Before they were actors, athletes, businesspeople and leaders, they were Arizona State University students. See which stars attended the university before stepping onto larger stages. Here are 50 of the most famous ASU alumni:

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Ludwig Ahgren, ’17 BA in English (literature) and journalism — YouTuber with several million subscribers

Roger Allers, ’71 BFA — filmmaker, co-directed “The Lion King”

Eric Anzalone, ’12 BA in film (film and media studies), ’18 MAS in film and media studies — member of disco supergroup The Village People from 1995–2017

Barbara Barrett, ’72 BS in political science, ’75 MPA, ’78 JD — businesswoman, former secretary of the U.S. Air Force

Matt Barrie, ’01 BA in broadcasting — ESPN SportsCenter anchor, college football studio host 

Melissa Belote-Ripley, ’79 BA in communication — won three Olympic gold medals in 1972

David Breschel, ’12 BA in film (film and media production) — screenwriter, Oscar winner

Amanda Brown, ’93 BA in political science — wrote “Legally Blonde”

Michael Burns, ’80 BS in political science — vice chair of Lionsgate Studios

Tony Carrillo, ’04 BFA (drawing) — creator of “F Minus” comic strip

Carlota Ciganda — three-time Olympian in golf

Joey Daccord, ’20 BA in business (business administration) — first Sun Devil in NHL, goalie for Seattle Kraken

Desiree Davila-Linden, ’06 BA in religious studies and BS in psychology — won the 2018 Boston Marathon

Christine Devine, ’87 BA in broadcasting — news anchor, winner of 16 Emmys 

Josh Doan — pro hockey player now with the Buffalo Sabres

Lu Dort — 2025 NBA champion with Oklahoma City Thunder, now with Atlanta Hawks

Jerry Dumas, ’55 BA in English — cartoonist of “Sam and Silo”

Bridget Everett photo courtesy of HBO.

Bridget Everett, ’95 Bachelor of Music Performance (voice) — star and executive producer of HBO series “Somebody Somewhere”

Herman Frazier, ’77 BS in political science — won gold and bronze medals at the 1976 Olympics in sprinting

Mary Temple Grandin, ’75 MS in agriculture — animal behavior expert, autism spokesperson

Derrick Hall, ’91 BA in broadcasting — president and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks

James Harden — third overall NBA Draft pick in 2009, enters his 18th NBA season in 2026–27, two-time Olympic gold medalist with the USA Men’s National Team 

Jan Henne Hawkins, ’72 BA in education (physical education) — won two gold, one silver and one bronze Olympic medals in swimming

Reggie Jackson — Hall of Fame baseball player and five-time World Series champion

Tayari Jones, ’00 MFA in creative writing — novelist with two books in Oprah’s Book Club

Merrill Kelly — helped the Arizona Diamondbacks reach the World Series in 2023

Ashley LeMieux, ’11 BA in English (literature) — best-selling author

Amy LePeilbet, ’04 BA in sociology — won a gold medal in soccer at the 2012 London Olympics

Laurie Leshin, ’87 BS in chemistry — first female head of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

Michael Longfellow, ’16 BA in English (literature) — actor and comedian on “Saturday Night Live”

Léon Marchand, ’25 BS in computer science — won four individual gold medals in swimming at the 2024 Summer Olympics

Ruth McGregor, ’74 JD — former chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court

Al Michaels, ’66 BA in broadcasting — sportscaster since 1971 and five-time Emmy Award winner

Phil Mickelson, ’92 BA in psychology — five PGA major titles, the World Golf Hall of Fame

Barbara Munk, ’79 BS in chemistry — co-inventor of Fresh Step Kitty Litter, worked to get FDA approvals for several prescription medicines

Dustin Pedroia — 13-year MLB career with the Boston Red Sox

Dwight Phillips, ’01 BS in communication — won a gold medal in men’s long jump at the 2004 Athens Olympics

Jon Rahm, ’16 BA in communication — PGA golfer who won two major championships

Michelle Randolph, ’23 BA in film (film and media studies) — actor in “Landman” and “Yellowstone” spinoff “1923”

Anthony Robles, ’11 BIS — pro wrestler, inspired the 2024 film “Unstoppable,” starring Jennifer Lopez and Don Cheadle

John Shufeldt, an emergency medicine physician, health entrepreneur and ASU alum, gave the university a nine-figure gift in support of the new School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, which will now bear his name. “We don’t simply need more physicians,” he says. “What we do need are more physicians who can innovate, who are leaders, who can do it with a high degree of compassion. That’s why I’m so excited about the new school at ASU, because I know that’s what we’ll be teaching.” (Photo by Emma Fitzgerald, ASU)

John Shufeldt ’95 MBA, ’05 JD —  founder of NextCare Urgent Care and MeMD, entrepreneur, investor and author

Spencer Silver, ’62 BS in chemistry — co-inventor of Post-it Notes

Cam Skattebo, ’24 BA in liberal studies — NFL player, New York Giants

Kate Spade, ’85 BA in broadcasting — co-founder of designer brand Kate Spade New York

Brenda Strong, ’82 Bachelor of Music Performance — actor in “Desperate Housewives” and two-time Emmy Award nominee

Pat Tillman, ’97 BS in marketing — played with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals, recipient of Silver Star and Purple Heart medals for his military service

Spencer Torkelson — first overall pick in 2020 MLB Draft by the Detroit Tigers

Jordyn Tyson, ’26 BA in liberal studies — selected No. 8 in the 2026 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints

Kevin Warren, ’88 MBA — attorney and president and CEO of the Chicago Bears

Danny White, ’95 BS in agribusiness — former All-Pro Dallas Cowboys quarterback, two-time Arena Football League champion head coach

Jeri Williams, ’88 BA in theatre — former police chief of the Phoenix Police Department

Ryan Wood, ’96 BA in history — co-founder of Under Armour

Margaret H. Woodward, ’82 BS in aerospace engineering — retired U.S. Air Force major general, first woman to command a U.S. combat air campaign

Peterson Zah, ’63 BAE in industrial education — first Navajo Nation president