San Jose State University

Discover the notable alumni of San Jose State University. The list includes people like Dian Fossey, Gordon Moore, Yousef Saleh Erakat, Dan Butler & Ken Venturi. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as writers, scientists, film & theater personalities, youtubers and social media stars etc.
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 1 
Stevie Nicks
(Singer-Songwriter Known for Her Work With the Band 'Fleetwood Mac' and as a Solo Artist)
Stevie Nicks
67
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: May 26, 1948
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Stevie Nicks is a songwriter and vocalist with the British-American rock band, Fleetwood Mac. She also performs solo and is known for her unique voice. She has numerous hits to her credit and her records have sold in millions. She has won many awards, including the Grammy and was named one of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time by the Rolling Stone magazine.

 2 
Dian Fossey
(Zoologist, Conservationist)
Dian Fossey
14
Listed In: Scientists
Birthdate: January 16, 1932
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: December 26, 1985
Zoologist, primatologist, and conservationist Dian Fossey conducted research on mountain gorillas in Rwanda from 1966 until she was murdered in 1985. She was part of the Trimates assigned to study apes by paleoanthropologist Louis Leakey. She wrote Gorillas in the Mist, which was later turned into a film.
 3 
Kevin Pollak
(Actor, Comedian and Impressionist Known for His Films ‘The Usual Suspects’ and ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’)
Kevin Pollak
7
Birthdate: October 30, 1957
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Kevin Pollak is an American actor, impressionist, comedian, and podcast host. He is best known for playing Moishe Maisel in the popular, Emmy Award-winning TV series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, for which he has received a couple of Screen Actors Guild Awards. Kevin Pollak is also an avid poker player who participated in the 2012 World Series of Poker.

 4 
Jan Koum
(Co-Founder and Former CEO of ‘WhatsApp’)
Jan Koum
40
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: February 24, 1976
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kyiv, Ukraine

Jan Koum is a Ukrainian American computer programmer and entrepreneur. He is credited with co-founding the popular cross-platform messaging service, WhatsApp. One of the most popular billionaires around the world, Koum donated almost $556 million to the donor-advised community foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, in 2014.

 5 
Dick Vermeil
(American Football coacher)
Dick Vermeil
6
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 30, 1936
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Calistoga, California, USA
 6 
Omar Benson Miller
(Actor)
Omar Benson Miller
6
Birthdate: October 7, 1978
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Anaheim, California, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 7 
Jeff Garcia
(American Former Professional Football Player Who Was a Quarterback)
Jeff Garcia
3
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 24, 1970
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Gilroy, California, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 8 
Gordon Moore
(Businessman)
Gordon Moore
7
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: January 3, 1929
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Francisco
 9 
Dave Meltzer
(American Journalist Who Reports on Professional Wrestling and Mixed Martial Arts)
Dave Meltzer
15
Birthdate: October 24, 1959
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Sports journalist Dave Meltzer is best known for his coverage of wrestling and MMA events. He has also lectured on sports at the Stanford University and has been associated with The Wrestling Observer for a long time. He has authored the feature The Life & Times of Abdullah the Butcher.

 10 
Amy Tan
(American Author Known for Her Novels: ‘The Joy Luck Club’ and ‘The Bonesetter’s Daughter’)
Amy Tan
9
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 19, 1952
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Oakland, California, United States
 11 
Tommie Smith
(American Athlete Who Became the First Person to Break the 20-Second Barrier for 200-Metre Sprint)
Tommie Smith
4
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 6, 1944
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Clarksville, Texas, United States

Winner of the 200-meter sprint finals at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico, Tommie C. Smith finished the race in 19.83 seconds, thus becoming first to break the 20 seconds barrier. Today however he is better remembered for raising a black gloved fist over his head at the victory stand in protest against the injustice meted out to the blacks.

 12 
Tom Smothers
(Comedians)
Tom Smothers
1
Birthdate: February 2, 1937
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York City, New York, USA
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 13 
Yvette Wilson
(Comedian and Actress Known for Her Role as ‘Andell Wilkerson’ in the UPN Sitcoms ‘Moesha’)
Yvette Wilson
9
Birthdate: March 6, 1964
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Died: June 14, 2012
Yvette Wilson is best known as Andell Wilkerson from the sitcom Moesha and as Andell Wilkerson from its spin-off, The Parkers. She has also appeared in films such as House Party 3 and in series such as Def Comedy Jam. She suffered from kidney issues and died of cervical cancer.
 14 
Coby Bell
(Actor)
Coby Bell
3
Birthdate: May 11, 1975
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Orange County, California, USA
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 15 
Yousef Saleh Erakat
7
Listed In: YouTubers
Birthdate: January 22, 1990
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fremont, California, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 16 
Dan Butler
(Actor, Television actor)
Dan Butler
2
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 2, 1954
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Huntington, Indiana
 17 
Dick Smothers
(Actor)
Dick Smothers
1
Birthdate: November 20, 1939
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Governors Island, New York, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 18 
Wayne Thiebaud
(American Painter)
Wayne Thiebaud
0
Birthdate: November 15, 1920
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Mesa
Died: December 25, 2021
 19 
Hamza Yusuf
(Islamic scholar)
Hamza Yusuf
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 1, 1958
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Walla Walla, Washington, U.S.
 20 
Juli Inkster
(American Professional Golfer)
Juli Inkster
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 24, 1960
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Santa Cruz, California, United States

Juli Inkster is a retired professional golfer who played on the LPGA Tour. She played collegiate golf and later won three consecutive US Women's Amateurs, becoming the first woman since 1934 to win three consecutive US Amateur titles. She has 32 professional wins and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is now a golf commentator. 

 21 
Lou Henry Hoover
(First Lady of the United States 1929 – 1933)
Lou Henry Hoover
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: March 29, 1874
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Waterloo, Iowa, United States
Died: January 7, 1944
 22 
Robert Wall
(American Actor and Martial Artist)
Robert Wall
0
Birthdate: August 22, 1939
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 23 
James Jones
(American football player)
James Jones
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 31, 1984
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 24 
Ken Caminiti
(Baseball Player)
Ken Caminiti
118
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 21, 1963
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hanford, California, United States
Died: October 10, 2004
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 25 
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
(Politician)
Ben Nighthorse Campbell
1
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: April 13, 1933
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Auburn, California, United States
 26 
Rosanna DeSoto
(Actress)
Rosanna DeSoto
1
Birthdate: September 2, 1950
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States
 27 
Brian Krzanich
(Engineer)
Brian Krzanich
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: May 9, 1960
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Santa Clara County, California, US
 28 
Robert Graham
(sculptor, architect)
Robert Graham
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 19, 1938
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Mexico City
Died: December 27, 2008
 29 
Peter Ueberroth
(American Sports and Business Executive Known for His Involvement in the Olympics and in Major League Baseball)
Peter Ueberroth
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 2, 1937
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Evanston, Illinois, United States

A trusted business leader since 1959, Peter Ueberroth shot to fame when he became the President of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee and successfully held the 1984 Summer Olympics. Later in the same year, he became the Commissioner of Baseball. Also the Chairman of the United States Olympic Committee from 2004 to 2008, he remains equally active in corporate world.

 30 
Lloyd Haynes
(Actor, Screenwriter)
Lloyd Haynes
1
Birthdate: September 19, 1934
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: South Bend, Indiana, United States
Died: January 1, 1987
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
 31 
Steve DeBerg
(American football player)
Steve DeBerg
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 19, 1954
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Oakland, California, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 32 
Omid Kordestani
(Businessperson and Philanthropist)
Omid Kordestani
2
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: October 19, 1963
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Tehran, Iran
 33 
Donte Whitner
(American football player)
Donte Whitner
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 24, 1985
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
 34 
Michael Whelan
(American Artist and Illustrator)
Michael Whelan
0
Birthdate: June 29, 0000
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Culver City, California, United States
 35 
Robert Scoble
(American Blogger, Technical Evangelist and Author)
Robert Scoble
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: January 18, 1965
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: New Jersey, United States
 36 
Ken Venturi
(American Professional Golfer and Golf Broadcaster)
Ken Venturi
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 15, 1931
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States
Died: May 17, 2013

Ken Venturi was an American golfer who won 14 PGA Tour events, including the 1964 U.S. Open, despite suffering from various injuries throughout his playing career. In 1964, he was named PGA Player of the Year as well as the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year. Venturi was made an inductee of the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2013.

 37 
Joe Trippi
(Political consultant)
Joe Trippi
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: June 10, 1956
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
 38 
Amy Khor
(Singaporean Politician)
Amy Khor
3
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 23, 1958
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Malaysia

Amy Khor is a Singaporean politician and the current Senior Minister of State for Transport. She is also the current Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment. An important politician, Khor has also served as the Senior Minister of State for Environment and Water Resources, Senior Minister of State for Health, and Senior Minister of State for Manpower.

 39 
Stanley Anderson
(Actor)
Stanley Anderson
1
Birthdate: October 23, 1939
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Billings, Montana, United States
Died: June 24, 2018
 40 
Krazy George Henderson
(American Professional Cheerleader)
Krazy George Henderson
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 6, 1944
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: United States
 41 
Pat Hughes
(Sportscaster)
Pat Hughes
1
Birthdate: May 27, 1955
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Tucson, Arizona, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 42 
Tariq Abdul-Wahad
(Basketball Player)
Tariq Abdul-Wahad
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 3, 1974
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Maisons-Alfort, Val-de-Marne, France
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 43 
Swarnamalya
(Actress)
Swarnamalya
0
Birthdate: April 22, 1981
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
 44 
Bobbi Starr
(Actress)
Bobbi Starr
3
Birthdate: April 6, 1983
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Santa Clara, California, USA
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 45 
Courtney Anderson
(American football player)
Courtney Anderson
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: November 19, 1980
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Greenville, Texas, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 46 
Michael Deaver
(Government official)
Michael Deaver
3
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: April 11, 1938
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Bakersfield, California, United States
Died: August 18, 2007
 47 
Jeff Ulbrich
(American football player)
Jeff Ulbrich
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: February 17, 1977
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 48 
Lyn Nofziger
(Journalist)
Lyn Nofziger
0
Birthdate: June 8, 1924
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bakersfield, California, United States
Died: March 27, 2006
 49 
Willie Heston
(American football player and coach)
Willie Heston
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: September 9, 1878
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Galesburg, Illinois, United States
Died: September 9, 1963
 50 
Patty Sheehan
(American Professional Golfer and Member of the World Golf Hall of Fame)
Patty Sheehan
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: October 27, 1956
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Middlebury, Vermont, United States

Patty Sheehan is a professional golfer who has won six major championships and 35 LPGA Tour events. She started playing golf as a teenager and was the 1980 AIAW national individual intercollegiate golf champion. She turned professional in 1980. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is openly lesbian.