List of Temple University people

This is a list of notable faculty and alumni of Temple University, a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Faculty

• Russell Conwell – founder and first president of the university, author of Acres of Diamonds
• Charles Ezra Beury – second president of the university
• Robert Livingston Johnson – third president of the university
• Millard E. Gladfelter – fourth president of the university
• Paul R. Anderson – fifth president of the university
• Marvin Wachman – sixth president of the university
• Peter J. Liacouras – seventh president of the university
• David Adamany – eighth president of the university - first LGBT president ^[1][2]
• Ann Weaver Hart – ninth president of the university- first female president ^[3]
• Neil D. Theobald – tenth president of the university
• Richard Englert
  – eleventh president of the university
• Jason Wingard – twelfth president of the university - first male of color president ^[4]
• JoAnne A. Epps – thirteenth president of the university - first female of color president ^[5]
• Theresa A. Powell – vice president of academic affairs^[6]

Biology

• Stephen Blair Hedges
• Jody Hey
• Masatoshi Nei

Business

• Subodha Kumar

Communication

• Joseph P. Folger

English

• Samuel R. Delany – science fiction author
• George W. Johnson – former chair of the Temple Department of English; later President of George Mason University (1979–1996)^[7]
• Thomas Kinsella – Irish poet, translator, editor, and publisher; author of numerous volumes of poetry and a translation of the ancient Irish epic The Tain (Táin Bó Cúailnge); while at Temple, he developed a program for students to study in Ireland called "the Irish Experience"
• Sonia Sanchez – poet
• Miles Orvell – cultural historian, editor of the Encyclopedia of American Studies

Film

• Lauren Wolkstein

History

• Richard H. Immerman
• Alan McPherson
• David Alan Rosenberg
• Gregory J. W. Urwin
• Russell Weigley
• Ralph F. Young

Law

• Jim Drucker (born 1952/1953), former Commissioner of the Continental Basketball Association, former Commissioner of the Arena Football League, and founder of NewKadia Comics
• C. Darnell Jones II
• David Kairys
• David G. Post

Mathematics

• Emil Grosswald (1968–1980)
• John Allen Paulos – author of Innumeracy: Mathematical Illiteracy and its Consequences

Music

• Katherine Ciesinski
• John Douglas – conductor and voice teacher; head of Temple's Opera Theatre program for two decades
• Aaron Levinson – Grammy Award-winning producer and musician
• Terell Stafford – Trumpet player

Philosophy

• Lewis Gordon
• Espen Hammer
• Joseph Margolis
• Jitendra Nath Mohanty, emeritus
• Miriam Solomon – Professor of Philosophy

Psychology

• Lauren Alloy
• Laurence Steinberg
• behavior therapy
• Rinad Beidas

Religion

• Ismail al-Faruqi
• Michael Alexander
• Edwin David Aponte
• Sr. Christine Schenk
• Leonard Swidler

Sociology

• Annette Lareau

Sports

• Nikki Franke – fencer and fencing coach

Other disciplines

• Molefi Asante – scholar, known for popularizing and developing Afrocentricity
• Emile B. De Sauzé – language educator known for developing the conversational method of learning a language
• Happy Fernandez – politician
• Mary Stuart Fisher - radiologist
• John E. Fryer – psychiatrist and gay rights activist, also known as Dr. Henry Anonymous
• Jacob Gershon-Cohen – Professor of Research Radiology and developer of mammography for detecting breast cancer^[8]
• Chevalier Jackson – pioneer physician in laryngology and endoscopy
• Leah Modigliani – Associate Professor and Program Director of Visual Studies at Tyler School of Art and Architecture
• Waldo Nelson – "father of pediatrics", longtime editor of The Journal of Pediatrics; author of Nelson Book of Pediatrics
• Lucia V. Streng – chemist
• Ann M. Valentine – chemist
• Earl Bradley – pediatrician
• Mark L. Nelson – chemist and inventor of Nuzyra, an antibiotic FDA approved in 2018

Alumni

Academia

• Katalin Karikó - 2023 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Rebecca Alpert – activist, Rabbi, and current chair of the religion department
• Edwin David Aponte – author and educator, Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of the Faculty, and Professor of Christianity & Culture at Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis.
• Leon Bass (Ph.D.) – educator
• John Baugh – linguist known for developing theory of linguistic profiling, Margaret Bush Wilson Professor in Arts and Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
• Susan H. Brandt - historian
• David Bressoud (Ph.D) – mathematician, former professor at Pennsylvania State University, DeWitt Wallace Professor of Mathematics at Macalester College
• Linda Darling-Hammond – Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, where she launched the School Redesign Network
• Miguel A. De La Torre – Associate Professor of Social Ethics; Director of the Justice and Peace Institute at the Iliff School of Theology; author of several books concerning the marginalized
• Angelo DiGeorge – physician and known for discovery of autoimmune disorder referred to as DiGeorge syndrome. Also, see Temple University School of Medicine, Notable Alumni and Pioneers
• David Drasin – mathematician, specializing in function theory.
• John Esposito – scholar of Middle East and Islamic studies, professor of International Affairs at Georgetown University
• American Studies
• Gail F. Forrest – spinal cord researcher at Kessler Foundation and New Jersey Medical School
• Ben Goertzel – Chief Scientist of financial prediction firm Aidyia Holdings; Chairman of AI software company Novamente LLC
• Stephen G. Haines – organizational theorist and management consultant
• I'm OK, You're OK
• Nathan Katz – former professor at Williams College, current Florida International University professor and expert on Jewish communities in India
• Edmund Kornfeld – Organic chemist
• Donald Kraybill – expert on Amish
• Bill Mensch – computer scientist, founder, chairman and CEO of Western Design Center
• Robert K. Merton – sociologist, former professor at Columbia University and Harvard University, former Chairman of the Department of Sociology at Tulane University
• Glenda Price - former president of Marygrove College
• University of Wisconsin
• Charles Coleman Sellers – historian, biographer, and librarian, winner of the Bancroft Prize in 1970
• College of William and Mary; author of Foundations of Modern Arab Identity (University Press of Florida, 2004), Islamophobia: The Ideological Campaign Against Muslims (Clarity Press, 2011), and Arab Imago: A Social History of Portrait Photography 1860–1910, (Princeton University Press
  , 2016).
• President of Princeton University
• Martin A. Pomerantz – physicist, astronomer, Director of Bartol Research Institute, NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal and National Science Foundation's Distinguished Public Servant Award recipient
• Alan Wolfe – political scientist and sociologist on the faculty of Boston College who serves as director of the Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the Future of American Democracy Foundation, a nonprofit, nonpartisan foundation in partnership with Yale University Press and the Yale Center for International and Area Studies,[2] "dedicated to research and education aimed at renewing and sustaining the historic vision of American democracy".

Art

• Laura Marie Greenwood – painter
• Trenton Doyle Hancock – artist
• Andrew Hussie – webcomic artist
• Simmie Knox – presidential portrait painter (Clinton)
• Nicholas Muellner – photographer and writer
• Ralph Rucci – designer
• Paula Scher – designer
• Sarai Sherman – artist
• Aaron Shikler – presidential portrait painter
• Jen Simmons – designer and web developer
• Tammy Stoner – artist and writer
• Ann Wilson – painter

Broadcasting

• Al Alberts – singer, Philadelphia personality on WPVI-TV
• Citadel Media
• Tony Bruno – sports radio talk show host on ESPN, Fox Sports Radio, and Sporting News Radio
• Howard Bryant – senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN The Magazine
• Pat Callahan
  – host of This Week in Pro Football on 950 ESPN
• Steve Capus – president, NBC News
• John Clark – sports anchorman for NBC 10
  news
• KNBC-TV
  news
• Marsha Cooke - executive producer, ESPN Films, 30 for 30
• Tracy Davidson – news presenter for NBC 10 news
• Jerry Del Colliano – radio/TV broadcaster, digital media expert, USC professor, author
• Vince DeMentri – anchorman for NBC 10 news
• Ray Didinger – award-winning sports journalist, NFL Hall of Famer writer.
• Diplo
  – DJ/producer
• Nick Gillespie – author, journalist, editor at reason.com
• Tamron Hall – MSNBC anchor
• BET News correspondent and a CNN
  political commentator.
• John Kincade – sports radio talk show host on ESPN Radio
• Mark Levin – conservative author, lawyer, and radio talk show host on WABC
• public radio show Radio Times
• Hiro Muramoto – Japanese cameraman for Reuters, killed while covering the 2010 Thai political protests
• Kevin Negandhi – ESPN anchor
• Ronn Owens – radio talk show host
• Ed Sciaky – disc jockey
• Gene Shay – disc jockey
• Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
• Dyana Williams - Radio and television personality, journalist, and celebrity media coach
• Marc Zumoff – sportscaster, Comcast Sportsnet, Philadelphia 76ers

Business

• John Carrig – former COO and president for ConocoPhillips
• Sam Greenblatt – vice president of technology and architecture in Enterprise Solution Group of Dell
• Jai Gulati – CEO of Systel
• Lewis Katz – businessman, philanthropist, newspaper publisher, former co-owner of The Philadelphia Inquirer
• Larry Miller – president of Jordan Brand, former president of Portland Trail Blazers
• Rosemary Reed Miller - owner Toast and Strawberries, Washington D.C. fashion boutique
• Ash Vasudevan
  – founding Managing Partner of Edge Holdings

Film, theatre, and television

• Bill Cosby – actor, comedian
• Keith Andes – actor
• Darcy Antonellis – major film studio executive
• Joe Augustyn – screenwriter, producer
• David Brenner – standup comedian, actor, author, filmmaker
• Academy Award-winning Hollywood
  filmmaker
• Cody Calafiore – model, actor, runner up of Big Brother 16, winner of Big Brother 22
• Dennis Christopher – actor
• Nicholas P. Dallis – soap comic writer
• Norman Fell – comic actor best known for Three's Company (attended Theatre Dept. classes)
• Jason Winston George – actor, Sunset Beach, Platinum
• Johnny Ray Gill – actor, independent filmmaker (NBC's Harry's Law)
• Academy Award-winning Hollywood
  film editor
• Veronica Hamel – actress, known for playing Joyce Davenport on the television series Hill Street Blues.
• Lois Hamilton – actress
• Tim Heidecker – comedian and co-creator of Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
• Debra Hill (1950-2005), film producer and screenwriter best known for making the movie, Halloween.^[9]
• Tigre Hill – film director/producer
• Saba Homayoon – actress
• Irvin Kershner – film director, Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
• The Saint
• William Marchant – playwright and screenwriter
• Emmy-nominated director of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), and Step Brothers (2008), Academy award-winning writer of The Big Short
• Mary Lou Metzger – singer, dancer The Lawrence Welk Show
• Kunal Nayyar – actor, plays Raj on CBS's Big Bang Theory
• Robert Prosky – actor
• Ghost the Musical
• Herbert Rudley – actor
• Bob Saget – comedian, game show host, Full House
• Michael Schoeffling – actor who played Jake Ryan in 1980s film Sixteen Candles
• Peter Shub – actor, clown, and circus producer
• Svetlana Shusterman – from MTV's The Real World
  Key West
• James Riordan – actor, Broadway, Television and Film actor
• Tom Sizemore – actor
• Hugh Panaro – actor, Broadway
• Paul F. Tompkins – actor, comedian
• Dan Trachtenberg – film director of 10 Cloverfield Lane, and co-host The Totally Rad Show
• Eric Wareheim – comedian and co-creator of Tom Goes to the Mayor and Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!
• thirtysomething, Brothers & Sisters, Prison Break
• Jesse Williams – actor (Grey's Anatomy)
• Danny Woodburn – actor (Mickey on Seinfeld)
• Colman Domingo – actor on Fear the Walking Dead
• Quinta Brunson – actor, comedian
• Eric Owens (bass-baritone) – American operatic bass-baritone
• Nadia Parfan – Ukrainian film director and creative producer

Government

• Mari Carmen Aponte – U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador
• U.S. Congressman
  for Pennsylvania
• U.S. Marine Corps
  officer
• Horace J. Bryant – first African American to serve in a State Cabinet position in New Jersey
• Jamira Burley – Municipal leader, national campaign deputy director
• Michael E. Busch – Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates
• Jim Cawley – Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania
• Robert Coughlin – longstanding Republican Pennsylvania representative to United States House of Representatives
• Mae E. De Vincentis – former United States Department of Defense official and the vice director for the Defense Logistics Agency
• Harold L. Ervin – judge on the Superior Court of Pennsylvania
• Edwin Duing Eshleman – former Republican
  congressman
• United States Ambassador to Italy
• Vincent Fumo
  – Democratic Pennsylvania state senator
• Tom Gannon – Pennsylvania State Representative for the 161st legislative district (1979–2006)
• Hage Geingob - President of the Republic of Namibia (March 21, 2015 – February 4, 2024)
• Nikoloz Gilauri – Prime Minister of Georgia
• Joseph M. Gladeck, Jr. (B.S. 1972) – Pennsylvania State Representative 1979–2000.^[10]
• Permanent Representative of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the United Nations
• National Assembly of Namibia since 2005^[11]
• Stephen Hahn – Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration
• Allison Hepler - state representative^[12]
• Joe Hoeffel – former Democratic congressman
• Malcolm Hoenlein – executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations;^[13] founding executive director of the Greater New York Conference on Soviet Jewry and the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York
• Vincent Hughes – Pennsylvania state senator (Democrat)
• UMNO
• Attorney General of Pennsylvania, also convicted of felony perjury^[14]
• U.S. Congressman, representing Pennsylvania's 11th district^[15]
• Guy Kratzer – Pennsylvania State Senator (1983-1986)
• Jerome Kurtz – Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service (1977–1980)^[16]
• David See-Chai Lam OC, CVO, OBC, (林思齊) – 25th Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia
  , Canada
• Mayor of Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1976–1982^[17]
• Bryan Lentz – private attorney; former Pennsylvania State Representative for the 161st legislative district (2007–2010); Democratic nominee for U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district
• Joseph Melrose – former U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, currently a professor at Ursinus College
• Bernard T. Mittemeyer – lieutenant general and former Surgeon General of the United States Army
  .
• Francis J. Myers – former U.S. Senator and congressman, Pennsylvania
• Joseph M. Pratt, U.S. congressman from Philadelphia (1944-1945)^[18]
• Cherinet Hariffo Political Science Graduate and Activist
• R. K. Raghavan IPS – former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation, India
• Pallam Raju
  – Former Cabinet Minister of India for Human Resources Development
• Charles W. Sandman, Jr. – represented New Jersey's 2nd congressional district, 1967–1975; unsuccessful candidate for Governor of New Jersey in 1973^[19]
• U.S. Congressman representing New Jersey's 3rd congressional district
• Jacob Seidenberg - chairman of the Federal Services Impasses Panel
• Younes Sekkouri – Moroccan Minister of Economic Inclusion, Small Business, Employment and Skills^[20]
• United States Ambassador to Uruguay
• Mayor of Philadelphia
• Nao Takasugi – California State Assembly
• U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone (1989-1992)^{[citation needed}
  ]

• Sharmi Albrechtsen – author, blogger
• Ben Bova – science fiction author
• Frank Brookhouser – Journalist, columnist, and author.
• Jim Callahan – retired football player and writer
• Tony Campolo – author, pastor, and speaker
• Anita Cornwell – author
• Eric Corey Freed – architect, author, public speaker
• Jeffrey Gitomer – author, speaker, business trainer
• David Goodis – crime fiction writer
• Helene Hanff – writer
• Tom McHale
  – novelist
• Ted Polhemus – writer, photographer, anthropologist
• Jeffrey Robinson – author
• William Gardner Smith – author and journalist
• Jerry Spinelli – writer
• Lamont B. Steptoe – poet, photographer, publisher
• Tony Trov – science fiction writer
• Johnny Zito – science fiction writer

Sarah Micklow - opera singer

Sarah Micklow

Music

• Irving Berlin – honorary degree '54, songwriter
• Rubén Colón Tarrats – orchestra director
• Abbie Conant - classical trombonist
• Norman Connors - Musician, Composer, Arranger, & Producer
• Evelyn Simpson Curenton - composer
• Diplo, born Thomas Wesley Pentz – DJ, producer, rapper, and songwriter
• Alix Dobkin – singer/songwriter
• Pat Finnerty – musician, guitarist, and songwriter
• Dead Milkmen
• Ariana Ghez – classic oboist
• Alex G - musician, guitarist, and songwriter
• Grammy Award
  winner
• Daryl Hall – musician
• Marc-André Hamelin – pianist
• The Bloodhound Gang
• Mark Kramer – musician, producer-engineer, Mark Kramer Trio
• Fred Mascherino – musician, Taking Back Sunday, Breaking Pangaea
• Tony Award
  -winning playwright
• Bill McGlaughlin – composer, conductor, radio host of Exploring Music and Saint Paul Sunday
• John Oates – musician
• Eric Owens – opera singer
• Grammy Award winner and R&B singer, known for his number one single "Me and Mrs. Jones" and War of the Gods
• Grammy Award
  winning keyboardist, songwriter, and producer
• Fayette Pinkney – original member of The Three Degrees
• The Bloodhound Gang
• Jill Scott – R&B/soul artist
• Debbie Sledge – Singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
• Joni Sledge – Singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
• Kathy Sledge – Singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
• Kim Sledge – Singer and member of the disco/R&B group Sister Sledge
• Allan Slutsky – Grammy Award-winning producer and musician
• Jeffrey Solow – Grammy nominated classical cellist
• Terell Stafford – professional jazz trumpet player
• Tim – Korean ballad singer
• Kenneth Thompkins - principal trombonist, Detroit Symphony Orchestra^[21][22]
• Susan Werner – singer-songwriter

Other

• John C. Allen – roller coaster designer
• Ted Bundy – serial killer
• Reed Erickson - transgender activist, engineer, and philanthropist
• Richard L. Fox - tax attorney
• Judith E. Glaser – author and organizational anthropologist
• E. Urner Goodman – early leader of the Boy Scouts of America
• philatelic and member of the American Philatelic Society Hall of Fame
  .
• Donniel Hartman – Israeli rabbi
• Linda and Terry Jamison – "The Psychic Twins"
• Steven Levy – writer for Wired and author of Hackers: Heroes of the Computer Revolution^[23]
• Shantrelle P. Lewis – curator, historian, critic and filmmaker
• Georgia L. McMurray - activist
• Maralyn Lois Polak – journalist and author
• Stephen Starr – celebrity restaurateur
• Gary Tabach – retired United States Navy captain, the first Soviet-born citizen to be commissioned an officer in the Armed Forces of the United States
• John Thomas Taylor – congressional lobbyist for the American Legion
• Salvatore Testa - Italian American hitman for the Philadelphia crime family
• Michael van der Veen - attorney, who represented former President Donald Trump during his second impeachment trial
• Diana Vincent – jewelry designer
• James West, inventor, primarily of microphones
• Edith Windsor – Plaintiff in United States v. Windsor

Sports

Baseball

• Bobby Higginson – Major League Baseball player, Detroit Tigers
• John Marzano – former MLB catcher; sports analyst
• Harry Shuman – MLB player, Pittsburgh Pirates^[24]

Football

• Robby Anderson – NFL wide receiver, New York Jets
• Matt Balasavage – Former NFL tight end, Baltimore Ravens
• offensive guard, Detroit Lions
• Head Coach, New York Jets
• Raheem Brock – NFL defensive end, Indianapolis Colts
• Matt Brown
• Lem Burnham – NFL defensive end, Philadelphia Eagles, did not play Temple, earned Ph.D at Temple
• Jim Callahan – former Continental Football League player and writer
• Larry Chester – NFL defensive tackle, Miami Dolphins
• offensive tackle, Dallas Cowboys
• Mike Curcio – NFL linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles and Green Bay Packers
• Derek Dennis – American football offensive lineman
• Randy Grossman – NFL tight end, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Tom Hanson – NFL halfback, Philadelphia Eagles
• James Harris – NFL defensive end, Oakland Raiders
• Mike Jarmoluk – NFL defensive tackle, Philadelphia Eagles
• Lance Johnstone – NFL defensive end, Minnesota Vikings
• Alex Joseph – NFL linebacker, San Francisco 49ers
• Bucko Kilroy – NFL defensive tackle, Philadelphia Eagles
• fullback
  , Philadelphia Eagles
• Joe Klecko – NFL defensive tackle, New York Jets; father of Dan Klecko
• Terrance Knighton – NFL defensive tackle, Denver Broncos
• Bill Manlove, national championship college coach
• Jason McKie – NFL fullback, Chicago Bears
• Brandon McManus – NFL placekicker, Denver Broncos
• Nick Mike-Mayer – NFL placekicker, Atlanta Falcons
• James Nixon – NFL cornerback, Green Bay Packers
• football
  player
• Bernard Pierce – NFL, running back, Jacksonville Jaguars
• Britt Reid – former assistant coach in the NFL
• Kevin Ross – NFL cornerback, Kansas City Chiefs
• Guard, New York Sharks
• Washington Redskins
• Al Singleton – NFL linebacker
  , Dallas Cowboys
• David Smukler (1914–1971) NFL football player
• Rod Streater – NFL, wide receiver, Oakland Raiders
• Rian Wallace – NFL linebacker, Pittsburgh Steelers
• Steve Watson – NFL wide receiver, Denver Broncos
• Muhammad Wilkerson – NFL defensive end, New York Jets
• Tavon Young – NFL cornerback, Baltimore Ravens
• Henry Burris – CFL quarterback, Ottawa Redblacks

Fencing

• Kamali Thompson – Team USA fencer

Basketball

• Lavoy Allen – NBA player, Indiana Pacers
• Rick Brunson – NBA player, Philadelphia 76ers
• Mardy Collins – NBA player, New York Knicks
• Candice Dupree – WNBA player, Phoenix Mercury
• Philadelphia Inquirer
• Marc Jackson – professional basketball player in Europe, former NBA player
• Steve Javie – NBA referee
• Eddie Jones – NBA player, Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Charlotte Hornets, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks
• Mark Macon – NBA player, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons
• Aaron McKie – NBA player, Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers
• Tim Perry – NBA player, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers
• Pepe Sánchez – former NBA player now with Spanish ACB; gold- medal winner in basketball with Argentina, 2004 Summer Olympics
• Hapoel Holon of the Israeli Basketball Premier League

• Marcus McElhenney Olympian – Rowing at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's eight – bronze medal winner
• Benny McLaughlin – National Soccer Hall of Fame
• Zach Pfeffer (born 1995) – soccer player
• Allen Rosenberg
  – rower and rowing coach
• Jason Read – Olympic gold medalist, rowing
• Eric Semborski – former NHL emergency Goaltender for the Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers
• Gabe Sapolsky – professional wrestling booker, part founder of Ring of Honor and Full Impact Pro
• Geoffrey Sisk, Class of 1987, former PGA Tour golfer
• Gil Stein – NHL commissioner
  of the National Hockey League, 1992–1993

• Toby Flenderson – character in the television series The Office
  ; has a degree in social work from Temple University