List of University of Texas at Austin alumni

This list of University of Texas at Austin alumni includes notable graduates, non-graduate former students, and current students of the University of Texas at Austin. The institution is a major research university in Downtown Austin, Texas, US and is the flagship institution of the University of Texas System.^[1][2][3] Founded in 1883, the university has had the fifth largest single-campus enrollment in the nation as of Fall 2006 (and had the largest enrollment in the country from 1997 to 2003), with over 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students and 16,500 faculty and staff.^[4] It currently holds the second largest enrollment of all colleges in the state of Texas.^[5]

First Lady Laura Bush '73 received an MLS from UT Austin.

Tom C. Clark, '22, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, received his J.D. from the University of Texas School of Law.

Michael Dell started PC's Limited (the precursor to Dell Computers) while at UT Austin.

Alumnus Roger Clemens, MLB pitcher and seven-time Cy Young Award winner

Alumna Mary Lou Retton (pictured with President Reagan) was the first non-European gymnast to win the all-around Olympic competition.

Over 30 UT Austin undergraduates have served in the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, such as Lloyd Bentsen '42, who served as both a U.S. senator and U.S. representative, and was the 1988 Democratic Party vice presidential nominee. Tom C. Clark, J.D. '22, served as United States attorney general from 1945 to 1949 and as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States from 1949 to 1967. Cabinet members of American presidents include former United States secretary of state Rex Tillerson '75, former United States secretary of state James Baker '57, former secretary of education William J. Bennett, and former secretary of commerce Donald Evans '73. First Lady Laura Bush '73 and daughter Jenna '04 both graduated from UT Austin, as well as former first lady Lady Bird Johnson '33 & '34 and her eldest daughter Lynda. In foreign governments, the university has been represented by Fernando Belaúnde Terry '36 (42nd president of Peru), and Abdullah al-Tariki (co-founder of OPEC).

UT Austin alumni in academia include the 26th president of the College of William & Mary Gene Nichol '76, the 10th president of Boston University Robert A. Brown '73 & '75, and the 8th president of the University of Southern California John R. Hubbard. The university also graduated Alan Bean '55, the fourth man to walk on the Moon. Additionally, alumni of the university who have served as business leaders include ExxonMobil Corporation former CEO Rex Tillerson '75, Dell founder and CEO Michael Dell, founder & CEO of Keyhole and pioneer of the successor Google Maps & Google Earth John Hanke, and CEO of Southwest Airlines Gary C. Kelly.

In literature and journalism, UT Austin has produced Pulitzer Prize winners Gail Caldwell and Ben Sargent '70, as well as CNN anchor Betty Nguyen '95. Alumnus J. M. Coetzee also received the 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature.

UT Austin has produced several musicians and entertainers. Janis Joplin, the singer who posthumously was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award attended the university, as well as February 1955 Playboy Playmate of the Month and Golden Globe recipient Jayne Mansfield. Founding members of psychedelic rock band The Bright Light Social Hour Jackie O'Brien and Curtis Roush both received master's degrees from the university in 2009 while completing their debut self-titled album.^[6] The big screen has carried the talents of actor Matthew McConaughey '93 (star of The Wedding Planner (2001), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003), Sahara (2005), We Are Marshall (2007), et al.) with Farrah Fawcett (one of the original Charlie's Angels) on the small screen.

A number of UT Austin alumni have found success in professional sports. Seven-time Cy Young Award-winner Roger Clemens entered the MLB after helping the Longhorns win the 1983 College World Series. Professional basketball player and Olympic gold medalist Kevin Durant played one season with the Longhorns. Several Olympic medalists have also attended the school, including 2008 Summer Olympics athletes Ian Crocker '05 (swimming world record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist) and 4 × 400 m relay defending Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards '06. Mary Lou Retton (the first female gymnast outside Eastern Europe to win the Olympic all-around title, five-time Olympic medalist, and 1984 Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year) also attended the university.

Academia and research

University deans, chancellors, and presidents

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Paul R. Brown		MPA PhD	Eighth president of Monmouth University	[7]
Robert A. Brown	1973 1975	BSc MSc	Tenth president of Boston University	[8]
Emily Cutrer		BA, MA, PhD	Fourth president of Texas A&M-Texarkana	[9][10]
Ramón H. Dovalina	1984	PhD in Community College Leadership Program	Fifth president of Laredo Community College in Laredo, Texas, 1995–2007	[11]
Pete Gallego	1985	JD	13th president of Sul Ross State University	[12][13]
Leon A. Green	1915	LL.B.	Former dean at the Northwestern University School of Law	[14]
Kent Hance	1968	JD	Third chancellor of the Texas Tech University System; former United States representative, Texas District 19	[15]
Karen S. Haynes	1977	PhD	Social worker, president of University of Houston–Victoria and California State University San Marcos	[16]
John R. Hubbard	1938 1939 1950	BA MA PhD	Historian, former president of the University of Southern California	[17][18]
Farnam Jahanian		MA PhD	Computer scientist, president of Carnegie Mellon University	[19][20]
W. Page Keeton	1931	LL.M.	Former dean of the University of Texas School of Law	[21]
Ramayya Krishnan		PhD	Dean of the Carnegie Mellon University Heinz College	[22]
Charles T. McCormick	1909	BA	Law dean at University of North Carolina and UT; taught at Northwestern; wrote classic works on evidence and damages	[23]
James Moeser	1961 1964	B.Mus. M.Mus.	Ninth chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	[17][24]
John T. Montford	1965	BA	First chancellor of the Texas Tech University System, 1996–2001; member of the Texas State Senate from Lubbock 1983–1996; businessman in San Antonio since 2001	[25]
Diana Natalicio	1969	PhD	President of the University of Texas at El Paso, 1988–2019	[26]
Gene Nichol	1976	JD	Former president of the College of William and Mary; former dean of the law schools at both the University of North Carolina and the University of Colorado at Boulder	[17]
Cristina Padolina		PhD	President and Chief Academic Officer, Centro Escolar University, Manila, Philippines
Trudie Kibbe Reed		BSW, MSW	President of Philander Smith College, 1998–2004; president of Bethune–Cookman University, 2004–2012	[27]
Ricardo Romo	1967	BSc	Fifth president of the University of Texas at San Antonio; U.S. representative to the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization; member of the president's Board of Advisers on Historically Black Colleges and Universities	[17][28]
M. David Rudd		PhD	Twentieth (and current) president of the University of Memphis	[29][30]
Neal Smatresk	1980	PhD (Zoology and Marine Science)	16th president of University of North Texas; 9th president of University of Nevada, Las Vegas	[31][32]

Professors, doctors and researchers

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
James P. Allison	1969 1973	BS PhD	Nobel Prize-winning immunologist	[33]
Jessie Andrews	1886	BA, MA	First woman graduate, first female faculty member (German), first female member of the alumni association; namesake of Andrews dormitory
J. Michael Bailey	1989	PhD	Psychologist specialized in sexual orientation	[34]
Amanda Bauer	2008	PhD	Astronomer and science communicator	[35]
Alan Bean	1955	BSc	Astronaut, lunar module pilot on Apollo 12	[36]
R.H. Bing	1935	BA	Mathematician	[37]
Roger Birkman	1961	PhD	Psychologist specializing in self and social perception; creator of the Birkman Method assessment	[38]
Charles Black	1935 1938	BA MA	Law professor at Columbia and Yale; pioneer in civil rights litigation; author of leading treatise on the law of admiralty	[39]
Elizabeth Hill Boone	1974 1977	MA PhD	Order of the Aztec Eagle medal recipient for work in Mesoamerican art history	[40]
Barbara Hyde Bowman	1958	PhD	Geneticist, University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston and University of Texas Health Science Center; president of the American Society of Human Genetics	[41]
Robert S. Boyer	1967	BA	Computer scientist, co-inventor of the Boyer–Moore string-search algorithm	[42]
Lillian K. Bradley	1960	PhD	Associate professor at Texas Southern University; first African-American woman to earn a doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin	[43]
Michael Brame	1966	BA	Professor of Linguistics at the University of Washington	[44]
Yaron Brook	1989 1994	MBA PhD	Former finance professor, Santa Clara University; President and executive director, Ayn Rand Institute	[45]
Brené Brown		B.SW.	Research professor at University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work	[46]
Adi Bulsara	1978	PhD	Physicist, leader in nonlinear dynamics, PhD student of Ilya Prigogine	[47]
Karen Butler-Purry	1987	MS	Professor, Texas A&M University Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering	[48]
Elsa Salazar Cade	1968 1973	BSc MA	Science educator and entomologist	[49]
Robert Cade	1950 1961	BA PhD	Inventor of sports drink Gatorade	[50][51]
William H. Cade	1968 1972 1976	BA MA PhD	Animal behaviorist, president of the University of Lethbridge	[52]
Ken Castleman	1965 1967 1970	BSc MSc PhD	Author of the textbook Digital Image Processing, president of Advanced Digital Imaging Research	[53][54]
Almadena Chtchelkanova	1996	MA	Developed and implemented portable, scalable, parallel adaptive mesh generation algorithms for computational fluid dynamics, weather forecast, combustion and contaminant transport	[55]
Christina Cogdell	1991 2001	BA PhD	Professor of Design, University of California, Davis	[56]
Robert Crippen	1960	BSc	Pilot of STS-1, first orbital test flight of NASA Shuttle program	[57]
Mohammed Dajani Daoudi		MSc	Palestinian professor and peace activist	[58]
Leonard Eugene Dickson	1893 1894	BSc MSc	Mathematician	[59]
E. Allen Emerson	1976	BSc	Computer scientist, A. M. Turing Award	[60]
Joe Bertram Frantz		BA MA PhD	Historian of the United States, the American West, and Texas	[61]
O. H. Frazier	1963	BA	Heart surgeon	[62]
Jinlong Gong	2008	PhD	Chinese chemist
Hector Hugo Gonzalez	1974	PhD	Nurse educator	[63]
Gordon Gunter	1931 1945	MA PhD	Influential fisheries scientist who pioneered the study of fisheries in the northern Gulf of Mexico	[64]
Laura M. Haas	1981	PhD	Computer scientist; created systems for data and mapping technology	[65]
Peter Bacon Hales	1976 1980	MA PhD	Chair and professor of Art History at the University of Illinois at Chicago; historian and photographer specializing in contemporary art, American spaces and landscapes	[66]
Kevin Hannan	1977	MA	Ethnolinguist	[67]
Elise F. Harmon	early 1940s	MS	Chemist, physicist; major contributor to the miniaturization of computers	[68]
John Haynes, Jr.		Medical Degree	Family physician and surgeon	[69]
Eamonn Healy	1984	PhD	Professor of chemistry at St. Edward's University	[70]
George Holden		MA and PhD	Professor at Southern Methodist University	[71]
William Curry Holden	1923 1928	BA MA PhD	Historian, archaeologist, first director of the Museum of Texas Tech University in Lubbock	[72]
Nancy B. Jackson	1990	PhD	Chemist, former president of the American Chemical Society	[73]
Niu Jingyi	1953	PhD	Chinese biochemist, the first citizen of the People's Republic of China to be nominated for the Nobel Prize in 1979	[74]
F. Burton Jones	1935	PhD	Mathematician	[75]
Theresa A. Jones	1992	PhD	Professor of neuroscience at University of Texas at Austin	[76]
Persis Karim	1998	PhD	Professor of comparative literature, director of the Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies at San Francisco State University	[77]
V.O. Key, Jr.	1929 1930	BA MA	Political scientist; studied elections and voting behavior; taught at UCLA; professor at Johns Hopkins University; Alfred Cowles Professor of Government at Yale University; Jonathan Trumbull Professor of American History and Government at Harvard University	[78]
Lauren Krivo	1980 1984	MA PhD	Professor of Sociology at Rutgers University	[79]
Hallie Lieberman		MA	Sex and gender historian	[80]
Phil Ligrani	1974	BS	Professor of mechanical and aerospace Engineering at the University of Alabama in Huntsville	[81]
Alan Lomax		BA	Musicologist and folklorist; son of John Avery Lomax	[17][82]
John Avery Lomax	1908	BA	Pioneering musicologist and folklorist	[83]
Steve Madere		MSc	Computer scientist, founded Deja News	[84]
Gordon Eugene Martin	1966	PhD	Pioneering piezoelectric materials researcher for underwater sound transducers	[85]
Roscoe C. Martin	1924; 1925	BA, MA	Professor of political science and pioneer of academic discipline of public administration	[86][87]
Forrest McDonald	1949 1955	BA MA PhD	Historian, 1987 Jefferson Lecturer	[88]
Garnie W. McGinty		PhD	Historian, Louisiana Redeemed: The Overthrow of Carpetbag Rule, 1876–1880, college president	[89]
Jeffrey L. Meikle	1977	PhD	Stiles Professor in American Studies Emeritus at the University of Texas at Austin	[90]
Kenneth Merz	1985	PhD	Joseph Zichis Chair and professor at Michigan State University; editor-in-chief of American Chemical Society's Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling	[91]
Uta Merzbach	1952 1954	BA MA	Historian of mathematics; first curator of mathematical instruments at the Smithsonian Institution	[92]
J. Morgan Micheletti	2010	BSc	Ophthalmologist, researcher, inventor, Outstanding Young Texas Ex Award winner	[93][94][95][96][97]
Maggie Miller	2015	BA	Mathematician researching Low-dimensional topology at UT Austin; received the 2023 Maryam Mirzakhani New Frontiers Prize	[98]
Mike Montgomery	1999	BSc PhD	Astronomer, research scientist at McDonald Observatory	[99]
Robert Lee Moore	1901	BSc	Mathematician	[100]
Nancy A. Moran	1976	BA	Evolutionary biologist and entomologist, University of Texas Leslie Surginer Endowed Professor, and co-founder of the Yale Microbial Diversity Institute	[101]
Rishikesh Narayanan	2004	Post-doc	Neuroscientist at Indian Institute of Science; author; Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar laureate	[102]
Donna Nelson	1980	PhD	Chemistry professor; Nelson Diversity Surveys author; scientific workforce scholar	[103]
Lisa Piccirillo	2019	PhD	Mathematician; solved the Conway Knot Problem	[104]
Ben H. Procter	1940s	BA MA	Historian at Texas Christian University 1957–2000	[105]
Coke Reed	1962 1965 1966	BSc MSc PhD	Mathematician, inventor of Data Vortex	[106]
Jacy Reese Anthis	2015	BSc	Social scientist, author of The End of Animal Farming	[107]
Mary Ellen Rudin	1944 1949	BA PhD	Mathematician	[108]
H. Grady Rylander	1943	BSME PhD	Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Director of Center for Electromechanics	[109]
Christine E. Schmidt	1988	BS	Biomedical engineer, nerve graft inventor, and professor at University of Florida	[110]
Tom Shires	1944	BSc	Trauma surgeon	[111][112]
Robert Slocum	1981	PhD	Professor of botany and biology at Goucher College	[113][114]
Bette Talvacchia	1975	MA	Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor of Art History Emeritus at the University of Connecticut	[115]
Don Thomas	1941 1943	BA MA	Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine
Beatrice Tinsley	1964	PhD	Astronomer	[116]
Neil deGrasse Tyson	1983	MA	Astrophysicist	[117][118]
Jennifer Walden		BA	Plastic surgeon, researcher, and co-author of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Textbook	[119]
Walter Prescott Webb	1915	BA	Historian and author of the Handbook of Texas	[120]
Michael Webber	1995	BSc BA	Mechanical engineer and public speaker on energy policy	[121]
Spencer Wells	1988	BSc	Geneticist and anthropologist	[122]
Elizabeth H. West	1901	BA	Librarian; first woman to head the Texas State Library; first librarian of Texas Tech University; co-founder and first president of the Southwestern Library Association	[123][124]
Amelia Worthington Williams	1926, 1931	BA MA Ph.D.	Texas historian	[125][126]
Stephanie Wilson	1992	MSc	Astronaut, mission specialist on Space Shuttle mission STS-121	[127]

NASA

Name	Class year	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Michael A. Baker	1975	BSc		[128]
Alan Bean	1955	BSc	Fourth person to walk on the Moon as a lunar module pilot on the Apollo 12 mission	[128]
Kenneth Cockrell	1972	BSc		[129]
Robert L. Crippen	1960	BSc		[128]
Frederick W. Leslie	1974	BSc		[129]
Paul S. Lockhart	1981	MS		[128]
Carl J. Meade	1973	BSc		[129]
Andreas Mogensen	2008	PhD		[128]
Frances "Poppy" Northcutt	1965	BSc	First female Mission Control engineer	[130]
Karen Nyberg	1996	MS		[129]
Stephanie D. Wilson	1992	MS		[128]
Neil Woodward	1988	MA		[129]

Business and finance

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Moulay Abdallah ben Ali Alaoui	1989	BA	Alaouite prince, advisor of King Mohammed VI and president of energy company Mediholding SA	[citation needed]
Bud Brigham	1983	BSc in geophysics	Billionaire oil and gas developer	[131]
William Buckley, Sr.	1904 1905	BSc LL.B.	Oil speculator and political activist; father of William F. Buckley, Jr.	[132]
Leon Chen	1997 2001	BBA	Co-founder of Tiff's Treats	[133]
Tiffany Chen (née Taylor)	1997 2001	BS	Co-founder of Tiff's Treats	[133]
Robert H. Dedman, Jr.	1979	BA	Chairman of ClubCorp	[134]
Michael Dell	1983 1984	(never graduated)	Founder of Dell Computers	[135]
David Geffen		(never graduated)	Co-founder of DreamWorks Animation; founder of Asylum Records and Geffen Records	[136]
Bill Gurley	1993	MBA (McCombs)	General partner at Benchmark Capital	[137]
John Hanke	1989	BA (Plan II)	Co-founder of Keyhole; manager of the Google successor programs Google Maps and Google Earth	[138]
Tom Hicks	1968	BBA (McCombs)	Former owner of the Texas Rangers	[139]
Jeffrey Hildebrand	1981 1985	BSc MSc	Chairman and CEO of Hilcorp; 56th richest American	[140]
William R. Johnson	1974	MBA (McCombs)	CEO of H.J. Heinz Co.	[141]
Gary C. Kelly	1974	BBA (McCombs)	CEO of Southwest Airlines	[142]
Duy-Loan Le	1982	BSE	Engineer; first woman and Asian elected Texas Instruments Senior Fellow	[143]
Austin Ligon	1973 1978	BA (Plan II) MA (Economics)	Co-founder and retired CEO, CarMax	[144]
Red McCombs		MBA (McCombs) JD	Co-founder of Clear Channel Communications; former co-owner of the San Antonio Spurs, Denver Nuggets, and Minnesota Vikings	[145]
Robert McGehee	1972	JD	CEO of Progress Energy	[146]
Cal McNair			Chairman and CEO of the Houston Texans NFL franchise	[147][148]
James Mulva	1968 1969	BSc (McCombs) MBA (McCombs)	CEO of ConocoPhillips	[149]
Sarafina Nance	2016	BSc (Physics)	Science communicator, astrophysics researcher	[150]
Bill Noël	1935	BBA	Oil industrialist, banker, philanthropist from Odessa	[151]
William C. Nowlin	1972 1979	BSc (Cockrell) MSc (Cockrell)	Co-founder of National Instruments	[17][152]
Corbin J. Robertson	1969		CEO of Natural Resource Partners	[153]
Thomas L. Ryan	1987	BBA (McCombs)	CEO of Service Corporation International, a Fortune 1,000 company	[17][154]
Tex Schramm	1947	BA	Former Dallas Cowboys general manager; Pro Football Hall of Fame member	[155]
Stacy H. Schusterman		MBA	Chairman and CEO of Samson Energy; philanthropist	[156]
George Seay	1989, 1998	BA, MBA (McCombs)	Businessman, co-founder and CEO of Annandale Capital, philanthropist and conservative political activist	[157]
Roy Spence	1971	BA	Co-founder of national advertising agency GSD&M	[158]
Rex Tillerson	1975	BSc	Former chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil, and former secretary of state in the first Donald Trump administration	[159]
James Truchard	1964 1967 1974	BSc MA PhD	Electrical engineer, co-founder, president, and chairman of the board of National Instruments	[17][160]
James Marion West, Jr.		JD	Oilman, lumber mill owner, and rancher; considered the archetype of the Texas oilman	[161][162][163]
Graham Whaling	1976	BSc	Petroleum engineer and managing partner of Parkman Whaling LLC	[164]
C. John Wilder	1974	BBA (McCombs)	Former CEO of TXU, a Fortune 1,000 energy holdings company	[17][165]
Angus G. Wynne	1938	BA	Founder of Six Flags Over Texas	[citation needed]
Bedford Wynne			Co-founder of the Dallas Cowboys	[166]
Peter Zandan	1983	PhD, MBA (McCombs)	Global vice chairman, Hill+Knowlton Strategies; founder of Intelliquest, Zilliant; Austin community figure	[citation needed]

Entertainment

Film and stage

Actors

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
F. Murray Abraham		(never graduated)	Actor who won Academy Award for role in Amadeus	[167]
Fahad Albutairi	2007	BS	Saudi Arabian actor and stand-up comedian
Kevin Alejandro			Actor featured in Ugly Betty	[168]
Barbara Barrie	1952	BA	Broadway, film and television actress, Academy Award nomination for Breaking Away and Best Actress Award at Cannes Film Festival for One Potato, Two Potato	[169]
Steve Barton		(never graduated)	Broadway actor	[170][171]
Florence Bates	1906	BSc	Character actress	[172]
Gail Davis		BA	Actress, starred in 1950s syndicated western television series Annie Oakley	[173]
Felicia Day	1998	BSc	Actress (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), writer and producer	[174]
Deanna Dunagan		BME	Stage, television, and film actress who won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play in 2008 for her portrayal of Violet Weston in August: Osage County	[175]
Farrah Fawcett		(never graduated)	Actress, star of films and original Charlie's Angels television series	[176]
Peri Gilpin		(never graduated)	Actress, starred as Roz Doyle on TV series Frasier	[177]
Jon Hamm		(never graduated)	Actor, starred as Don Draper on TV series Mad Men	[178]
Marcia Gay Harden	1980	BA	Actress who won Academy Award for role in Pollock, nominated for role in Mystic River; also Tony Award winner for God of Carnage	[17][179]
John Hillerman		(never graduated)	Actor who won Golden Globe and Emmy Award for role in Magnum, P.I.	[180]
Susan Howard		(never graduated)	Actress, played Donna Culver Krebbs on soap opera Dallas	[181]
Jonathan Islas	2001	BA	Telenovela actor	[citation needed]
L. Q. Jones	1950		Prolific actor and producer in Westerns	[182]
Todd Lowe	1999	BA	Actor on True Blood and Gilmore Girls	[183]
Allen Ludden	1940 1941	BA MA	Daytime Emmy Award winner for work as Password host, Peabody Award winner for Mind Your Manners	[184]
Jayne Mansfield		(never graduated)	Actress, film star who won Theatre World Award and Golden Globe; mother of Mariska Hargitay	[185]
Chase Masterson		BFA	Actress, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Yesterday Was a Lie	[186]
Matthew McConaughey	1993	BSc	Actor, film star who won Academy Award for role in Dallas Buyers Club	[187]
Bruce McGill	1973	BFA	Actor in films such as Animal House, My Cousin Vinny, The Insider, Cinderella Man, Collateral, Lincoln and many other film and television roles	[187]
Lindsey Morgan	2012	BA	Actress in The CW television series The 100	[188]
Fess Parker	1950	BA	Actor, television star who played Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone	[189][190]
Fred Parker Jr.	2003	BA	Actor, appeared in The Best Man and I Saw the Light	[191]
Ashmit Patel	2000	BFA	Bollywood actor	[192]
Glen Powell	2011	(never graduated)	Actor, Top Gun: Maverick, Set It Up, The Dark Knight Rises, Scream Queens	[193][194]
Chris Rich	1970	MA	Actor, played Brock Hart on TV series Reba	[195][196]
Trevante Rhodes	2012	BSc	Actor, featured in Moonlight, Bird Box, and The Predator	[197]
Tex Ritter		(never graduated)	Actor and singer in Westerns; father of John Ritter	[198]
Jason Saldaña	2001	BSc	Voice actor, Tucker in Red vs. Blue	[citation needed]
Eli Wallach	1936	BA	Actor, featured in such films as The Magnificent Seven, The Godfather, Part III and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly; Emmy, Tony and honorary Academy Award winner	[199]
Noël Wells	2010	B.S.RTF	Actor, known for her television roles on Master of None and Saturday Night Live, as well as writing, directing, and starring in the film Mr. Roosevelt	[200]
Owen Wilson	1991	BA	Actor, screenwriter and producer, featured in such films as Wedding Crashers, Zoolander, Meet the Parents and Cars	[201][202][203]
Renée Zellweger	1992	BA	Actress, film star who won Academy Award for role in Cold Mountain and was nominated for roles in Bridget Jones's Diary and Chicago	[204]

Directors, producers, and writers

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Wes Anderson	1990	BA	Filmmaker who was nominated for Academy Awards for The Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, and The Grand Budapest Hotel	[17][205]
Michael "Burnie" Burns	1997	BA	Actor, writer, film producer, film director; co-founder and former CEO of Rooster Teeth	[206]
Thonnis Calhoun	1950	BFA	Writer of plays, radio, and television shows	[207][208]
Joan Darling		(Attended 1955–56, her junior year; did not graduate)	Director, First Love and "Chuckles Bites the Dust"	[209]
Mark Dennis	2007	BSc	Award-winning filmmaker, Strings	[210][211]
Jay Duplass		MFA	Film director, producer and screenwriter; with brother Mark, half of the "Duplass Brothers"	[212]
Mark Duplass	1999	BA	Film director, producer and screenwriter, actor, musician; with brother Jay, half of the "Duplass Brothers"	[212]
Ben Foster	2008	BSc	Award-winning filmmaker, Strings	[210][211]
Henry Gayden	2002	BA	Screenwriter, Earth to Echo, Shazam! and There's Someone Inside Your House	[213]
Kovid Gupta	2010	BBA, BS, BA	Screenwriter, known for Indian television shows Balika Vadhu and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain; author of Kingdom of The Soap Queen: The Story of Balaji Telefilms	[214]
Matt Hullum	1997	BSc	Actor, film producer, film director, visual effects supervisor; co-founder and current CEO of Rooster Teeth	[215]
Abhijat Joshi	2002	MFA	Screenwriter best known for work in Lage Raho Munnabhai (fifth highest-grossing Bollywood film)	[17][216]
Bernard Lechowick	1971	MFA	Award-winning television show runner, writer and producer of Knots Landing, creator of Homefront, Second Chances, and Hotel Malibu	[217]
Richard Linklater		(never graduated)	Academy Award-nominated film director and screenwriter, Dazed and Confused, School of Rock, Before Sunset, Bad News Bears, and Boyhood	[218]
Tim McCanlies		(transferred to Texas A&M)	Writer and director of Secondhand Lions	[219]
Robert Rodríguez	2008	BA	Mexican American filmmaker, director of Spy Kids, Sin City, From Dusk till Dawn; studied at University of Texas at Austin College of Communication	[220]
Robert Schenkkan		BA (Plan II)	Playwright and screenwriter, 1992 Pulitzer Prize for Drama (The Kentucky Cycle)
Thomas Schlamme		BA	Television and film director and producer	[221]
Harvey Schmidt	1940		Writer of musical theatre; wrote lyrics for musicals The Fantasticks, 110 in the Shade, I Do! I Do!, Celebration	[222]
Hark Tsui	1975	BSc (at RTF)	Hong Kong film producer and film director, major figure of the Golden Age of Hong Kong cinema
Tommy Tune	1962	BA	Broadway choreographer, dancer, stage and film actor	[223]
Gary Winick	1970	MFA	Director, producer, 13 Going on 30, Bride Wars	[224]

Music

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Anike	2018		Formerly known as Wande; rapper and A&R administrator	[225][226]
Troy Coleman	1993	BA	Singer of country rap known as "Cowboy Troy", co-host of Nashville Star	[17][227]
Jack Cooper	1999	DMA	Composer and arranger: U.S. Army Jazz Knights, Aaron Neville, Berlin Jazz Orchestra, Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and TV shows Deal or No Deal, The Jenny Jones Show, American Restoration and Access Hollywood	[17][228]
Sarah Dougher	1997	MA; PhD	Indie-rock musician	[229]
Mary Dunleavy	1990	M.Mus.	Opera singer	[171]
Kinky Friedman	1966	BA	Singer and author	[230]
Nanci Griffith		BA	Winner of 1994 Grammy Award for Best Contemporary Folk Album	[231]
Janis Joplin		(never graduated)	Singer; posthumously inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award	[232]
Jerry Junkin	1978	BM, MM	Director of Bands at University of Texas Austin, Head of the Conducting Division, Music Director and Conductor of the Dallas Winds and the Hong Kong Wind Philharmonia, Principal Guest Conductor of the Senzoku Gakuen College of Music Wind Symphony
Sarah Lipstate	2006		Guitarist and composer performs under the name Noveller	[233]
Lotic	2012	BSc	Electronic musician	[234]
Ray Lynch	1967	B.Mus.	Billboard Award-winning classical guitarist and lutenist	[235]
Sterling Morrison	1971	PhD	Founding member of rock band The Velvet Underground	[236]
Phillip Sandifer	1982	BA	Christian music songwriter and musician	[citation needed]
Harriet Schock	1962	BA	Singer-songwriter	[237][238]
Michelle Shocked	1983	BSc	Protest-music writer and performer	[17][239]
Nikki Stringfield	2012	BSc	Guitarist for The Iron Maidens; former guitarist for Before the Mourning	[240][241]
Sloan Struble	2022	(never graduated)	Singer, songwriter, and producer; founder and lead of the indie pop project Dayglow
Cindy Yen	2008	BM, BA, BAJ	Singer, songwriter, producer, dancer, actress based in Taiwan

Comics and cartooning

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Berkeley Breathed	1979	BSc	Author of comic strip Bloom County	[242]
Roy Crane	1922	BA	"Father of the adventure story cartoon strip"; author of syndicated Buz Sawyer	[243]
Charles Fincher	1968	BSc	Cartoonist (Thadeus & Weez, The Daily Scribble), lawyer	[244]
Ben Sargent	1970	BA	Pulitzer Prize-winning editorial cartoonist, Austin American-Statesman (1974–2009)	[245]

Government, law, and public policy

U.S. presidential family members

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Jenna Bush	2004	BA	Daughter of President George W. Bush	[246]
Laura Bush	1973	MLS	Former first lady of the United States	[247]
Lady Bird Johnson	1933	BA	Former first lady of the United States; recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Congressional Gold Medal	[248]
Lynda Bird Johnson Robb	1966	BA	Eldest daughter of Lyndon B. Johnson; former first lady of Virginia	[249]

Justices of the Supreme Court of the United States

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Tom C. Clark	1922	JD	Former associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States	[250]

Justices of state supreme courts

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Joseph M. Watt	1972	JD	Chief justice, Oklahoma Supreme Court	[251]

Federal judges

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
William C. Conner	1941 1942	BBA LL.B.	Federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York	[252]
Randy Crane	1985 1987	BA JD	Federal judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas	[253]
Ricardo Hinojosa	1972	BA	Chief judge for the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas; former chair of the United States Sentencing Commission	[254]
William Wayne Justice	1942	BA JD	Federal judge for the Eastern District of Texas and the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas	[255]
Royce Lamberth	1965 1967	BA LL.B.	Federal judge for the United States District Court for the District of Columbia	[256]
Barefoot Sanders	1949 1950	BA JD	Federal judge for the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas	[257]
Diane Pamela Wood	1971 1975	BA JD	Chief judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit; senior lecturer at the University of Chicago Law School	[258]

Members of the United States Congress

Note: "D" indicates a Democrat while "R" indicates a Republican.

Senators

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Lloyd Bentsen	1942	JD	Former senator (D) from Texas	[259]
Tom Connally	1898	JD	Former representative and senator (D) from Texas	[260]
Kay Bailey Hutchison	1962 1967	BA JD	Former United States senator (R) from Texas (1993–2013)	[261]
Earle Bradford Mayfield	1900 1901	JD	Former United States senator from Texas (1923–1929)	[262]
Ralph Yarborough	1927	JD	Former United States senator from Texas (1957–1971)	[17][263]

Representatives

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Michael A. Andrews	1967	BA	Former representative (D) from Texas' 3rd congressional district	[264]
William R. Archer	1946 1951	BA LL.B	United States representative from Texas (1971–2001)	[265]
Steve Bartlett	1971	BA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1983–1991)	[266]
James Andrew Beall	1890	JD	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1903–1925)	[17][267]
Chris Bell	1982	BJ	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (2003–2005)	[268]
John Junior Bell	1932 1936	College JD	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1955–1957)	[269]
Lloyd Bentsen	1942	JD	U.S. representative (1948–1955), U.S. senator (1970–1992), U.S. vice presidential candidate (1988), and secretary of the treasury under President Bill Clinton	[17][270]
Thomas Lindsay Blanton	1897	JD	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1917–1929, and 1930–1937)	[17][271]
Eldon Beau Boulter	1965	BA	Former member of the United States House of Representatives from Amarillo (1985–1989)	[272]
Jack Brooks	1943 1949	BA LL.B.	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1953–1995)	[273]
Jim Chapman	1968	BBA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1985–1997)	[274]
Henry Cuellar	1981 1998	JD PhD	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (2005– )	[275]
Lloyd Doggett	1967 1970	BA JD	Former justice of the Texas Supreme Court (1989–1994), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1995– )	[276]
Bob Eckhardt	1935 1939	BA LL.B.	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1967–1981)	[277]
Pete Geren	1974 1978	BA JD	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1989–1997)	[278]
Charles Gonzalez	1969	BA	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1999– )	[279]
Ed Gossett	1924 1927	BA LL.B.	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1939–1951)	[280]
Rubén E. Hinojosa	1962	BBA	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1997– )	[281]
Frank Ikard	1936 1937	BA LL.B.	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1951–1961)	[282]
John Marvin Jones	1907	LL.B.	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1917–1940)	[283]
Abraham Kazen, Jr.	1940	Pre-Law	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1967–1985)	[284]
Richard Kleberg	1911	JD	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1931–1945)	[17][285]
Marvin Leath	1954	BBA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1979–1991)	[286]
Tom Loeffler	1968 1971	BA JD	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1979–1987)	[287]
Bill Patman	1953	BBA LL.B.	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1981–1985)	[288]
J.J. Pickle	1938	BA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1963–1995), namesake of the University of Texas' J.J. Pickle Research Campus	[289][290]
Morris Sheppard	1897	BA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1902–1913)	[291]
Mac Sweeney	1897	BA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wharton (1985–1989)	[292]
William Homer Thornberry	1897	BA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1949–1963)	[293]
Jim Turner	1897	BA	Former member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1997–2005)	[294]

United States governors

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Greg Abbott	1981	BBA	48th governor of Texas	[295]
Dolph Briscoe	1942	BA	41st governor of Texas	[296]
Jeb Bush	1974	BA	43rd governor of Florida	[297]
John B. Connally	1939 1941	BA LL.B.	39th governor of Texas, wounded while riding in the car during the assassination of President John F. Kennedy	[298]
Dan Moody	1910 1914	BA LL.B.	30th governor of Texas and opponent of the Ku Klux Klan; at age 33 he was elected and took office as the youngest governor in Texas history	[299]
Bill Owens		BA LL.B.	40th governor of Colorado	[300]
Ann Richards		BA LL.B.	45th governor of Texas	[301]

Politicians and diplomats outside the U.S.

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Allah Bachayo Talpur	1936	MSc	Member of the Sindh Legislative Assembly, member of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research, member of American Soybean Association	[302]
Francisco Santos Calderón			Former vice president of Colombia (2002–2010)	[303]
Laurentino Cortizo	1979	MBA	President of Panama (2019–)
María de Lourdes Dieck-Assad	1983	PhD	Economist, former Mexican ambassador to the European Union (2004–2007)	[304]
Salam Fayyad	1986	PhD	Former prime minister of the Palestinian National Authority (2007–2013)	[305]
Hişyar Özsoy	2004 2010	MSc, PhD	Kurdish academic and politician in Turkey	[306]
Abdullah Tariki	1947	MA	First and former Saudi minister of petroleum and mineral resources (1960–1962); co-founder of the OPEC	[307]
Fernando Belaúnde Terry	1935	BA	Former president of Peru (1963–1968, 1980–1985)	[308]
Dinesh Trivedi	1974	MBA	Former Indian union minister of state for health and family welfare (2009 and 2011–2011); former union minister for railways (2011–2012)	[309]

Members of the United States Cabinet

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Robert B. Anderson	1932	LL.B.	Secretary of the treasury (1957–1961), deputy secretary of defense (1954–1955), and secretary of the Navy (1953–1954) under Dwight D. Eisenhower	[310]
James Baker	1957	JD	Secretary of state under George H. W. Bush, secretary of the treasury under Ronald Reagan, and White House Chief of Staff under both George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan	[311]
William J. Bennett		PhD	President Reagan's chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities (1981–1985); secretary of education (1985–1988); President George Herbert Walker Bush's "drug czar" (1989–1990)	[citation needed]
Lloyd Bentsen	1942	LL.B.	U.S. representative (1948–1955); U.S. senator (1970–1992); secretary of the treasury under President Bill Clinton	[312]
George Christian	1971	BA	Journalist, former White House press secretary (1966–1969)	[313][314]
Ramsey Clark	1949	BA	Lawyer, former United States attorney general (1967–1969)	[315]
Tom C. Clark	1922	BA LL.B.	Former United States attorney general (1945–1949)	[316][317]
John Connally	1941	LL.B.	39th governor of Texas (1963–1969); former United States secretary of the treasury (1971–1972); seriously wounded during the assassination of John F. Kennedy	[318]
Donald Evans	1969 1973	BSc MBA (McCombs)	Former secretary of commerce under George W. Bush	[319]
Scott McClellan	1991	BA	Former White House Press Secretary (2003–2006)	[320]
Rex Tillerson	1975	BSc	69th United States secretary of state (2017–2018)	[321]

Armed forces

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Bobby Ray Inman	1950	BA	Retired United States Navy admiral, director of the National Security Agency, Lyndon B. Johnson Centennial Chair in National Policy (University of Texas at Austin)	[322]
Neel Ernest Kearby	1936	BBA	World War II aviator, Medal of Honor recipient	[323]
Jeannie Leavitt	1990	BA	First female fighter pilot in the United States Air Force	[324]
William McRaven	1977	BA	Retired United States Navy admiral, 2014 commencement speaker
Russell Albert Steindam	1968	BA	Army ranger, Medal of Honor recipient	[325]
Robin G. Tornow	1972	MA	Retired United States Air Force brigadier general	[326]
Charles F. Widdecke	1941	BA	Retired United States Marine Corps major general; recipient of the Navy Cross	[327]

Other U.S. political and legal figures

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Stacey Abrams	1998	MPA	Activist, Minority Leader (2011–2017) in the Georgia House of Representatives, candidate in the 2018 Georgia gubernatorial election
Elsa Alcala		J.D.	Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8; former Houston prosecutor and state district and intermediate appeals judge	[328]
Ben Barnes			Former Texas speaker of the House (1965–1969) and Lieutenant Governor of Texas (1969–1973)	[citation needed]
Dan Bartlett		BA	White House communications director for President George W. Bush	[329]
Steven Best			Professor of philosophy and spokesperson for the Animal Liberation Front	[citation needed]
William H. Bledsoe		Attended briefly c. 1889	Lawyer and member of both houses of the Texas legislature from Lubbock, 1915–1929
Ed Blizzard	1975	BA	Prominent pharmaceutical injury attorney	[330]
Bill Blythe		BA	Republican state representative from Harris County, 1971–1983	[331]
Esther Buckley		BSc	Member of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, 1983–1992; educator in Laredo, Texas	[332][333]
George C. Butte	1904	MA	Republican gubernatorial nominee in 1924; member of the Supreme Court of the Philippine Islands, 1932–1936	[334]
Frank Kell Cahoon	1957	BSc	Midland oilman; former Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives	[335]
John Carona	1978	BBA	Member of the Texas Senate from District 16, 1996–2015	[336]
Liz Carpenter	1942	BJ	Former press secretary to First Lady Lady Bird Johnson	[337]
Waggoner Carr			Law school, former speaker of Texas House of Representatives and Attorney General of Texas	[citation needed]
Carlos Cascos		Accounting	Secretary of State of Texas, beginning 2015; outgoing county judge of Cameron County, Texas, 2007–2015	[338]
Nellie Connally			Former first lady of Texas	[citation needed]
Kilmer B. Corbin		Law	Texas state senator from Lubbock (1949–1957); father of actor Barry Corbin	[339]
Christi Craddick	1992	Bachelor's degree	Texas Railroad Commission member since 2012 from Midland; daughter of Texas state representative Tom Craddick	[340]
Vivien Crea	1972	BA	Vice admiral; first woman to attain flag rank; first female vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard	[341]
Brandon Creighton	c. 1992	Bachelor of Arts	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from Conroe; lawyer and businessman	[342]
Phil Dyer	1973	BBA	Mayor of Plano, Texas (2009–2013), president of LegacyTexas Bank	[343]
Elma Salinas Ender	1974	BSc	First Hispanic woman to serve on a state district court in Texas, judge of the 341st Judicial District from 1983 to 2012	[344]
Marsha Farney	2007	PhD in curriculum development and educational instruction	Texas state representative from District 20 in Williamson County; former member of the Texas State Board of Education from District 10	[345]
Tommy Franks		(never graduated)	Former commander-in-chief of U.S. Central Command	[346]
Kenn George		MBA	Texas state representative from Dallas (1999–2003); businessman	[347]
Mike Godwin	1980 1990	BA JD	First staff lawyer for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, former general counsel of Wikimedia Foundation	[348]
Craig Goldman		BA	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from his native Fort Worth; real estate businessman	[349]
John W. Goode	1943	Bachelor's degree	Attorney in San Antonio and Republican political figure in the 1950s and 1960s	[350]
Lance Gooden		BA BBA	Texas state representative for Kaufman County (2011–2015; 2017– ), businessman	[351]
Lena Guerrero		(never graduated)	Former Texas state representative from Travis County, first woman to serve on the Texas Railroad Commission	[352]
Bobby Inman	1950	BA	Former director of the National Security Agency	[353]
Joe Jamail	1950 1953	BA JD	Trial lawyer	[354]
Cyndi Taylor Krier	1971	Bachelor's degree	First Republican woman to serve as both a state senator from Bexar County (1985–1993) and as the Bexar County administrative judge (1993 to 2001)	[355]
Dan Kubiak	1962	BBA PhD	Texas state representative from Rockdale (1969–1983; 1991–1998), businessman	[356]
John Kuempel		Bachelor's degree	Texas state representative from Seguin (since 2010), businessman	[357]
Fritz Lanham	1900	BA	Politician, author of Lanham Act, the law governing U.S. trademark policy	[358]
Jodie Anne Laubenberg		BA	Texas state representative from Collin County since 2003, businesswoman in Allen, Texas	[359]
Adam R. Lee	2002	BA	Maine state representative	[360]
Debra Lehrmann	1979 1982	BA JD	Texas Supreme Court justice (Place 3), former 360th District Court judge in Fort Worth	[citation needed]
Joe K. Longley	1969	JD	138th president of the State Bar of Texas (2018)	[361]
José Manuel Lozano	2003	BA	Texas state representative from Kingsville since 2011	[362]
Crawford Martin		Law school courses; transferred to Cumberland School of Law	Attorney General of Texas (since 1967), former Texas state senator (1949–1963); Texas Secretary of State (1963–1966); mayor of Hillsboro	[363]
Charles Matthews	2006	PhD	Mayor of Garland, Texas 1984–1986, member of the Texas Railroad Commission 1995–2005, and chancellor-emeritus of the Texas State University System 2005–2010	[364]
Robert Morrow	1990	Master of Business Administration	Chairman of the Travis County Republican Party since 2016; considered a conspiracy theorist and anti-Hillary Clinton activist	[365]
Steve Munisteri		BBA JD	Departing Republican Party of Texas state chairman	[366]
Jim Murphy	1980	BA	Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Houston, 2007–2009 and since 2011; real estate businessman	[367]
Elizabeth Neumann		BA Government	Counterterroism expert in the George W. Bush Administration; Deputy Chief of Staff and Assistant Secretary of Threat Prevention and Security for the United States Department of Homeland Security in the first Trump administration	[368]
David Newell		Law degree	Republican member of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals; former Harris County assistant district attorney	[369]
George E. Nowotny	1955	BSc	Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Fort Smith, 1967–1972; since resident of Tulsa, Oklahoma	[370]
James E. Nugent	1949	JD	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from Kerrville (1961–1979) and member of the Texas Railroad Commission (1979–1995)	[371]
Dade Phelan	1998	Bachelor's degree	Republican state representative for District 21 in Beaumont, Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives (2021–)	[372]
Four Price		BA	Republican state representative for District 87 in Amarillo	[373]
Bennett Ratliff	1983	BS in civil engineering	Republican state representative from District 115 in Dallas County (2013–2015)	[374]
Bill Ratliff		BS in civil engineering	Republican state senator from Mount Pleasant (1989–2000; 2003–2004) and lieutenant governor (2000–2003)	[375]
Sam Rayburn			Former speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives	[citation needed]
Richard Raymond		BA	State legislator, advocate for Hispanic causes	[376]
John Ben Shepperd	1941	LL.B	State attorney general (1953–1957)	[377]
Steven Wayne Smith	1986	Law	Former justice of the Texas Supreme Court	[378]
Sarah Weddington			Attorney and lecturer, represented "Jane Roe" in the landmark Roe v. Wade U.S. Supreme Court case	[citation needed]
Bill White	1974	BA	Mayor of Houston	[379]
Harry Whittington		BA, JD	Texas attorney, known for being accidentally shot by Vice President Dick Cheney	[citation needed]
Pamela Willeford	1972	BA	U.S. ambassador to Switzerland and Liechtenstein	[380][381]
Jared Woodfill		BA	Houston attorney; chairman of the Harris County Republican Party, 2002–2014	[382]

Journalism and media

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Paul Begala	1983 1990	BA JD	Former host of CNN's Crossfire	[17][383]
Benjamin Bryant		(medically withdrew)	Radio and television broadcaster, BZ/MP executive editor, host of The Brink with Benjamin Bryant	[17][384][385][386]
Liz Carpenter	1942		Feminist writer, former press secretary to First Lady Lady Bird Johnson	[387]
Walter Cronkite			Anchor for CBS Evening News	[388]
Alireza Jafarzadeh	1981	MSc	Media commentator on the Middle East, TV news analyst	[389]
Harvey Kronberg	1972		Owner and operator of the Quorum Report and Texas Energy Report, political analyst for Spectrum News	[390]
Betty Nguyen	1995	BA	Anchor for The CBS Morning News	[391]
James C. Tanner		BA	Journalist, winner of the 1961 Gerald Loeb Award for Newspapers	[392][393][394]
Stephanie Trong	1998	BA	Former executive editor of the magazine Jane (2005–2007)	[395]
Ben Wedeman	1982	BA	Senior correspondent for CNN	[396]
Joe Yonan	1989	BA	Food and Dining Editor and Weeknight Vegetarian columnist for The Washington Post	[397]

Literature, writing, and translation

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Raye Virginia Allen		BA MA	Cultural historian and author	[398]
Raymond Benson	1978	BFA	Thriller author, most known as the first American to pen official James Bond novels	[399]
Gail Caldwell	1978 1980	BA MA	Book critic at The Boston Globe, winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Distinguished Criticism	[400]
Michael Chorost	1988 2000	MA PhD	Author (Rebuilt: How Becoming Part Computer Made Me More Human), authority on cochlear implants and neurally controlled prosthetics	[401]
J. M. Coetzee	1968	PhD	Winner of 2003 Nobel Prize in Literature	[402]
Deborah Coonts	2011	MA	Romantic mystery novelist, lawyer	[403]
Madison Cooper	1915	BA	Businessman, novelist (Sironia, Texas)	[404]
Judy Dean	1976	Bachelor's degree in Radio/TV/Film	Author of Winston Pooh: An Investigation into the Real Story behind the Stories	[405]
Kate Heyhoe		BA	Cookbook author	[406]
Rolando Hinojosa	1953	BA	Novelist, winner of the Premio Quinto Sol prize	[407]
H.L. Hix	1985 1987	MA PhD	Award-winning poet, program director at the University of Wyoming	[408]
Elmer Kelton	1948	BA	Western novelist, winner of a number of prizes in western literature	[409]
Julie Kenner	1987	BA	Romance and fantasy author	[17][410]
Kelsey McKinney	2014	Bachelor's degree	Journalist, podcaster, and author	[411]
Willie Morris	1956	BA	Author, journalist, editor of Harper's Magazine, Rhodes scholar	[412]
Ladan Osman		MFA	Poet and teacher; winner of the 2014 Sillerman First Book Prize	[413]
Sharon Kay Penman		BA	Author of historical novels (Welsh Princes Trilogy, Plantagenet Series)	[414]
Lawrence Person	1987	BA	Science fiction writer, editor of Hugo Award-nominated SF-fanzine Nova Express	[415]
Gab Reisman		MFA	Playwright	[416]
Pamela Ribon	1996	BFA	Novelist, television writer, actor	[417]
Rick Riordan	1986	BA	Novelist (the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series)	[418]
Olen Steinhauer		BFA	Novelist (the Milo Weaver Trilogy)	[419]
Bruce Sterling		BFA	Hugo- and Nebula Award-winning science fiction novelist, cyberpunk (Mirrorshades: The Cyberpunk Anthology, The Difference Engine)	[420]
Whitley Strieber	1968	BA	Horror and science fiction novelist (The Wolfen, Warday), Ufologist (Communion)	[421]
Janice Woods Windle			Author of historical novels (True Women)	[422]

Social reformers

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Rip Esselstyn	1986		Food writer and health activist	[423]

Sports

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns baseball players

Baseball

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Max Alvis			Former MLB baseman	[424]
Roger Clemens		(never graduated)	Starting pitcher for five MLB teams, 7-time Cy Young Award-winner, 1986 American League MVP, 11-time All-Star, 2-time World Series champion, winner of 1983 College World Series	[425]
Dennis Cook			Former MLB pitcher	[426]
Jordan Danks			MLB outfielder	[427]
Kirk Dressendorfer			Former MLB pitcher, National College Baseball Hall of Famer	[428]
Adam Dunn			MLB outfielder	[429]
Bibb Falk			Former MLB left fielder; former University of Texas baseball coach	[430]
Ron Gardenhire		(never graduated)	Former MLB shortstop, former manager of the Minnesota Twins	[431]
Jerry Don Gleaton			Former MLB pitcher	[432]
Wayne Graham			Former MLB pinch hitter, third baseman and left fielder	[433]
Burt Hooton			Former MLB pitcher, National College Baseball Hall of Famer	[434]
J. P. Howell			MLB pitcher	[435]
Calvin Murray			Former MLB outfielder	[436]
Spike Owen			Former MLB shortstop	[437]
Mark Petkovsek			Former MLB pitcher	[438]
Omar Quintanilla			MLB infielder	[439]
Bruce Ruffin			Former MLB pitcher	[440]
Calvin Schiraldi			Former MLB pitcher	[441]
Kal Segrist		(never graduated)	MLB second baseman; fifth head coach of the Texas Tech Red Raiders baseball program	[442]
Huston Street			MLB pitcher	[443]
Greg Swindell			Former MLB pitcher, member of the 1984 Olympic Baseball Team	[444]
Taylor Teagarden			MLB catcher	[445]

Softball

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns softball players

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Cat Osterman			Former NPF player, Olympic gold and silver medalist	[446]

Basketball

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns men's basketball players and Category:Texas Longhorns women's basketball players

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
LaMarcus Aldridge		(never graduated)	NBA power forward, 7-time NBA All Star	[447]
D. J. Augustin			NBA point guard	[448]
Mohamed Bamba			NBA center for the Orlando Magic	[449]
Avery Bradley			NBA shooting guard	[450]
J'Covan Brown			Player in the Israel Basketball Premier League
Jamie Carey	2005	BA MSc	Former WNBA point guard	[451][452]
Marcus Carr			Basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Matt Coleman III			Player for Hapoel Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Kevin Durant		(never graduated)	NBA small forward and shooting guard, 2014 NBA MVP, 2008 NBA Rookie of the Year, 8-time NBA All-Star, 2010 FIBA World Championship MVP, 3-time NBA scoring champion, 2-time NBA champion, 2-time NBA Finals MVP	[453]
Maurice Evans			NBA small forward and shooting guard	[454]
T. J. Ford		B.S.	Former NBA point guard	[455]
Daniel Gibson			NBA guard	[456]
Jordan Hamilton			Player in the Israel Basketball Premier League
Nekeshia Henderson			Former WNBA player
Royal Ivey			NBA point guard	[457]
Chris Mihm			Former NBA center	[458]
Elijah Mitrou-Long			Canadian-Greek basketball player for Hapoel Holon of the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Johnny Moore			Former NBA point guard	[459]
Terrence Rencher		(never graduated)	Former NBA point guard	[460]
Isaiah Taylor			Player in the Israel Basketball Premier League
James Thomas			Former NBA forward, current player for Israeli Maccabi Haifa BC	[461]
B. J. Tyler			Former NBA point guard	[462]
Danny Wagner			Former NBL and NBA guard	[463]

Football

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns football players

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Major Applewhite	2002	BS	Former college quarterback, 2001 Holiday Bowl MVP, former co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for UT Austin, current University of South Alabama head coach	[17][464][465]
Don Barton		(never graduated)	Former NFL halfback	[466]
Cedric Benson			NFL running back, Doak Walker Award winner	[467]
Jim Bertelsen			Former NFL running back	[468]
Glenn Blackwood			Former NFL safety	[469]
Justin Blalock			NFL guard	[470]
Bill Bradley			Former NFL defensive back	[471]
James Brown			Former quarterback	[472]
Tarell Brown			NFL cornerback	[473]
Bob Bryant			American Football League end	[474]
Earl Campbell		(never graduated)	Former NFL running back, College Football and Pro Football Hall of Famer	[475]
Kwame Cavil		BA	Former NFL, current CFL wide receiver	[476]
Jamaal Charles			NFL running back, former track and field athlete	[477]
Quan Cosby		(never graduated)	NFL wide receiver	[478]
Tim Crowder			NFL defensive end	[479]
Leonard Davis			NFL offensive guard	[480]
Gib Dawson			Former NFL halfback	[481]
Phil Dawson		BA	NFL placekicker	[482]
Derrick Dockery		BA	NFL offensive guard	[483][484]
Jermichael Finley			NFL tight end	[485]
Jerry Gray			Former NFL cornerback, College Football Hall of Famer	[486]
Cedric Griffin			NFL cornerback	[487]
Michael Griffin		BA	NFL safety	[488][489]
Casey Hampton			NFL nose tackle	[490]
William Harris			Former NFL tight end	[491]
Tony Hills			NFL offensive tackle	[492]
Priest Holmes			Former NFL running back	[493]
Michael Huff			NFL safety and cornerback	[494]
Quentin Jammer			NFL safety	[495]
Derrick Johnson		(never graduated)	NFL linebacker	[496]
J. T. King			Head football coach and athletic director of the Texas Tech Red Raiders	[497]
Tom Landry	1949	BBA	Former NFL cornerback and head coach, NFL Hall of Famer	[498]
Bobby Layne		(never graduated)	Former NFL quarterback, College Football and NFL Hall of Famer, source of the "Curse of Bobby Layne"	[499]
Jeff Leiding	1984		All-American and NFL player	[500]
D. D. Lewis			NFL linebacker	[501]
Colt McCoy			NFL quarterback	[502]
Eric Metcalf			Former NFL running back and wide receiver, return specialist	[503]
Roddrick Muckelroy	2008	BA	NFL linebacker	[504]
Dan Neil			Former NFL offensive guard, two-time Super Bowl champion	[505]
Tommy Nobis			Former NFL linebacker, College Football Hall of Famer	[506]
Frank Okam			NFL defensive tackle	[507]
Brian Orakpo			NFL linebacker	[508]
Cory Redding		(never graduated)	NFL defensive end	[509]
Bijan Robinson	2023		NFL running back
Brian Robison		BA	NFL defensive end	[510][511]
Shaun Rogers			NFL defensive tackle	[512]
Aaron Ross			NFL cornerback	[513]
Bo Scaife	2004	BA	NFL tight end	[514][515]
Jonathan Scott			NFL offensive tackle	[516]
Lyle Sendlein	2006	BA	NFL center	[517]
Jordan Shipley			NFL wide receiver	[518]
Chris Simms		BA	Former NFL quarterback	[519][520]
Harry Stafford			NFL back	[521]
Tom Stolhandske			NFL and CFL player	[522]
James Street			Former college football quarterback	[citation needed]
Kasey Studdard		BA	NFL offensive guard	[523][524]
Limas Sweed			Former NFL, current CFL wide receiver	[525]
David Thomas		BSc	NFL tight end	[526][527]
Earl Thomas			NFL safety	[528]
Marcus Tubbs			NFL defensive tackle	[529]
Justin Tucker			NFL placekicker	[530]
Nathan Vasher			Former NFL cornerback	[531]
Mike Williams			Former NFL offensive tackle and guard	[532]
Ricky Williams		(never graduated)	Former NFL and CFL running back	[533]
Roy Williams			Former NFL wide receiver	[534]
Hugh Wolfe	1938		All-American and NFL player	[535]
Rodrique Wright			NFL and CFL defensive end	[536]
Selvin Young	2006	BA	NFL running back	[537]
Vince Young	2013	BA	NFL quarterback	[538]

Golf

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns men's golfers and Category:Texas Longhorns women's golfers

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Mark Brooks			Winner of the 1996 PGA Championship
Ben Crenshaw			Winner of 1984 and 1995 Masters Tournaments, World Golf Hall of Fame inductee, 1972 NCAA champion	[539]
Bob Estes			Professional golfer	[540][541]
Harrison Frazar	1996	Psychology	Professional golfer	[542]
Tom Kite		(never graduated)	Professional golfer, World Golf Hall of Famer, golf course architect, first pro player to add a third wedge to his bag	[543]
Justin Leonard		(never graduated)	Professional golfer, Open Championship winner (1997)	[544]
Harvey Penick			Professional golfer and golf coach, World Golf Hall of Famer, author
Scottie Scheffler	2018	Finance	Winner of 2022 Masters Tournament, 2024 Masters Tournament, and 2024 Paris Olympics gold medal	[545]
Jordan Spieth			Winner of 2015 Masters Tournament, 2015 US Open, and the 2017 Open Championship
Sherri Steinhauer		(never graduated)	Professional golfer, Women's British Open winner	[546]
Jhonattan Vegas			Venezuelan professional golfer	[547]

Swimming

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns men's swimmers and Category:Texas Longhorns women's swimmers

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Ricky Berens	2010	Finance	Specialized in freestyle events; world record-holder in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay, two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Olympics, Olympic silver medalist in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay in London, two-time NCAA champion	[548]
Jack Conger	2017		Specializes in butterfly and freestyle events; gold medalist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 9-time NCAA Champion, 17-time All-American, 3-time NCAA team champion, current NCAA, American, and U.S. Open record-holder in the 200-yard butterfly	[549]
Ian Crocker	2005	BSc	World record-setter and winner of 4×100 m medley relay gold medals in both the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics	[550]
Josh Davis	1994		Won three gold medals in the 1996 Summer Olympics and two silver medals in the 2000 Summer Olympics	[551]
Nate Dusing	2002		Won the bronze medal in the 400 m freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics and the silver medal in the 800 m freestyle relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics	[552]
Anna Elendt			World Champion at 2025 World Aquatics Championships
Jimmy Feigen	2012		Won a silver medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics and a gold medal for the 4x100-meter freestyle relay for the 2016 Summer Olympics	[553]
Townley Haas	2019		Specializes in freestyle events; gold medalist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Olympic finalist in the 200 m freestyle at the 2016 Summer Olympics (5th place), 10-time NCAA champion, 18-time All-American, 3-time NCAA team champion, former NCAA, American, and U.S. Open record-holder in the 200-yard freestyle, 2019 AAU Sullivan Award finalist	[554]
Brendan Hansen	2005	BSc	Former world record holder in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke and current record holder in the 4×100 m medley relay; at the 2004 Summer Olympics won the gold medal in the 4×100 m medley relay, silver at the 100 m breaststroke, and bronze at the 200 m breaststroke; at the 2008 Summer Olympics his team won gold and set a world record in the 4×100 m medley relay	[555]
Shaun Jordan	1991		Won gold medal in the 4 × 100 m freestyle relay at both the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics	[556]
Will Licon	2017	Sport Management	Specializes in breaststroke and medley events; 11-time NCAA Champion, 15-time All-American, 3-time NCAA team champion, current NCAA, American, and U.S. Open record-holder in the 200-yard breaststroke, 2017 Big 12 Athlete of the Year, Texas Cowboys alum	[557][558]
Aaron Peirsol	2006		Won Olympic medals at the 2000 (silver in 200 m backstroke), 2004 (gold in the 100 m and 200 m backstroke and the 4×100 m medley relay), and 2008 Summer Olympics (gold in the 100 m backstroke and 4×100 m medley relay, silver in the 200 m backstroke); former world record-holder in the 100 m backstroke, current world record-holder 4×100 m medley relay, current world record-holder in the 200 m backstroke	[559]
Joseph Schooling	2018		Specializes in butterfly, freestyle, and medley events; gold medalist in the 100 m butterfly in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, winner of Singapore's first Olympic medal in swimming, Olympic record-holder in the 100 m butterfly, 12-time NCAA champion, 22-time All-American, 4-time NCAA team champion, former NCAA and U.S. Open record-holder in the 100 & 200 y butterfly	[560]
John Shebat	2019		Specializes in backstroke, butterfly, and medley events; 5-time NCAA Champion, 9-time All-American, 3-time NCAA team champion, and the 2017 Big 12 Swimmer of the Year	[561]
Clark Smith	2017		Specializes in freestyle events; gold medalist in the 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, 4-time NCAA Champion, 6-time All-American, 3-time NCAA team champion, former NCAA, American, and U.S. Open record-holder in the 500 and 1650 y freestyles, current American record-holder in the 1000 y freestyle; son of University of Texas Olympic swimmer Tori Trees	[562]
Kirk Stackle	1990		1988 Olympic team in the 200 breaststroke
Garrett Weber-Gale	2007		Swimmer, two-time Olympic gold medalist, world record-holder in two events
Joscelin Yeo	2003		Rhodes scholar, competed on the Singapore national team at the 1992, 1996, 2000, and 2004 Summer Olympics, more Olympic games than any other Singaporean athlete	[563]

Track and field

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns track and field athletes

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Sanya Richards-Ross	2006	BSc	Medalist in 2004, 2008, and 2012 Summer Olympics	[564][565]

Soccer

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns women's soccer players

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Haley Berg	2021	BA	Professional soccer player	[566]
Cyera Hintzen	2020	BA	Professional soccer player

Other sports

See also: Category:Texas Longhorns athletes

Name	Class year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Andrew Craig		Corporate Communications	Professional mixed martial artist formerly competing in the UFC's Middleweight Division	[567]
Mary Lou Retton			First female gymnast outside Eastern Europe to win the Olympic all-around title, five-time Olympic medalist, 1984 Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year	[568]
Eileen Tell			Tennis player

Miscellaneous

Name	Class Year(s)	Degree(s)	Notability	Reference
Mark Aguhar		Fine Art	Artist and activist	[569]
Natalia Anciso	2008	BA	Contemporary artist and educator	[570]
Stacy Barnett	2009	BSc	Victim in the West Campus murders in 2009	[571]
Nancy Lee Bass	1937	English	Philanthropist	[572]
William Lee Bergstrom		(never graduated)	Gambler and high roller	[573]
Brian Brushwood	1997	Plan II honors program	Magician, podcaster, author, lecturer, known for Scam School	[574]
Thomas Darnell	1979		Contemporary painter	[575]
Monique Evans		Nutritional Science and Pre-Med major	Miss Texas 2014 and Miss Florida USA 2020	[576][577]
John Goosey	2008	BA	Victim in the West Campus murders in 2009	[571]
Ann Hand		(never graduated)	Jewelry designer
Louis Sager Hunsucker Jr.	1959		Poker player
Virginia Mecklenburg	1968, 1970	B.A., M.A.	Curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum
Lisa Orr	1983	B.A.	Potter and teacher of ceramics	[578]
Brucene Smith			Miss Texas World 1971, Miss World USA 1971, Miss American Beauty 1974 (Miss U.S. International 1974) & Miss International 1974	[579][580][581][582]
Jessica Trisko	2006	Master of Arts	Miss Earth 2007	[583]

See also

• List of University of Texas at Austin faculty
• University of Texas at Austin

Notes

• Blank cells indicate missing information; em-dashes (—) indicate that the alumnus attended but never graduated from UT Austin.