Meat Gang, with Noel Miller. He soared to fame with the viral hashtag #6secondauditions, has co-hosted a Shorty Award-winning podcast, and has been part of The Real Bros of Simi Valley.
 22 
Austin Rivers
(Basketball player)
Austin Rivers
6
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 1, 1992
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
 23 
Elizabeth Dole
(Former United States senator)
Elizabeth Dole
4
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: July 29, 1936
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Salisbury, North Carolina, United States
 24 
Judy Woodruff
(American Broadcast Journalist Anchor and Managing Editor of ‘PBS NewsHour’)
Judy Woodruff
18
Birthdate: November 20, 1946
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Broadcast journalist Judy Woodruff is the managing editor and anchor of PBS NewsHour. She is known for her dedicated coverage of presidential elections and has also worked with CNN, where she hosted shows such as Inside Politics and CNN WorldView. She also supports women’s rights and spina bifida-affected children.
 25 
RJ Barrett
(Basketball Player)
RJ Barrett
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 14, 2000
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 26 
Sylvia Earle
(The First Female Chief Scientist of the ‘U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’)
Sylvia Earle
4
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 30, 1935
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Gibbstown, Greenwich Township, New Jersey, United States
Sylvia Earle is known for her research on marine algae and she was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Earle held the world record for the deepest untethered dive and was named by Time Magazine as its first Hero for the Planet, in 1998. She also featured in Netflix Original documentary Seaspiracy.
 27 
Quinn Cook
(Basketball player)
Quinn Cook
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 23, 1993
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 28 
Dan Abrams
(Entrepreneur)
Dan Abrams
5
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: May 20, 1966
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City, New York, U.S.
 29 
Bailey Chase
(Actor)
Bailey Chase
1
Birthdate: May 1, 1972
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 30 
Sean Flynn
(Actor, Photojournalist)
Sean Flynn
1
Birthdate: May 31, 1941
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: June 1, 1971
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 31 
Richard Brake
(Actor)
Richard Brake
3
Birthdate: November 30, 1964
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ystrad Mynach, Hengoed, Wales, UK
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 32 
Carlos Boozer
(Basketball player)
Carlos Boozer
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 20, 1981
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, Germany
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
 33 
Stephen Miller
(Politician writer)
Stephen Miller
7
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 23, 1985
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, U.S.
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 34 
Ayda Field
(Actress)
Ayda Field
2
Birthdate: May 17, 1979
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Los Angeles County, California, USA
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 35 
Benjamin Watson
(American Football Player)
Benjamin Watson
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: December 18, 1980
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia, USA
 36 
Mason Plumlee
(Basketball Player)
Mason Plumlee
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 5, 1990
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'11" (211 cm)
 37 
Christian Laettner
(Basketball Player)
Christian Laettner
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 17, 1969
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Angola, New York, USA
Height: 6'11" (211 cm)
 38 
Tyus Jones
(Basketball player)
Tyus Jones
7
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 10, 1996
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Burnsville, Minnesota, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 39 
Jerome Bruner
(American Psychologist)
Jerome Bruner
2
Birthdate: October 1, 1915
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, United States
Died: June 5, 2016
 40 
J. B. Pritzker
(43rd Governor of Illinois)
J. B. Pritzker
4
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: January 19, 1965
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Atherton, California, United States
 41 
Gérard Louis-Dreyfus
(Chairman of Louis Dreyfus Energy Services)
Gérard Louis-Dreyfus
1
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: June 21, 1932
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: September 16, 2016
 42 
Elton Brand
(Basketball Player)
Elton Brand
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 11, 1979
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Cortland, New York, USA
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
 43 
Bobby Hurley
(Basketball coach, Basketball player,)
Bobby Hurley
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 28, 1971
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Jersey City, New Jersey, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 44 
Shane Battier
(Basketball player)
Shane Battier
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 9, 1978
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Birmingham, Michigan, United States
Height: 6'8" (203 cm)
 45 
Douglas Brunt
(Novelist)
Douglas Brunt
6
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: August 25, 1971
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
 46 
Charles H. Townes
0
Birthdate: July 28, 1915
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Greenville, South Carolina, United States
Died: January 27, 2015
 47 
Eric Greitens
(Politician, Author)
Eric Greitens
8
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 10, 1974
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States
 48 
Jay Williams
(Basketball player)
Jay Williams
17
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 10, 1981
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Plainfield, New Jersey, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 49 
Jon Scheyer
(Basketball coach, Basketball player)
Jon Scheyer
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 24, 1987
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Northbrook, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
 50 
Kara DioGuardi
(Songwriter, television personality served as a judge on American Idol)
Kara DioGuardi
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 9, 1970
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Ossining, New York, United States
Situated in Dunham, North Carolina is the private research institute, Duke University. The university enjoys a total campus area of 8,600 acres including its three adjoining campuses. The ever-so-popular university enjoys its consistent inclusion among the best universities in the world as per several international university rankings. According to a New York Times corporate study, Duke University’s graduates are presented as the most sought-after and valued in the world. The university also ranks fifth to have created the most Rhodes, Marshall, Truman and Goldwater Scholars, among national universities. Duke University has spread its roots across the globe with partnerships, tie-ups and expansion in various countries such as China and Singapore. Being one of the ten toughest universities to get into in the U.S., according to Huffington Post, the campus comprises of niche, handpicked students who have displayed academic excellence. Even the excellent panel of faculty is handpicked to ensure that the students have access to one of the best education opportunities that the country has to offer. Duke University was deemed 8th in the 2017 U.S. News & World Report ranking of undergraduate programs at doctorate granting institutions in the country. With a student body comprising of almost 15,000 students, Duke University’s diversity adds profundity and depth in enriching the life of each student. The university also boasts and impressive list of alumni’s from the likes of President Richard Nixon to Charlie Rose to Tim Cook to Ken Jeong. Presenting to you, a complete list of achievers from Duke University.