This is a list of notable faculty and alumni of Temple University, a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Presidents
The followings have served as president of Temple University:
Table notes:
Faculty
Biology
Business
Communication
English
Film
History
Law
Mathematics
Music
Philosophy
Psychology
Religion
Sociology
Sports
Other disciplines
Alumni
Academia
- Katalin Karikó - 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
- Rebecca Alpert â activist, Rabbi, and current chair of the religion department
- Edwin David Aponte â author and educator, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Faculty, and Professor of Christianity & Culture at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis.
- Leon Bass (Ph.D.) â educator
- John Baugh â linguist known for developing theory of linguistic profiling, Margaret Bush Wilson Professor in Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
- Elizabeth D. Peña â Professor and Associate Dean of Faculty Development & Diversity at the University of California, Irvine
- Susan H. Brandt â historian
- David Bressoud (Ph.D) â mathematician, former professor at Pennsylvania State University, DeWitt Wallace Professor of Mathematics at Macalester College
- Linda Darling-Hammond â Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, where she launched the School Redesign Network
- Miguel A. De La Torre â Associate Professor of Social Ethics; Director of the Justice and Peace Institute at the Iliff School of Theology; author of several books concerning the marginalized
- Angelo DiGeorge â physician and known for discovery of autoimmune disorder referred to as DiGeorge syndrome. Also, see Temple University School of Medicine, Notable Alumni and Pioneers
- David Drasin â mathematician, specializing in function theory.
- John Esposito â scholar of Middle East and Islamic studies, professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University
- Louis Filler â eminent professor of American Studies
- Gail F. Forrest â spinal cord researcher at Kessler Foundation and New Jersey Medical School
- Ben Goertzel â Chief Scientist of financial prediction firm Aidyia Holdings; Chairman of AI software company Novamente LLC
- Stephen G. Haines â organizational theorist and management consultant
- Thomas Anthony Harris â psychiatrist and author of I'm OK â You're OK
- Martin M. Kaplan (1915âÂÂ2004) - American virologist and WHO public health official
- Nathan Katz â former professor at Williams College, current Florida International University professor and expert on Jewish communities in India
- Edmund Kornfeld â organic chemist
- Donald Kraybill â expert on the Amish
- Bill Mensch â computer scientist, founder, chairman and CEO of Western Design Center
- Robert K. Merton â sociologist, former professor at Columbia University and Harvard University, former Chairman of the Department of Sociology at Tulane University
- Glenda Price â former president of Marygrove College
- JoAnne Robbins â noted authority on dysphagia, professor at University of Wisconsin
- Charles Coleman Sellers â historian, biographer, and librarian, winner of the Bancroft Prize in 1970
- Stephen Sheehi â Sultan Qaboos bin Said Professor of Middle Eastern Studies, College of William and Mary; author of Foundations of Modern Arab Identity (University Press of Florida, 2004), Islamophobia: The Ideological Campaign Against Muslims (Clarity Press, 2011), and Arab Imago: A Social History of Portrait Photography 1860âÂÂ1910, (Princeton University Press, 2016).
- Shirley M. Tilghman â former professor and President of Princeton University
- Patrick Henry Tolan - Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), and the Charles S. Robb Professor Emeritus at the University of Virginia.
- Martin A. Pomerantz â physicist, astronomer, Director of Bartol Research Institute, NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal and National Science Foundation's Distinguished Public Servant Award recipient
- Alan Wolfe â political scientist and sociologist on the faculty of Boston College, as director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life
Art
Broadcasting
- Al Alberts â singer, Philadelphia personality on WPVI-TV
- Bob Brinker â financial talk radio host for Citadel Media
- Tony Bruno â sports radio talk show host on ESPN, Fox Sports Radio, and Sporting News Radio
- Howard Bryant â senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine
- Pat Callahan â host of This Week in Pro Football on 950 ESPN
- Steve Capus â president, NBC News
- John Clark â sports anchorman for NBC 10 news
- Fritz Coleman â weather anchor, KNBC-TV news
- Marsha Cooke â executive producer, ESPN Films, 30 for 30
- Tracy Davidson â news presenter for NBC 10 news
- Jerry Del Colliano â radio/TV broadcaster, digital media expert, USC professor, author
- Vince DeMentri â anchorman for NBC 10 news
- Ray Didinger â award-winning sports journalist, Pro Football Hall of Famer writer.
- Nick Gillespie â author, journalist, editor at reason.com
- Tamron Hall â MSNBC anchor
- Marc Lamont Hill â academic, journalist, author, activist, and television personality, Our World with Black Enterprise and online HuffPost Live host, BET News correspondent and a CNN political commentator
- John Kincade â sports radio talk show host on ESPN Radio
- Mark Levin â conservative author, lawyer, and radio talk show host on WABC
- Marty Moss-Coane â host, daily WHYY-FM local public radio show Radio Times
- Hiro Muramoto â Japanese cameraman for Reuters, killed while covering the 2010 Thai political protests
- Kevin Negandhi â ESPN anchor
- Ronn Owens â radio talk show host
- Ed Sciaky â disc jockey
- Gene Shay â disc jockey
- Terry Smith â broadcaster, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
- Dyana Williams â radio and television personality, journalist, and celebrity media coach
- Marc Zumoff â sportscaster, Comcast Sportsnet, Philadelphia 76ers
Business
Film, theatre, and television
- Kalen Allen â actor and internet personality discovered by Ellen DeGeneres while at Temple
- Keith Andes â actor
- Darcy Antonellis â major film studio executive
- Joe Augustyn â screenwriter, producer
- David Brenner â standup comedian, actor, author, filmmaker
- Richard Brooks â Academy Award-winning Hollywood filmmaker
- Quinta Brunson â actor, comedian
- Cody Calafiore â model, actor, runner up of Big Brother 16, winner of Big Brother 22
- Dennis Christopher â actor
- Bryan Terrell Clark â Broadway actor
- Bill Cosby â actor, comedian
- Nicholas P. Dallis â soap comic writer
- Colman Domingo â 2-time Academy Award nominated actor
- Norman Fell â comic actor best known for Three's Company (attended Theatre Dept. classes)
- Jason Winston George â actor, Sunset Beach, Platinum
- Johnny Ray Gill â actor, independent filmmaker (NBC's Harry's Law)
- William Goldenberg â Academy Award-winning Hollywood film editor
- Veronica Hamel â actress, known for playing Joyce Davenport on the television series Hill Street Blues
- Lois Hamilton â actress
- Tim Heidecker â comedian and co-creator of Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
- Debra Hill â film producer and screenwriter
- Tigre Hill â film director/producer
- Saba Homayoon â actress
- Irvin Kershner â film director, Star Wars: Episode V â The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
- Bruce Mailman â theatre producer and founder of The Saint
- William Marchant â playwright and screenwriter
- Adam McKay â Emmy-nominated director of ' (2004), ' (2006), and Step Brothers (2008), Academy award-winning writer of The Big Short
- Kunal Nayyar â actor (Raj on CBS' The Big Bang Theory)
- Eric Owens â American operatic bass-baritone
- Nadia Parfan â Ukrainian film director and creative producer
- Robert Prosky â actor
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph â Academy Award-winning actress
- Herbert Rudley â actor
- Bob Saget â comedian, game show host, Full House
- Michael Schoeffling â actor (Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles)
- Peter Shub â actor, clown, and circus producer
- Svetlana Shusterman â from MTV's The Real World Key West
- James Riordan â actor, Broadway, Television and Film actor
- Tom Sizemore â actor
- Hugh Panaro â Broadway actor
- Paul F. Tompkins â actor, comedian
- Dan Trachtenberg â film director of 10 Cloverfield Lane, and co-host The Totally Rad Show
- Eric Wareheim â comedian and co-creator of Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
- Patricia Wettig â Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award-winning actress, thirtysomething, Brothers & Sisters, Prison Break
- Christopher Wilkinson â Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director
- Jesse Williams â actor (Jackson Avery on Grey's Anatomy)
- Danny Woodburn â actor (Mickey on Seinfeld)
- Brooke Lewis Bellas - actor, producer
Government
- Mari Carmen Aponte â U.S. Ambassador to Panama
- Edward J. Bonin â Republican U.S. Congressman for Pennsylvania
- M. Julian Bradley - first African-American Republican elected to Wisconsin State Senate
- Frederick C. Branch â first African-American U.S. Marine Corps officer
- Horace J. Bryant â first African American to serve in a State Cabinet position in New Jersey
- Jamira Burley â Municipal leader, national campaign deputy director
- Michael E. Busch â Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
- Jim Cawley â Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania
- Robert Coughlin â longstanding Republican Pennsylvania representative to United States House of Representatives
- Mae E. De Vincentis â former United States Department of Defense official and the vice director for the Defense Logistics Agency
- Harold L. Ervin â judge on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania
- Edwin Duing Eshleman â former Republican congressman
- Thomas M. Foglietta â U.S. Congressman and United States Ambassador to Italy
- Vincent Fumo â Democratic Pennsylvania state senator
- Tom Gannon â Pennsylvania State Representative for the 161st legislative district (1979âÂÂ2006)
- Hage Geingob â President of the Republic of Namibia (March 21, 2015 â February 4, 2024)
- Nikoloz Gilauri â Prime Minister of Georgia
- Joseph M. Gladeck, Jr. (B.S. 1972) â Pennsylvania State Representative 1979âÂÂ2000.
- Camillo Gonsalves (B.A. in Journalism) â Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations
- Theo-Ben Gurirab â President of the United Nations General Assembly, 1999âÂÂ2000; Speaker of the National Assembly of Namibia since 2005
- Stephen Hahn â Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration
- Allison Hepler â state representative
- Joe Hoeffel â former Democratic congressman
- Malcolm Hoenlein â executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations; founding executive director of the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
- Vincent Hughes â Pennsylvania state senator (Democrat)
- Zambry Abdul Kadir â current Menteri Besar of Perak, Malaysia, from political party UMNO
- Kathleen Kane â first woman Attorney General of Pennsylvania, also convicted of felony perjury
- Paul E. Kanjorski â U.S. Congressman, representing Pennsylvania's 11th district
- Guy Kratzer â Pennsylvania State Senator (1983-1986)
- Kadida Kenner â founder and CEO of the New Pennsylvania Project
- Jerome Kurtz â Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (1977âÂÂ1980)
- David See-Chai Lam OC, CVO, OBC, (æÂÂæÂÂé½Â) â 25th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Canada
- Joseph Lazarow â Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1976âÂÂ1982
- Bryan Lentz â private attorney; former Pennsylvania State Representative for the 161st legislative district (2007âÂÂ2010); Democratic nominee for U.S. Representative for
- Joseph Melrose â former U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, currently a professor at Ursinus College
- Bernard T. Mittemeyer â lieutenant general and former Surgeon General of the United States Army.
- Francis J. Myers â former U.S. Senator and congressman, Pennsylvania
- Joseph M. Pratt â U.S. congressman from Philadelphia (1944-1945)
- R. K. Raghavan IPS â former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, India
- Pallam Raju â former Cabinet Minister of India for Human Resources Development
- Charles W. Sandman, Jr. â represented , 1967âÂÂ1975; unsuccessful candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1973
- Jim Saxton â U.S. Congressman representing
- Jacob Seidenberg â chairman of the Federal Services Impasses Panel
- Younes Sekkouri â Moroccan Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills
- Martin J. Silverstein â United States Ambassador to Uruguay
- John F. Street â former Mayor of Philadelphia
- Nao Takasugi â California State Assembly
- Johnny Young â U.S. Ambassador to Slovenia (2001-2004), U.S. Ambassador to Bahrain (1997-2001), U.S. Ambassador to Togo (1994-1997), U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone (1989-1992)
- Mary Kay Costello â federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Literature
- Sharmi Albrechtsen â author, blogger
- Ben Bova â science fiction author
- Frank Brookhouser â journalist, columnist, and author
- Tony Campolo â author, pastor, and speaker
- Anita Cornwell â author
- Eric Corey Freed â architect, author, public speaker
- Jeffrey Gitomer â author, speaker, business trainer
- David Goodis â crime fiction writer
- Helene Hanff â writer
- Tom McHale â novelist
- Ted Polhemus â writer, photographer, and anthropologist
- Jeffrey Robinson â author
- William Gardner Smith â author and journalist
- Jerry Spinelli â writer
- Lamont B. Steptoe â poet, photographer, and publisher
- Tony Trov â science fiction writer
- Johnny Zito â science fiction writer
Music
- Irving Berlin (honorary degree 1954) â songwriter
- Rubén Colón Tarrats â orchestra director
- Abbie ConantâÂÂ- classical trombonist
- Norman Connors â musician, composer, arranger, and producer
- Evelyn Simpson Curenton â composer
- Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz â DJ, producer, rapper, and songwriter
- Alix Dobkin â singer/songwriter
- Pat Finnerty â musician, guitarist, and songwriter
- Joe Genaro â musician, guitarist, and songwriter with the Dead Milkmen
- Ariana Ghez â classic oboist
- Alex G â musician, guitarist, and songwriter
- Julie Gold â songwriter, Grammy Award winner
- Daryl Hall â musician
- Marc-André Hamelin â pianist
- Jared Hasselhoff â bassist in band The Bloodhound Gang
- Mark Kramer â musician, producer-engineer, Mark Kramer Trio
- Fred Mascherino â musician, Taking Back Sunday, Breaking Pangaea
- Joe Masteroff â Tony Award-winning playwright
- Bill McGlaughlin â composer, conductor, radio host of Exploring Music and Saint Paul Sunday
- John Oates â musician
- Eric Owens â opera singer
- Billy Paul â Grammy Award winner and R&B singer, known for his number one single "Me and Mrs. Jones" and War of the Gods
- James Poyser â Grammy Award winning keyboardist, songwriter, and producer
- Fayette Pinkney â original member of The Three Degrees
- Jimmy Pop â lead singer of The Bloodhound Gang
- Jill Scott â R&B/soul artist
- Debbie Sledge â singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
- Joni Sledge â singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
- Kathy Sledge â singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
- Kim Sledge â singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
- Allan Slutsky â Grammy Award-winning producer and musician
- Jeffrey Solow â Grammy nominated classical cellist
- Terell Stafford â professional jazz trumpet player
- Tim â Korean ballad singer
- Kenneth Thompkins - principal trombonist, Detroit Symphony Orchestra
- Susan Werner â singer-songwriter
- Danny Kirk â musician, ADALIE
Other
Philosophy
Sports
Baseball
Football
- Robby Anderson â National Football League wide receiver, New York Jets
- Matt Balasavage â NFL tight end, Baltimore Ravens
- Stan Batinski â NFL offensive guard, Detroit Lions
- Todd Bowles â NFL head coach, New York Jets
- Raheem Brock â NFL defensive end, Indianapolis Colts
- Brian Broomell â Canadian Football League quarterback
- Tim Brown â CFL running back
- Lem Burnham â NFL defensive end, Philadelphia Eagles, did not play Temple, earned Ph.D at Temple
- Henry Burris â CFL quarterback, Ottawa Redblacks
- Jim Callahan â former Continental Football League player and writer
- Larry Chester â NFL defensive tackle, Miami Dolphins
- Jim Cooper â NFL offensive tackle, Dallas Cowboys
- Mike Curcio â NFL linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers
- Dion Dawkins â NFL offensive tackle, Buffalo Bills
- Derek Dennis â American football offensive lineman
- Randy Grossman â NFL tight end, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Tom Hanson â NFL halfback, Philadelphia Eagles
- James Harris â NFL defensive end, Oakland Raiders
- Mike Jarmoluk â NFL defensive tackle, Philadelphia Eagles
- Lance Johnstone â NFL defensive end, Minnesota Vikings
- Alex Joseph â NFL linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
- Bucko Kilroy â NFL defensive tackle, Philadelphia Eagles
- Dan Klecko â NFL fullback, Philadelphia Eagles
- Joe Klecko â NFL Hall of Fame defensive tackle, New York Jets; father of Dan Klecko
- Terrance Knighton â NFL defensive tackle, Denver Broncos
- Bill Manlove â NCAA Division III National Championship coach
- Tyler Matakevich â NFL linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers, 2015 Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Chuck Bednarik Award Winner
- Jason McKie â NFL fullback, Chicago Bears
- Brandon McManus â NFL placekicker, Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers
- Nick Mike-Mayer â NFL placekicker, Atlanta Falcons
- James Nixon â NFL cornerback, Green Bay Packers
- James Parrish â former professional football player
- Bernard Pierce â NFL running back, Jacksonville Jaguars
- Haason Reddick â NFL linebacker, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles
- Britt Reid â former assistant coach in the NFL
- Kevin Ross â NFL cornerback, Kansas City Chiefs
- Sarah Schkeeper â WFA Guard, New York Sharks
- Leslie Shepherd â NFL wide receiver, Washington Redskins
- Al Singleton â NFL linebacker, Dallas Cowboys
- David Smukler â NFL fullback, Philadelphia Eagles
- Rod Streater â NFL wide receiver, Oakland Raiders
- Rian Wallace â NFL linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Steve Watson â NFL wide receiver, Denver Broncos
- Muhammad Wilkerson â NFL defensive end, New York Jets
- Avery Williams â CFL linebacker, Montreal Alouettes
- Tavon Young â NFL cornerback, Baltimore Ravens
Fencing
Basketball
- Lavoy Allen â NBA player, Indiana Pacers
- Rick Brunson â NBA player, Philadelphia 76ers
- Duane Causwell â NBA player, Sacramento Kings, Miami Heat
- Mardy Collins â NBA player, New York Knicks
- Candice Dupree â WNBA player, Phoenix Mercury
- Feyonda Fitzgerald â WNBA player
- Mel Greenberg â Women's Basketball Hall of Fame inductee, reporter for Philadelphia Inquirer
- Kamesha Hairston â WNBA player, Connecticut Sun
- Donald Hodge â NBA player, Dallas Mavericks
- Marc Jackson â professional basketball player in Europe, former NBA player
- Steve Javie â NBA referee
- Eddie Jones â NBA player, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks, 3àNBA All-Star
- Mark Macon â NBA player, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons
- Aaron McKie â NBA player, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers, former Temple Owls men's basketball head coach
- Bill Mlkvy â NBA player, Philadelphia Warriors
- Shey Peddy â WNBA player, Washington Mystics, Phoenix Mercury
- Tim Perry â NBA player, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers
- Pepe Sánchez â NBA player, Olympic gold medalist for Argentina
- Terence Stansbury â NBA player, Indiana Pacers, Seattle SuperSonics
- Mark Strickland â NBA player, Miami Heat, Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks
- Khalif Wyatt â Israeli Basketball Premier League player, Hapoel Holon
Other sports
Fictional alumni
References
- James Hilty, Temple University: 125 Years of Service to Philadelphia, the Region and the World (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2009).