The following is a list of notable persons (students, alumni, faculty or academic affiliates) associated with San José State University, located in the American city of San Jose, California.
Notable alumni
Academia
- Bettina Aptheker (M.A. 1976) â author, professor, political activist
- Marshall Drummond (B.S. 1964, M.B.A. 1969) â former chancellor, California Community College System
- Harry Edwards (B.A. 1964) â professor emeritus of Sociology, University of California, Berkeley; author of The Revolt of the Black Athlete
- Terry Erwin (B.A. 1964, M.A. 1966) â entomologist, Smithsonian Institution
- Lawrence H. Keeley (B.A. 1970) â archaeologist; professor, University of Illinois Chicago; author of War Before Civilization
- Mary E. Lyons (M.A. 1976) â president, University of San Diego
- Sidney Siegel (B.A. 1951) â psychologist and economist, known for the SiegelâÂÂTukey test and considered a founding father of experimental economics
- Henry Suzzallo (Dip.Ed. 1894) â former president, University of Washington
- Jennifer Wilby (M.S. 1992) â director of the Centre for Systems Studies, University of Hull
- Hamza Yusuf (B.A. 1997) â Islamic scholar
Artists and musicians
- Amber Aguirre (M.A. 1990, M.L.I.S. 1996) â ceramic sculptor
- Bernd Behr (attended 1995âÂÂ98) â artist
- Mary Blair (B.F.A. 1931) â artist and illustrator who helped create Disney's Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951) and Peter Pan (1953)
- Lindsey Buckingham (attended 1968âÂÂ70) â musician best known for Fleetwood Mac
- Doug Clifford â rock drummer best known for his work as a founding member of Creedence Clearwater Revival
- Stu Cook â bass guitarist best known for his work with Creedence Clearwater Revival (attended SJSU, but did not graduate)
- Binh Danh (B.F.A. 2002) âÂÂphotographer noted for chlorophyll leaf prints and dauggerotypes of National Parks
- Irene Dalis (B.A. 1946) â New York Metropolitan Opera star and founder of Opera San Jose
- Allan Graham (attended 1965) â visual artist
- Robert Graham (attended 1961âÂÂ63) â internationally acclaimed sculptor whose work includes the Olympic Gateway in Los Angeles
- PJ Hirabayashi (M.U.P. 1977)â co-founder of San Jose Taiko, recipient of National Heritage Fellowship
- Roy Hirabayashi â co-founder of San Jose Taiko, recipient of National Heritage Fellowship
- Shinichi Ishizuka â manga artist
- Tom Johnston â rock guitarist and vocalist best known for his work as a founding member of The Doobie Brothers
- Paul Kantner â rock guitarist best known for his work as a founding member of Jefferson Airplane
- Titus Kaphar (B.F.A. 2001) — contemporary painter and 2018 MacArthur Fellows Program Genius Award recipient
- David Kuraoka (B.A. 1970, M.A. 1971) â ceramic artist
- Peter Wayne Lewis (M.A. 1979) â Jamaican-American contemporary artist known for his large-scale abstract paintings
- Sal Maccarone (B.F.A. 1972) â nationally acclaimed woodworker and sculptor whose work includes "The Spirit of Tenaya" in Yosemite National Park
- Bryan "Brain" Mantia (A.M. 1985) â drummer, Primus, Guns N' Roses, Tom Waits, Buckethead
- Ann Millikan (B.A. 1986) â musician and composer
- Stevie Nicks (attended 1968âÂÂ70) â musician best known for Fleetwood Mac
Authors
- Lorna Dee Cervantes (B.A. 1984) â poet, Pulitzer Prize nominee
- William J. Craddock (1967) â novelist, author of Be Not Content and Twilight Candelabra
- Carmen Giménez Smith (B.A.) â poet, American Book Award winner
- James D. Houston (B.A. 1965) â co-author of Farewell to Manzanar; author of Continental Drift, Snow Mountain Passage, and others; Lurie Distinguished Visiting professor of Creative Writing at SJSU in Spring 2006
- Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston (B.A. 1956) â co-author of Farewell to Manzanar
- Jayne Ann Krentz (M.A. 1971) â New York Times bestselling author
- Ella Leffland (B.A. 1953) â novelist (Rumors of Peace) and short story writer (Last Courtesies and Other Stories)
- Edwin Markham (DipEd, 1872) â 1st Poet Laureate of Oregon, most known for "The Man with the Hoe"
- Patricia A. McKillip (B.A. 1971, M.A. 1972) â novelist
- Sandra McPherson (B.A.) â poet
- Robert Scoble (attended âÂÂ1993) â blogger, author, and social media pioneer
- Amy Tan (B.A. 1972, M.A. 1973) â novelist; author of The Joy Luck Club
Aviation
Business
- Terry Alderete (B.S.) â businesswoman
- Helder Antunes (B.S.) â senior director, Cisco Systems; chairman of the board, OpenFog Consortium
- James F. Boccardo (A.B. 1931) â trial lawyer, businessman, and philanthropist
- Finis Conner (B.A. 1969) â founder, Conner Peripherals and co-founder of Seagate Technology
- Ron Conway (B.A.) â billionaire angel investor and philanthropist; co-founder and former CEO of Altos Computer Systems
- Robert Frankenberg â former CEO, Novell
- Omid Kordestani (B.S. 1984) â senior vice president, Google
- Brian Krzanich (B.S. 1982) â CEO, CDK Global and former CEO, Intel Corporation
- Jenny Ming (B.A. 1978) â CEO, Charlotte Russe; former CEO of Old Navy
Film, theatre, and TV
- Stanley Anderson â actor, known for portraying Drew Carey's father on The Drew Carey Show
- Coby Bell (B.A. 1997) â actor; best known for his role as NYPD officer Tyrone Davis, Jr. on the NBC drama Third Watch
- Danny Lee Clark â actor, writer and producer; played Nitro on American Gladiators
- Rosanna DeSoto â film actress, best for her role of Connie Valenzuela in the 1987 film La Bamba
- Yousef Erakat (B.A. 2013) âÂÂactor, comedian, vlogger
- Debrah Farentino â film and television actress; model (attended SJSU; transferred to UCLA)
- Michael Forest â actor, known for portraying Apollo, on
- Jerry Juhl (B.A. 1961) â head writer and producer for The Muppets and Fraggle Rock
- Omar Benson Miller (attended 1996âÂÂ2001) â actor
- Steve Silver â founder of Beach Blanket Babylon, a popular cabaret show in San Francisco
- Kurtwood Smith â actor, best known for the role of Red Forman on That '70s Show
- The Smothers Brothers â comedians
- Bobbi Starr â pornographic actress
- Mychal Threets â librarian and media host; host of the YouTube revival of PBS series Reading Rainbow
- Luis Valdez (B.A. 1964) â Chicano playwright, screenwriter and director best known for his movie La Bamba
Journalism
Miscellaneous
Politics and government
- Albert E. Carter â former U.S. congressman
- David C. Casas â former mayor of Los Altos and Los Altos city council member
- Cindy Chavez â former member of San Jose City Council and former vice mayor of San Jose
- Judy Chirco â San José City councilmember, District 9
- William Clark, Jr. â former U.S. Ambassador to India
- Michael Deaver â deputy White House chief of staff for President Ronald Reagan
- Robert Doerr â former mayor of San Jose, California (1956âÂÂ1958)
- Paul Fong â California assemblyman, 22nd district
- Robert "Bob" Foster â mayor of Long Beach, California; former president, Southern California Edison; former CSU trustee
- Mike Honda â U.S. representative from California
- Lou Henry Hoover (Dip.Ed. 1893) â former First Lady of the United States
- Johnny Khamis â councilmember on the San Jose City Council
- William Langdon â former associate justice of the California Supreme Court
- Linda J. LeZotte â San Jose City councilmember, District 1
- Evan Low â California state assemblyman; member of California Legislative LGBTQ Caucus
- Gus Morrison â mayor of Fremont, California (1985âÂÂ1989; 1994âÂÂ2004; 2012âÂÂ2013)
- Gaylord Nelson â former U.S. senator; governor of Wisconsin; founder of Earth Day
- Lyn Nofziger â White House advisor to presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan
- Robert Rivas â 71st speaker of the California State Assembly
- Ed Rollins â national campaign director for Reagan–Bush (1984) and Mike Huckabee (2007); regular guest political analyst on CNN (attended SJSU; graduated from CSU Chico)
- Jim Silva â California state assemblyman; former mayor of Huntington Beach
- Laurie Smith â sheriff, Santa Clara County; first female county sheriff in the history of the state of California
- Fernando Torres-Gil â first assistant secretary for aging at the Department of Health and Human Services in the Clinton Administration; associate dean of the School of Public Affairs at UCLA
- Joe Trippi â presidential campaign manager for Howard Dean (2004)
- Aisha Wahab â California state senator, 10th district
- Carole Ward Allen â former BART board director, District 4; former Oakland port commissioner
- Kent Wiedemann â former U.S. ambassador to Cambodia
- Ken Yeager â politician, member of Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors
International politicians
Science and technology
Sports
Baseball
- Jeff Ball â former Major League Baseball player, San Francisco Giants
- Aaron Bates â Major League Baseball player, Boston Red Sox
- Mike Brown â former Major League Baseball player, California Angels and Pittsburgh Pirates
- Ken Caminiti â former Major League Baseball player, Houston Astros et al.
- Anthony Chavez â former Major League Baseball player, California Angels
- Chris Codiroli â former Major League Baseball player, Oakland Athletics
- Kevin Frandsen â Major League Baseball player, Philadelphia Phillies
- Gary Hughes â former Major League Baseball assistant coach, Chicago Cubs
- Pat Hughes â play-by-play radio broadcaster for Chicago Cubs
- Jason Jimenez â former Major League Baseball player, Detroit Tigers and Tampa Bay Devil Rays
- Randy Johnson â former Major League Baseball player, Atlanta Braves
- Brad Kilby â Major League Baseball player, Oakland Athletics
- Hal Kolstad â former Major League Baseball player, Boston Red Sox
- Mark Langston â former Major League Baseball player, Seattle Mariners, California Angels, et al.
- Larry Lintz â former Major League Baseball player, Montreal Expos et al.
- John Oldham â former Major League Baseball player, Cincinnati Reds
- Jason Simontacchi â former Major League Baseball player, St. Louis Cardinals and Washington Nationals
- Anthony Telford â former Major League Baseball player, Baltimore Orioles, Montreal Expos, et al.
- Carlos Torres â Major League Baseball player, Chicago White Sox
Basketball
Football
- Courtney Anderson â former NFL tight end, Atlanta Falcons and Oakland Raiders
- Marcus Arroyo â head football coach, UNLV
- Stacey Bailey â former NFL wide receiver, Atlanta Falcons
- Keith Birlem â former SJSU quarterback, NFL player, member of San Jose State Hall of Fame
- Kim Bokamper â former NFL linebacker, Miami Dolphins
- John Broussard â NFL wide receiver, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Gill Byrd â former NFL defensive back, San Diego Chargers; two NFL Pro Bowl appearances
- Jim Cadile â former NFL guard, Chicago Bears
- Sheldon Canley â former NFL running back, San Francisco 49ers and New York Jets
- Matt Castelo â former NFL linebacker, Seattle Seahawks; former CFL linebacker, Hamilton Tiger-cats
- Steve Clarkson â nationally renowned quarterbacks coach; founder of Steve Clarkson Dreammaker quarterback camp
- Sherman Cocroft â former NFL defensive back, Kansas City Chiefs
- Neal Dahlen â former SJSU quarterback, NFL manager and scout; holds the record for the most earned Super Bowl rings at seven
- Rashied Davis â NFL wide receiver, Chicago Bears
- Yonus Davis â CFL running back, BC Lions
- Steve DeBerg â former NFL quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
- David Diaz-Infante â former NFL and CFL offensive guard, San Diego Chargers, Denver Broncos, Philadelphia Eagles, and Sacramento Gold Miners
- Oscar Donahue â former NFL wide receiver, Minnesota Vikings
- Terry Donahue â UCLA head football coach; College Football Hall of Fame inductee (attended SJSU for one year)
- Leon Donohue â former NFL offensive lineman, San Francisco 49ers and Dallas Cowboys
- Carl Ekern â former NFL linebacker, Los Angeles Rams; one NFL Pro Bowl appearance
- David Fales â NFL quarterback, New York Jets
- Mervyn Fernandez âÂÂformer NFL wide receiver, Los Angeles Raiders
- Coye Francies â NFL defensive back, Cleveland Browns
- Jeff Garcia (B.S. 1994) â NFL quarterback, San Francisco 49ers et al.; four NFL Pro Bowl appearances
- Trestin George â CFL defensive back, BC Lions
- Jarron Gilbert â NFL defensive tackle, Chicago Bears
- Charley Harraway â former NFL running back, Washington Redskins and Cleveland Browns
- Paul Held â former NFL quarterback, Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers
- Willie Heston (attended 1898âÂÂ1900) â former SJSU halfback; College Football Hall of Fame inductee
- James Hodgins â former NFL fullback, St. Louis Rams et al.
- Duke Ihenacho â NFL safety, Denver Broncos
- Johnny Johnson â former NFL running back, New York Jets; one NFL Pro Bowl appearance; consensus choice for Rookie of the Year (1990)
- Cody Jones â NFL defensive tackle, Los Angeles Rams; one NFL Pro Bowl appearance
- James Jones â NFL wide receiver, Oakland Raiders
- Rick Kane â former NFL running back, Detroit Lions
- Bob Ladouceur â among winningest high school football coaches in U.S. history; coached De La Salle High Spartans to 151 consecutive wins 1992âÂÂ2003
- Bill Leavy â NFL referee; officiated Super Bowl XL
- Dwight Lowery â NFL defensive back, New York Jets and two-time All-American at SJSU
- Joe Nedney â NFL kicker, San Francisco 49ers
- William Yaw Obeng â Arena Football League lineman, San Jose SaberCats
- Chris Owens â NFL defensive back, Atlanta Falcons
- Tom Petitthome â former AFL player, San Jose Sabercats
- Art Powell â NFL wide receiver, Oakland Raiders; Raiders' 7th all-time leading receiver
- Waylon Prather â former NFL punter, New Orleans Saints, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals
- Jim Psaltis â former NFL defensive back
- David Richmond â NFL wide receiver, Cincinnati Bengals
- Scott Rislov â AFL quarterback, San Jose SaberCats
- Al Saunders â former NFL head coach for the San Diego Chargers
- Rufus Skillern â CFL and NFL wide receiver, BC Lions and Baltimore Ravens
- Gerald Small â former NFL defensive back, Miami Dolphins
- Carl Sullivan â former NFL defensive end, Green Bay Packers
- Adam Tafralis â CFL quarterback, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
- Tyson Thompson â NFL kick returner, Dallas Cowboys
- Bob Titchenal â former NFL linebacker, Washington Redskins and Los Angeles Dons; one Pro Bowl appearance; former head football coach, University of New Mexico and SJSU
- Paul Varelans â retired professional MMA fighter formerly with the UFC
- Dick Vermeil â NFL head coach; winning coach, Super Bowl XXXIV
- Bill Walsh (B.A. 1955) â NFL head coach; winning coach, Super Bowl XVI, Super Bowl XIX, and Super Bowl XXIII; Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee
- Gerald Willhite â former NFL running back, Denver Broncos
- Billy Wilson â former NFL receiver, San Francisco 49ers; six NFL Pro Bowl appearances
- Louis Wright â former NFL defensive back, Denver Broncos; 1st round NFL draft pick; five NFL Pro Bowl appearances
- Roy Zimmerman â former NFL quarterback, Washington Redskins; one Pro Bowl appearance
Golf
Olympic Games
Other
Fictional alumni
Faculty and staff
References