Founded 1847 as the State University of Iowa.
| Name | Occupation | Birth | Death | Known for |
|---|
| Cap Anson |
Baseball |
17-Apr-1852 |
14-Apr-1922 |
Early MLB superstar, Hall of Famer |
| Tom Arnold |
Actor |
6-Mar-1959 |
|
Ex-Husband of Roseanne Barr |
| Albert Bandura |
Psychologist |
4-Dec-1925 |
|
Bobo doll experiments |
| Earl Banks |
Football |
11-Jun-1924 |
11-Mar-1993 |
Morgan State Head Coach, 1960-73 |
| Mildred Wirt Benson |
Author |
10-Jul-1905 |
28-May-2002 |
Ghostwriter of the Nancy Drew mystery series |
| Bret Bielema |
Football |
13-Jan-1970 |
|
Head Coach, University of Arkansas |
| Robert Bly |
Poet |
23-Dec-1926 |
|
Iron John: A Book About Men |
| David Bonior |
Politician |
6-Jun-1945 |
|
Congressman from Michigan, 1977-2003 |
| T. C. Boyle |
Author |
7-Dec-1948 |
|
The Tortilla Curtain |
| Bruce Braley |
Politician |
30-Oct-1957 |
|
Congressman, Iowa 1st |
| Terry E. Branstad |
Politician |
17-Nov-1946 |
|
Governor of Iowa |
| Ruth E. Bruch |
Business |
27-Jun-1953 |
|
CIO, Kellogg Company |
| Robert Olen Butler |
Author |
20-Jan-1945 |
|
A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain |
| Jim Caldwell |
Football |
16-Jan-1955 |
|
Detroit Lions coach |
| Ronald K. Calgaard |
Business |
1937 |
|
President of Trinity University, 1979-99 |
| Macdonald Carey |
Actor |
15-Mar-1913 |
21-Mar-1994 |
Tom Horton on Days of Our Lives |
| James H. Carter |
Judge |
18-Jan-1935 |
|
Justice, Iowa Supreme Court, 1982-2006 |
| James E. Cartwright |
Military |
22-Sep-1949 |
|
Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, 2007-11 |
| Raymond Carver |
Author |
25-May-1938 |
2-Aug-1988 |
Will You Please Be Quiet, Please? |
| John Casey |
Novelist |
18-Jan-1939 |
|
Spartina |
| R. V. Cassill |
Novelist |
17-May-1919 |
25-Mar-2002 |
Dr. Cobb's Game |
| Sandra Cisneros |
Author |
20-Dec-1954 |
|
The House on Mango Street |
| Richard C. Clark |
Politician |
14-Sep-1928 |
|
US Senator from Iowa, 1973-79 |
| Cindy Cohn |
Attorney |
c. 1963 |
|
EFF lawyer |
| Norm Coleman |
Politician |
17-Aug-1949 |
|
US Senator from Minnesota, 2003-09 |
| Paul Conrad |
Cartoonist |
27-Jun-1924 |
4-Sep-2010 |
Political cartoonist |
| James Crumley |
Novelist |
12-Oct-1939 |
17-Sep-2008 |
The Mexican Tree Duck |
| Michael Cunningham |
Novelist |
6-Nov-1952 |
|
The Hours |
| Don DeFore |
Actor |
25-Aug-1913 |
22-Dec-1993 |
Mr. B. on Hazel |
| Anthony Dexter |
Actor |
19-Jan-1913 |
27-Mar-2001 |
Valentino |
| Diablo Cody |
Author |
14-Jun-1978 |
|
Candy Girl |
| Rita Dove |
Poet |
28-Aug-1952 |
|
7th US Poet Laureate, 1993-95 |
| Colin Egglesfield |
Actor |
9-Feb-1973 |
|
Dr. Josh Madden on All My Children |
| Norman A. Erbe |
Politician |
25-Oct-1919 |
8-Jun-2000 |
Governor of Iowa, 1961-63 |
| James D. Ericson |
Business |
c. 1936 |
|
CEO of Northwestern Mutual, 1993-2001 |
| David G. Fairchild |
Botanist |
7-Apr-1869 |
6-Aug-1954 |
Brought exotic plants to America |
| Robert D. Fulton |
Politician |
13-May-1929 |
|
Lt. Governor of Iowa, 1962-69 |
| Greg Ganske |
Politician |
31-Mar-1949 |
|
Congressman from Iowa, 1995-2003 |
| John Gardner |
Novelist |
21-Jul-1933 |
14-Sep-1982 |
Grendel |
| Rita B. Garman |
Judge |
19-Nov-1943 |
|
Justice, Illinois Supreme Court |
| Darrell Garwood |
Journalist |
8-Oct-1909 |
8-Apr-1988 |
Artist in Iowa: A Life of Grant Wood |
| Mimi Gardner Gates |
Administrator |
c. 1953 |
|
Director, Seattle Art Museum |
| John Getz |
Actor |
15-Oct-1946 |
|
Blood Simple |
| Gail Godwin |
Novelist |
18-Jun-1937 |
|
A Southern Family |
| Albert Goldbarth |
Poet |
31-Jan-1948 |
|
The most prolific modern poet |
| Jorie Graham |
Poet |
9-May-1951 |
|
The Dream of the Unified Field |
| Dennis Green |
Football |
17-Feb-1949 |
21-Jul-2016 |
NFL and NCAA football coach |
| Allan Gurganus |
Novelist |
11-Jun-1947 |
|
Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All |
| Joe Haldeman |
Novelist |
9-Jun-1943 |
|
The Forever War |
| James E. Hansen |
Scientist |
29-Mar-1941 |
|
Greenhouse effect and global warming |
| Joy Harjo |
Poet |
9-May-1951 |
|
The Last Song |
| Michael S. Harper |
Poet |
18-Mar-1938 |
|
Nightmare Begins Responsibility |
| Josephine Herbst |
Novelist |
5-Mar-1892 |
28-Jan-1969 |
Pity Is Not Enough |
| Martha O. Hesse |
Business |
14-Aug-1942 |
|
Chairman of Enbridge Energy Partners |
| Leo A. Hoegh |
Politician |
30-Mar-1908 |
15-Jul-2000 |
Governor of Iowa, 1955-57 |
| Michael J. Hogan |
Educator |
1943 |
|
President, University of Connecticut |
| Lou Holtz |
Football |
6-Jan-1937 |
|
Head Coach, South Carolina, 1999-2004 |
| John Hospers |
Politician |
9-Jun-1918 |
12-Jun-2011 |
First Libertarian presidential candidate |
| Harold Hughes |
Politician |
10-Feb-1922 |
23-Oct-1996 |
Governor and Senator from Iowa |
| Mary Beth Hurt |
Actor |
26-Sep-1946 |
|
The World According to Garp |
| Toby Huss |
Actor |
9-Dec-1966 |
|
Carnivale, King of the Hill |
| Arthur M. Hyde |
Politician |
12-Jul-1877 |
17-Oct-1947 |
Governor of Missouri, 1921-25 |
| Lewis Hyde |
Critic |
16-Oct-1945 |
|
The Gift |
| John Irving |
Novelist |
2-Mar-1942 |
|
The World According to Garp |
| Al Jarreau |
Singer |
12-Mar-1940 |
|
We're In This Love Together |
| Denis Johnson |
Novelist |
1-Jul-1949 |
|
Jesus' Son |
| Jake Johnson |
Actor |
20-May-1979 |
|
Nick on New Girl |
| Patty Judge |
Politician |
2-Nov-1943 |
|
Lt. Governor of Iowa |
| Donald Justice |
Poet |
12-Aug-1925 |
6-Aug-2004 |
The Summer Anniversaries |
| Alex Karras |
Actor |
15-Jul-1935 |
10-Oct-2012 |
Mongo, dad on Webster |
| George Kelly |
Psychologist |
28-Apr-1905 |
6-Mar-1967 |
Personal Construct Theory of personality |
| Tracy Kidder |
Author |
12-Nov-1945 |
|
The Soul of a New Machine |
| Kerry K. Killinger |
Business |
6-Jun-1949 |
|
Last CEO of Washington Mutual |
| Jim Yong Kim |
Administrator |
8-Dec-1959 |
|
President of the World Bank |
| Nile Kinnick |
Football |
9-Jul-1918 |
2-Jun-1943 |
Winner, 1939 Heisman Trophy |
| Mary Kramer |
Diplomat |
14-Jun-1935 |
|
US Ambassador to Barbados, 2004-06 |
| Paul Krause |
Football |
19-Feb-1942 |
|
NFL Hall of Famer |
| Ashton Kutcher |
Actor |
7-Feb-1978 |
|
Kelso on That '70s Show |
| Charles W. Larson, Jr. |
Politician |
1-Apr-1968 |
|
US Ambassador to Latvia |
| Alan Larson |
Diplomat |
c. 1949 |
|
Under Secy. of State for Economics, 1999-2005 |
| Jerry L. Larson |
Judge |
17-May-1936 |
|
Justice, Iowa Supreme Court |
| H. Douglas Lee |
Educator |
15-Mar-1943 |
25-Aug-2009 |
President of Stetson University, 1987-2009 |
| Philip Levine |
Poet |
10-Jan-1928 |
14-Feb-2015 |
What Work Is |
| Melvyn Levitsky |
Diplomat |
19-Mar-1938 |
|
US Ambassador to Brazil, 1994-98 |
| H. William Lichtenberger |
Business |
c. 1935 |
|
CEO of Praxair, 1992-2000 |
| William T. Lynch, Jr. |
Business |
3-Dec-1942 |
|
Former CEO of Leo Burnett |
| J. Bernard Machen |
Educator |
26-Mar-1944 |
|
President, University of Florida |
| Haki R. Madhubuti |
Author |
23-Feb-1942 |
|
Black Men: Obsolete, Single, Dangerous? |
| Jock Mahoney |
Actor |
7-Feb-1919 |
14-Dec-1989 |
Yancy Derringer |
| John Y. McCollister |
Politician |
10-Jun-1921 |
1-Nov-2013 |
Congressman from Nebraska, 1971-77 |
| Arthur A. McGiverin |
Judge |
10-Nov-1928 |
|
Iowa Chief Justice, 1987-2000 |
| Ruth V. McGregor |
Judge |
1943 |
|
Arizona Chief Justice |
| James Alan McPherson |
Author |
16-Sep-1943 |
27-Jul-2016 |
Elbow Room |
| Michael J. Melloy |
Judge |
15-Jan-1948 |
|
8th Circuit Court of Appeals |
| Ana Mendieta |
Performance Artist |
18-Nov-1948 |
8-Sep-1985 |
Feminist performance artist |
| Nicholas Meyer |
Film Director |
24-Dec-1945 |
|
Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan |
| Edward Mezvinsky |
Politician |
17-Jan-1937 |
|
Congressman from Iowa, 1973-77 |
| Ronald T. Y. Moon |
Judge |
4-Sep-1940 |
|
Hawaii Chief Justice |
| Mo Mowlam |
Politician |
18-Sep-1949 |
19-Aug-2005 |
Former Labour MP |
| Bharati Mukherjee |
Novelist |
27-Jul-1940 |
|
The Tiger's Daughter |
| David R. Nagle |
Politician |
15-Apr-1943 |
|
Congressman from Iowa, 1987-93 |
| Daniel P. Neary |
Business |
c. 1951 |
|
CEO of Mutual of Omaha |
| Don Nelson |
Basketball |
15-May-1940 |
|
Bucks, Knicks, Mavericks, and Warriors ex-coach |
| Jeffrey Noddle |
Business |
1947 |
|
CEO of Supervalu |
| Kay A. Orr |
Politician |
2-Jan-1939 |
|
Governor of Nebraska, 1987-91 |
| Thomas E. Pardun |
Business |
c. 1944 |
|
CEO of Edge2net Inc., 2001-01 |
| Lara Parker |
Actor |
27-Oct-1937 |
|
Angelique on Dark Shadows |
| Ann Patchett |
Novelist |
2-Dec-1963 |
|
Bel Canto |
| Rogelio M. Rebolledo |
Business |
c. 1945 |
|
Chairman, PBG Mexico |
| W. Ann Reynolds |
Educator |
3-Nov-1937 |
|
Chancellor of CUNY, 1990-97 |
| Eddie Robinson |
Football |
13-Feb-1919 |
3-Apr-2007 |
Grambling Head Coach, 1941-97 |
| C. J. Rogers |
Politician |
20-Dec-1897 |
18-May-1962 |
Governor of Wyoming, 1953-55 |
| Ronald W. Roskens |
Business |
11-Dec-1932 |
|
President, University of Nebraska, 1977-78 |
| Brian Ross |
Journalist |
23-Oct-1948 |
|
ABC News investigative correspondent |
| Brandon Routh |
Actor |
9-Oct-1979 |
|
Superman in Superman Returns |
| David Sanborn |
Musician |
30-Jul-1945 |
|
Saxophone player |
| Bob Sanders |
Football |
24-Feb-1981 |
|
Indianapolis Colts |
| Richard J. Schnieders |
Business |
6-Mar-1948 |
|
CEO of SYSCO |
| Harold Frend See, Jr. |
Judge |
7-Nov-1943 |
|
Justice, Alabama Supreme Court |
| Mary Lee Settle |
Novelist |
29-Jul-1918 |
27-Sep-2005 |
Beulah Land |
| Mark Shapiro |
Business |
c. 1970 |
|
CEO of Six Flags |
| Jane Smiley |
Novelist |
26-Sep-1949 |
|
A Thousand Acres |
| W. D. Snodgrass |
Poet |
5-Jan-1926 |
13-Jan-2009 |
Heart's Needle |
| Francesca M. Spinelli |
Business |
c. 1952 |
|
Senior VP at PetSmart |
| Wallace Stegner |
Author |
18-Feb-1909 |
13-Apr-1993 |
The Angle of Repose |
| Richard G. Stern |
Novelist |
25-Feb-1928 |
24-Jan-2013 |
Other Men's Daughters |
| Bob Stoops |
Football |
9-Sep-1960 |
|
Oklahoma Sooners Head Coach |
| Mark Strand |
Poet |
11-Apr-1934 |
29-Nov-2014 |
U.S. Poet Laureate 1990-91 |
| Michael J. Streit |
Judge |
c. 1950 |
|
Justice, Iowa Supreme Court |
| Anthony Swofford |
Author |
12-Aug-1970 |
|
Jarhead |
| James Tate |
Poet |
8-Dec-1943 |
8-Jul-2015 |
The Lost Pilot |
| Thomas J. Tauke |
Politician |
11-Oct-1950 |
|
Congressman from Iowa, 1979-91 |
| Marsha K. Ternus |
Judge |
30-May-1951 |
|
Iowa Chief Justice |
| Andre Tippett |
Football |
27-Dec-1959 |
|
New England Patriots, Hall of Famer |
| James Tolkan |
Actor |
20-Jun-1931 |
|
Back to the Future |
| Joseph F. Toot, Jr. |
Business |
c. 1936 |
|
CEO of Timken, 1992-97 |
| Emlen Tunnell |
Football |
29-Mar-1922 |
22-Jul-1975 |
NFL Hall of Famer |
| Jim Turner |
Actor |
1952 |
|
Kirby on Arli$$, Randee of the Redwoods |
| James Van Allen |
Astronomer |
7-Sep-1914 |
9-Aug-2006 |
Discovered the Van Allen Belt |
| Ernest van den Haag |
Scholar |
15-Sep-1914 |
21-Mar-2002 |
Punishing Criminals |
| Mona Van Duyn |
Poet |
9-May-1921 |
1-Dec-2004 |
To See, To Take |
| Jennifer Vanderbes |
Novelist |
20-Dec-1974 |
|
Easter Island |
| Therese M. Vaughan |
Government |
c. 1957 |
|
Iowa Insurance Commissioner, 1994-2004 |
| Ted Waitt |
Business |
18-Jan-1963 |
|
Co-Founder of Gateway |
| Margaret Walker |
Novelist |
7-Jul-1915 |
30-Nov-1998 |
Jubilee |
| Joe Walsh |
Politician |
27-Dec-1961 |
|
Congressman from Illinois, 2011-13 |
| Donald Weinstein |
Historian |
13-Mar-1926 |
13-Dec-2015 |
Savonarola and Florence |
| Gene Wilder |
Actor |
11-Jun-1933 |
28-Aug-2016 |
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory |
| Tennessee Williams |
Playwright |
26-Mar-1911 |
25-Feb-1983 |
The Glass Menagerie |
| Marguerite Young |
Author |
28-Aug-1908 |
17-Nov-1995 |
Miss MacIntosh, My Darling |
