Established as Vanport College in 1946, Portland State University is a public university officiated as a state institution in 1969. Located in the southwest Portland, Oregon, it is the only public university in the state that is located within a major metropolitan city, and is one of Oregon's largest universities.[1] Its academic programs are organized in nine constituent schools and colleges, and have produced alumni across professions in the arts, sciences, business, academia, politics, and sports. As of 2019[update], the university claims over 180,000 alumni worldwide.[2]
Notes and abbreviations used
Colleges and schools
Defunct schools
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Name | Class | School | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Lee D. Baker | 1989 | CLAS | B.S. | Professor of anthropology, Duke University | [3] |
Jacob Biamonte | B.S. | Professor of quantum computing, Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology | [4] | ||
Hans G. Furth | 1960 | CLAS | PhD | Professor emeritus of philosophy, The Catholic University of America | [5] |
Peter A. Griffin | B.S. | Professor of mathematics, California State University–Sacramento | [6] | ||
George Guthridge | 1970 | CLAS | B.A. | Professor emeritus of English, University of Alaska Fairbanks; professor of English, University of Maryland Global College | [7] |
Mitchell S. Jackson | CLAS | B.A., M.A. | Associate professor of English, New York University | [8][9] | |
Michael Kazin | CLAS | M.A. | Professor of history, Georgetown University | [10] | |
Bonnie McCay | 1969 | CLAS | B.A. | Professor emerita of anthropology, Rutgers University | [11] |
David McDowall | 1973 | CLAS | B.S. | Professor of criminology, University at Albany, SUNY | [12] |
Roberta Rudnick | 1980 | CLAS | B.S. | Assistant professor of geology, Harvard University; University of California, Santa Barbara | [13] |
Thomas Talbott | B.S. | Professor emeritus of philosophy, Willamette University | [14][15] | ||
Jack Ernest Vincent | 1957 | PSC | B.S. | Professor emeritus of political science, University of Idaho | [16] |
Dali Yang | 1988 | CLAS | M.A. | Professor of political science, University of Chicago | [17] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sergio Palleroni | Architect and co-founder of BASIC Initiative | [18] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Holly Andres | 2004 | CA | M.F.A. | Photographer | [19][20] |
Damali Ayo | 2006 | CA | M.F.A. | Conceptual artist | [21] |
Cal Barnes | DNG | — | Novelist and playwright | [22] | |
John Callahan | DNG | — | Cartoonist, creator of Pelswick | [23] | |
Francisco Laguna Correa | CLAS | B.A. | Poet, professor of Latinx studies at University of Denver | [24] | |
Walt Curtis | Poet and painter | [25] | |||
Carolyn Davidson | 1971 | CLAS | B.A. | Graphic designer; creator of the Nike swoosh | [26] |
Gwen M. Davidson | 1987 | CA | M.F.A. | Contemporary artist | [27] |
Michael Dickman | DNG | — | Poet, recipient of Alfred Hodder Fellowship at Princeton University | [28][29] | |
David James Duncan | 1973 | CLAS | B.A. | Novelist and essayist | [30] |
Ann Gardner | 1974 | CA | M.F.A. | Glass artist | [31] |
Larry Harvey | DNG | — | Artist, co-founder of Burning Man festival | [32] | |
Michael Hornburg | DNG | — | Novelist, journalist | [33] | |
Christopher Howell | 1971 | CLAS | M.A. | Poet, two-time National Endowment Fellowship winner | [34] |
Anne Hughes | Art patron, gallery owner | ||||
Ariana Jacob | 2010 | CA | M.F.A. | Contemporary artist | [35] |
Lee Kelly | VC | Sculptor | [36] | ||
Richard Kennedy | 1958 | PSC | B.A. | Children's author, proponent of Oxfordian theory of Shakespeare authorship | [37] |
Travis Knight | 1998 | CLAS | B.S. | Animator; CEO of LAIKA | [38] |
Jack Ohman | CLAS | B.A. | Editorial cartoonist of The Oregonian | [39] | |
Pierre Ouellette | Science fiction author | ||||
Bill Plympton | 1968 | PSC | B.A. | Animator | [40] |
Mike Richardson | 1977 | CA | B.A. | Publisher, founder of Dark Horse Comics | [41] |
Deborah J. Ross | 1973 | CLAS | M.S. | Science fiction and fantasy author | [42] |
Laura Ross-Paul | 1976 | CA | M.F.A. | Painter | [43] |
Roland Smith | DNG | — | Young adult fiction author | [citation needed] | |
Howard Ben Tré | 1978 | CLAS | B.S.A. | Glass artist | [44][45] |
Celeste West | CLAS | B.A. | Librarian and author | [46][47] | |
John Sibley Williams | GSBP | M.A. | Poet and publisher | [48] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rachel Christenson | SB | M.S. | Entrepreneur, co-founder of Selling Energy | [49] | |
D. Scott Davis | B.S. | Chairman and CEO of UPS | [50] | ||
Sho Dozono | 1968 | CE | M.Ed. | Businessman, CEO of Azumano Travel | [51] |
Mike Erickson | 1988 | SB | B.S. | Entrepreneur | [52] |
Judi Hofer | Executive CEO, The May Department Stores Company | [53] | |||
Darren Kimura | DNG | — | Inventor of MicroCSP | [54] | |
Steven Smith | DNG | — | Entrepreneur, founder of Tazo Tea Company | [55] | |
Norm Winningstad | 1973 | SB | M.B.A. | Businessperson, engineer | [56] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Arthur Honeyman | 1965, 1974 | CLAS | B.S., M.A. | Disability rights activist, writer | [57] |
Musse Olol | 1991 | Social activist FBI's 2011 Director's Community Leadership Award (DCLA) | |||
Richard Pimentel | Disability rights activist | [57] | |||
Paul Popham | PSC | Founder of the Gay Men's Health Crisis; Vietnam war veteran | [58] | ||
Robert Robideau | CLAS | B.S. | Native American activist; acquitted in 1975 shooting deaths of two FBI agents in South Dakota | [59] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bruce Abbott | DNG | — | Film and television actor | [60] | |
Cal Barnes | DNG | — | Film actor and filmmaker | [61] | |
Mark Dacascos | Film actor and martial artist | [62] | |||
Karl Glusman | DNG | — | Film actor | [63] | |
Katie Harman | 2003 | CLAS | B.S. | 2002 Miss America | [64][65] |
Ian Karmel | 2009 | B.S. | Stand-up Comedian | [66] | |
Terence Knox | CA | M.F.A. | Film actor | [67] | |
Jennifer Lyon | DNG | — | Competitor on Survivor: Palau | [68] | |
Holly Madison | DNG | — | Playboy model, reality television star | [69] | |
Caroline McGowan | Actress, Miss Oregon winner; Miss America competitor | ||||
Kari Ann Peniche | Miss Teen USA winner | ||||
Rick Reynolds | 1976 | CLAS | B.S. | Comedian | [70][71] |
Sara Jean Underwood | Playboy model, actress | [72] | |||
Erin Way | Actress | [73] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aminé | DNG | — | Hip-hop artist | [74] | |
Mel Brown | Jazz drummer, collaborator of Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye | [75] | |||
Ken Butler | 1977 | CA | M.F.A. | Experimental musician | [76] |
Dave Carter | CLAS | B.S. | Folk musician | [77] | |
Jack Ely | Musician, singer of The Kingsmen | [78] | |||
Eric Funk | 1972, 1978 | CLAS | B.A., M.A. | Contemporary classical composer and conductor | [79] |
Haley Heynderickx | Singer-songwriter | [80] | |||
Issa | 2008 | SB | B.S. | Singer and songwriter | [81][82] |
Courtney Love | DNG; att. c. 1983 |
CLAS | — | Musician and actress; frontwoman of Grammy-nominated rock band Hole | [83] |
Audrey Luna | 2001 | CLAS | B.A. | Grammy-winning soprano; hit highest note ever sung at New York's Metropolitan Opera in 2017 | [84] |
Rob Simonsen | Film composer | [85] | |||
Lawrence Leighton Smith | 1957 | CLAS | B.A. | Conductor and pianist | [86] |
Esperanza Spalding | DNG; att. 2000–2001 |
— | Four time Grammy-winning jazz musician | [87][88] | |
Nancy Wilson | DNG; att. 1973 |
— | Singer and guitarist of Heart | [89] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chet Orloff | CLAS | M.A. | Historian, director emeritus of Oregon Historical Society | [90] | |
Mark Weber | CLAS | B.A. | Historian, director of Institute for Historical Review | [91] | |
Amos Yong | Pentecostal theologian | [92] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mike Bivins | Journalist | ||||
Kambiz Hosseini | Political satirist, radio host | [93] | |||
Paul Linnman | CLAS | B.A. | Television journalist, radio host | [94] | |
Lana Lokteff | Alt-right YouTube personality | ||||
Michael Moynihan | 2000 | CLAS | B.A. | Journalist, author of Lords of Chaos | [95] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Casten Nemra | 2000 | SB | B.B.A. | 7th President of the Republic of the Marshall Islands | [96] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Barbara Roberts | 1964 | CLAS | B.A. | 34th Governor of Oregon | [97] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Margaret Carter | 1972 | CE | B.A. | Democratic member of Oregon State Senate | [98] |
Avel Gordly | 1974 | CLAS | B.S. | First African American woman elected to the Oregon State Senate | [99] |
Rod Monroe | 1965, 1969 | CLAS | B.S., M.A. | Democratic member of Oregon State Senate | [100] |
Chuck Riley | Democratic member of Oregon State Senate, 15th district | [101] | |||
Martha Schrader | CE, CUPA | M.A. | Democratic member of Oregon State Senate, 20th district | [102] | |
Chip Shields | SSW | M.S.W. | Democratic member of Oregon State Senate, 22nd district | [103] | |
Rob Wagner | CLAS | B.S. | Democratic member of Oregon State Senate, 19th district | [104] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jeff Barker | CLAS | B.S. | Democratic member of Oregon House of Representatives, 28th district | [105] | |
Rick Bauman | Democratic member of Oregon House of Representatives, 11th/13th district | [106] | |||
Deborah Boone | CLAS | B.S. | Democratic member of Oregon House of Representatives, 32nd district | [107] | |
Scott Bruun | SB | M.B.A. | Republican member of Oregon House of Representatives, 37th district | [108] | |
Albert H. Densmore | 1968 | CLAS | B.S. | Democratic member Oregon House of Representatives, 50th district | [109] |
Richard Devlin | 1976 | CLAS | B.S. | Democratic member of Oregon House of Representatives and Senate | [110] |
Margaret Doherty | CLAS | B.A. | Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, 35th district | [111] | |
Larry Galizio | CUPA | PhD | Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, 35th district | [112] | |
Joe Gallegos | CLAS, SSW | B.S., M.S.W. | Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, 13th district | [113] | |
Chris Gorsek | 2004 | CLAS | PhD | Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, 49th district | [114] |
Diego Hernandez | SSW | M.S.W. | Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, 47th district | [115] | |
Nick Kahl | 2000 | CA | B.A. | Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, 49th district | [116] |
Teresa Alonso Leon | 2013 | CUPA | M.A. | Democratic member of the Oregon House of Representatives, 22nd district | [117] |
Thomas Lockhart | SB | M.B.A. | Republican member of the Wyoming House of Representatives, 57th district | [118] | |
Jim Moeller | DNG | SSW | — | Democratic member of the Washington House of Representatives, 49th district | [119] |
Ron Packard | DNG | — | Republican member of the California House of Representatives, 43rd district | [120] | |
Tawna Sanchez | 2012 | SSW | M.S.W. | Democratic member of Oregon House of Representatives, 43rd district | [121] |
Bruce Starr | 1991 | CLAS | B.S. | Republican member of Oregon House of Representatives and State Senate | [122] |
Carolyn Tomei | SSW | M.S.W. | Democratic member of Oregon House of Representatives, 41st district | [123] | |
Matt Wand | 1997 | CLAS | B.S. | Republican member of Oregon House of Representatives, 49th district | [124] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Joe DeLaCruz | DNG | Native American program leader, elected president of National Congress of American Indians | [125] | ||
Susan Eggman | 2002 | SSW | PhD | Member of California State Assembly, 13th district | [126] |
Joseph LeBaron | 1969 | CLAS | B.S. | U.S. Ambassador to Qatar | [127][128] |
Marisa Lino | 1971 | CLAS | B.S. | U.S. Ambassador to Albania | [129] |
Gladys McCoy | 1967 | SSW | M.S.W. | First African American woman elected to public office in Oregon | [130] |
Charles Moose | CUPA | M.A., PhD | Former police chief for Montgomery County, Maryland, one of the sites of the Beltway Sniper attacks | [131] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anna J. Brown | 1975 | CLAS | B.S. | U.S. federal judge | [132] |
Paul De Muniz | 1972 | CLAS | B.S. | Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice | [133] |
R. William Riggs | 1961 | CLAS | B.A. | Oregon Supreme Court justice | [134] |
Betty Roberts | 195 | PSC | B.S. | First woman to serve on the Oregon Supreme Court and Oregon Court of Appeals | [135] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Anas Khalid Al Saleh | 1997 | B.S. | SB | Deputy Prime Minister of Kuwait | [136] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
John Hughes | SSW | M.S.W. | Pioneer in school-based alcohol and drug prevention efforts | ||
Fariborz Maseeh | CLAS | B.S., M.S. | Pioneer in the field of micro-electro mechanical systems (MEMS); founder of IntelliSense | [137] | |
Jill Mikucki | 2001 | CLAS | M.S. | Microbiologist and Antarctic researcher; professor of microbiology at University of Tennessee, Knoxville | [138] |
Bruce Ogilvie | CLAS | M.S. | Sports psychologist and professor, San Jose State University | ||
Sage Sharp | CLAS | B.S. | Programmer who contributed to Linux kernel | [139] |
Name | Class year | School(s) | Degree(s) | Notability | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Julienne Bušić | CLAS | M.A. | Widow of Zvonko Bušić; convicted in hijacking of TWA Flight 355 | [169] | |
Patrice Lumumba Ford | CLAS | B.A. | Convicted member of the terrorist group, the Portland Seven | [170] | |
Randall Woodfield | DNG; att. 1970–1974 |
— | Green Bay Packers draftee; later convicted serial killer | [171] |