Purdue University Notable Alumni
Discover the notable alumni of Purdue University. The list includes people like Neil Armstrong, Drew Brees, Gus Grissom, C. N. R. Rao & Elizabeth Shatner. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as miscellaneous, sportspersons, scientists, engineers and leaders etc.
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Birthdate: August 5, 1930
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Wapakoneta, Ohio, United States
Died: August 25, 2012
The first person to walk on the Moon, Neil Armstrong was an astronaut and aeronautical engineer. Prior to his trip to the Moon, he became NASA's first civilian astronaut to fly in space. After resigning from NASA, he taught in the Department of Aerospace Engineering at the University of Cincinnati. He was a Presidential Medal of Freedom awardee.
Birthdate: January 15, 1979
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Dallas, Texas, United States
After 5 years with the San Diego Chargers, NFL quarterback Drew Brees joined the New Orleans Saints. In 2010, he was the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year and the co-chair of the President's Council on Fitness, Sports, and Nutrition. Drew is considered one of the best passers in NFL.
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George Peppard(Actor)
Birthdate: October 1, 1928
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died: May 8, 1994
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: April 3, 1926
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Mitchell, Indiana, United States
Died: January 27, 1967
Gus Grissom was the second U.S. astronaut to fly into space. The Distinguished Flying Cross-winner had fought in World War II and the Korean War before being part of Mercury-Redstone 4 and Project Gemini. He died during a pre-launch test of the Apollo 1 mission, along with two colleagues.
Recommended Lists:5
Rod Woodson(Former American football player)
Birthdate: March 10, 1965
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
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John Wooden(Basketball coach)
Birthdate: October 14, 1910
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Hall, Indiana, United States
Died: June 4, 2010
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: October 20, 1971
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
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Chesley Sullenberger(Aviator)
Birthdate: January 23, 1951
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Denison, Texas, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: May 20, 1965
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Len Dawson(American Football Player)
Birthdate: June 20, 1935
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Alliance, Ohio, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Recommended Lists:11
Jon Fitch(American Retired Mixed Martial Artist)
Birthdate: February 24, 1978
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Retired MMA fighter Jon Fitch is often described by the media as one of the most overlooked and underappreciated martial artists ever. A master in the welterweight division, he also trained Russian MMA legend Khabib Nurmagomedov but often had disagreements with UFC president Dana White and quit without a UFC belt.
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Glenn Robinson(Basketball player)
Birthdate: January 10, 1973
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Gary, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
Recommended Lists:13
Kevin Sumlin(American football head coach and general manager)
Birthdate: August 3, 1964
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Brewton, Alabama, United States
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Herman Cain(American Businessman and Conservative Politician)
Birthdate: December 13, 1945
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States
Died: July 30, 2020
The son of a janitor and a domestic help, Herman Cain used his talent in math to join Purdue University. He had worked with the Navy and been an analyst for Coca-Cola. He later headed Pillsbury as its VP. He had announced his presidential candidacy in 2012 but later withdrew.
Recommended Lists:15
Stephan Bonnar(American Mixed Martial Artist)
Birthdate: April 4, 1977
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Hammond, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
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Raheem Mostert(American football player)
Birthdate: April 9, 1992
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: New Smyrna Beach, Florida, United States
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Recommended Lists:17
Mike Alstott(Football player)
Birthdate: December 21, 1973
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Joliet, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Bob Griese(American Football Players)
Birthdate: February 3, 1945
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Evansville, Indiana, USA
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Recommended Lists:19
Stephen McKinley Henderson(Actor)
Birthdate: August 31, 1949
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Kansas City, USA
Best known for his work in the plays of August Wilson, actor Stephen McKinley Henderson has also impressed audiences with his roles in movies such as Lincoln and Dune. The Juilliard-educated actor has also been nominated for a Tony Award for his role in the play Fences.
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Matt Hamill(American Mixed Martial Artist and Wrestler)
Birthdate: October 5, 1976
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Loveland, Ohio, United States
Though born deaf, Matt Hamill didn’t let his physical disability hinder his progress in mixed martial arts and wrestling. Introduced to wrestling by his wrestling coach father, he won three NCAA Division III wrestling titles. His life inspired the 2011 film The Hammer, named after his nickname.
Recommended Lists:21
Eugene Cernan(American Naval Aviator Who Became the Eleventh Human Being to Walk on the Moon)
Birthdate: March 14, 1934
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: January 16, 2017
Eugene Cernan was an American naval aviator, astronaut, aeronautical engineer, electrical engineer, and fighter pilot. As of 2022, Cernan remains the last man to walk on the Moon, which he did in 1972 as part of the Apollo 17 mission. In 2007, Eugene Cernan was made an inductee of the International Air & Space Hall of Fame.
22
Caleb Swanigan(Basketball player)
Birthdate: April 18, 1997
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'9" (206 cm)
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: June 5, 1950
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Cincinnati, Ohio, United States
Died: March 1, 2015
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
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Orville Redenbacher(Businessman)
Birthdate: July 16, 1907
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Brazil, Indiana, United States
Died: September 19, 1995
Recommended Lists:25
David Blough(American football player)
Birthdate: July 31, 1995
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Carrollton, Texas, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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Roger B. Chaffee(American Aviator, Naval Officer, NASA Astronaut, and Aeronautical Engineer)
Birthdate: February 15, 1935
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Grand Rapids
Died: January 27, 1967
Roger B. Chaffee was an American aviator, naval officer, NASA astronaut, and aeronautical engineer. In 1963, Chaffee was chosen by NASA to be part of Astronaut Group 3, a group of 14 astronauts selected for the Apollo and Gemini program. In 1983, Roger B. Chaffee was made an inductee of the International Space Hall of Fame.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: June 30, 1934
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Bangalore, Kingdom of Mysore, British India
C. N. R. Rao already had a PhD degree at age 24 and became the youngest lecturer at the IISc. The Padma Shri- and Padma Vibhushan-winning Indian chemist is best known for his research on areas such as surface chemistry, superconductivity, and nano technology. He is a self-confessed technophobe.
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Margaret Bourke-White(American Photographer and Photojournalist)
Birthdate: June 14, 1904
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: August 27, 1971
Recommended Lists:29
Dulquer Salmaan(Indian Actor Who Predominantly Works in Malayalam Language Films)
Birthdate: July 28, 1986
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Kochi, Kerala, India
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
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David Boudia(American Diver and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Birthdate: April 24, 1989
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Abilene, Texas, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Recommended Lists:31
Matt Mitrione(American Mixed Martial Artist)
Birthdate: July 15, 1978
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Springfield, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
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Carsen Edwards(Basketball player)
Birthdate: March 12, 1998
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Recommended Lists:33
Kyle Orton(American footballer)
Birthdate: November 14, 1982
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Altoona, Iowa, USA
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Matt Painter(Basketball player, Basketball coach)
Birthdate: August 27, 1970
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States
Recommended Lists:35
Gary Danielson(American Football Player)
Birthdate: September 10, 1951
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, USA
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
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Miguel Torres(American Former Mixed Martial Artist)
Birthdate: January 18, 1981
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: East Chicago, Indiana, United States
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Recommended Lists:37
Ryan Kerrigan(American football player)
Birthdate: August 16, 1988
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Muncie, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
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Dick the Bruiser(American Professional Wrestler)
Birthdate: June 27, 1929
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Delphi, Indiana, United States
Died: November 10, 1991
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
Recommended Lists:39
Ward Cunningham(Programmer, Computer scientist)
Birthdate: May 26, 1949
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: United States of America
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Callie Khouri(Screenwriter)
Birthdate: November 27, 1957
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: San Antonio, Texas, United States
Recommended Lists:41
Jim Everett(American Footballer)
Birthdate: January 3, 1963
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Emporia, Kansas, USA
Height: 6'5" (196 cm)
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Charles Sweeney(Pilot)
Birthdate: December 27, 1919
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Lowell, Massachusetts, United States
Died: July 16, 2004
Recommended Lists:43
Brad Miller(Basketball player)
Birthdate: April 12, 1976
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Kendallville, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'11" (211 cm)
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Rondale Moore(American Football Player)
Birthdate: June 9, 2000
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New Albany, Indiana, United States
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Recommended Lists:45
Ian Murdock(Software engineer, known for being the founder of the Debian project and Progeny Linux Systems)
Birthdate: April 28, 1973
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Konstanz, Germany
Died: December 28, 2015
46
James Samuel Coleman(Sociologist)
Birthdate: May 12, 1926
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Bedford, Indiana, United States
Died: March 25, 1995
Recommended Lists:47
Jeff George(American Former Football Quarterback)
Birthdate: December 8, 1967
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
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Shaun Phillips(American football player)
Birthdate: May 13, 1981
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
Recommended Lists:49
Rob Ninkovich(American football player)
Birthdate: February 1, 1984
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Blue Island, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
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E'Twaun Moore(Basketball Player)
Birthdate: February 25, 1989
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: East Chicago, Indiana, United States
Height: 6'4" (193 cm)
Recommended Lists:Founded in 1869, Purdue University is a public research university located in Indiana. Offering over 211 undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various fields of study, Purdue University is positioned on a vast campus that augments every student’s life with its ultramodern facilities. It offers various programs in the areas of Education, Liberal Arts, Health, Management, Pharmacy, Science and Aviation. It is in fact very well-known and highly influential in the country’s aviation history, being the first university to offer a four-year bachelor’s degree in aviation and for having started the first university airport in the United States. The university has produced prominent astronauts such as Neil Armstrong, Gus Grissom and Eugene Cernan. Other than aviation, Purdue University enjoys a great list of alumni achievers in the areas of engineering and science. With tons of students dreaming to graduate in these prestigious programs from the university, only a handful of select students get admission to the university, based purely on skill, hard work and merit. Purdue University has also been declared the 20th best public university in the United States and the 90th best globally, by the U.S. News & World Report as per the 2017 edition. The university has come a long way in making a name for itself globally since its inception, by warranting abundant professional and personal development among the students through various leadership organizations. The alumni’s of Purdue University are truly inspirational; here is a list of some notable entities that pursued their education here.
