List of University of Houston people

The Athletics/Alumni center at the University of Houston

The list of University of Houston people includes notable alumni, former students, and faculty of the University of Houston. Class years usually indicate the year of a graduation unless an entry is denoted by an asterisk (*). In this case, the student did not graduate from the university, and the class year indicates the last known year a former student attended. In the case of alumni with multiple graduation years, the earliest graduation year is shown.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

Legend

The following abbreviations and notes are used to represent UH schools and colleges:

Abbr.	Meaning
ARCH	Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design
ARTS	Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts
BAUER	C.T. Bauer College of Business
EDU	College of Education
CULLEN	Cullen College of Engineering
HONORS	Honors College
HILTON	Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership
LAW	University of Houston Law Center
CLASS	College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
NSM	College of Natural Sciences & Mathematics
NURSING	College of Nursing
MED	Tilman J. Fertitta Family College of Medicine
OPT	College of Optometry
PHARM	College of Pharmacy
SOCIAL	Graduate College of Social Work
TECH	College of Technology
HOBBY	Hobby School of Public Affairs
FS	Former student (Did not graduate)

Alumni

Academia

Name	Class year	School	Degree	Notability	Reference
C. Anthony Anderson	1965, 1964	NSM	M.S., B.S.	Philosopher; Professor of Philosophy at the University of California, Santa Barbara
Robert L. Bradley, Jr.	1980	CLASS	M.A.	Expert on public energy policy
James H. Bray	1980, 1978, 1976	CLASS	Ph.D., M.A., B.S.	Former president of the American Psychological Association
Brené Brown	2002, 1996	SOCIAL	Ph.D., M.S.W.	Scholar and researcher in social work; author, speaker, and professor at University of Houston
Max Castillo	1979	EDU	Ed.D	Former President of the University of Houston–Downtown and San Antonio College
Juliet V. García	1970	CLASS	M.A., B.A.	President, University of Texas at Brownsville; was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Robert W. Lawless	1964	NSM	B.S.	Former President of Texas Tech University and the University of Tulsa
Michael D. McKinney	1973		B.S.	13th Chancellor of The Texas A&M University System and former Texas House Representative
William A. Staples	1977	BAUER	D.B.A.	President of the University of Houston–Clear Lake
Arleigh B. Templeton	1961,1949	EDU	Ph.D, M.Ed.	First President of the University of Texas at San Antonio; former President of Sam Houston State University, the University of Texas at El Paso, and Alvin Community College
Welcome W. Wilson, Sr.	1949	BAUER	B.B.A.	Real estate developer and former Chairman of the University of Houston System Board of Regents

Arts and media

Architecture

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Laura Bennett	1993	Contestant, Season 3 of the television show Project Runway
Neil Denari	1980	Architect, professor
Burdette Keeland	1950	Modernist architect, professor
Jerrold E. Lomax	1951	Architect
Joe Mashburn	1978	Dean, Hines College of Architecture

Entertainment and performing arts

Dennis Quaid, actor

Kenny Rogers, Country music singer

Jim Parsons, actor

Jack Valenti, former President, Motion Picture Association of America

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Jason Alkire		Fashion designer at Haus Alkire, artist
Greg Baldwin		Actor
Leila Bela		Experimental musician, actress, and writer
Shelly Berg	1977	Jazz pianist and educator
Big Moe (Kenneth Moore)		Rapper
Larry Blyden	1948	Stage and television actor
Craig Bohmler	1980	Opera and musical-theater composer
Joe Bowman*	mid-1940s	Marksman and western entertainer
Peter Breck		Actor
Kenneth Broberg	2016	Classical pianist
J. T. Buck		Theatre director, composer, lyricist (The Gospel According to Tammy Faye)
Marcelo Bussiki	1993	Conductor
Tom Byron		Adult-film actor
Tony Campise		Jazz saxophonist
Derek Cecil		Actor
Chamillionaire*		Rapper
Johnny Chan*	1978	Poker player
Brett Cullen	1979	Actor
Chloe Dao*		Season 2 contestant on Project Runway
Loretta Devine	1971	Actress, NAACP Image Award recipient
Magen Ellis		Beauty queen
Fat Tony (Anthony Obi)		Hip-hop artist
Bruce Ford*	1982	Operatic tenor
Larry Gatlin	1970	Grammy-winning country singer and songwriter
Denyce Graves*	1990	Operatic mezzo-soprano
Keith Grimwood	1974	Bass player for Trout Fishing in America
Terreon Gully		Jazz drummer
Julie Haus		Fashion designer at Haus Alkire
Bill Hicks*		Comedian, social critic
Kimberly Holland	2004	Playboy model
Larry Hovis		Actor
Paavo Järvi*		Orchestra conductor
Christina Kelly	2015	Voice actress
Liza Koshy*	2015	Comedian, actress, YouTube personality
Evelyn Lim	1994	Concert organist, educator
Annie Lin		Singer-songwriter
Lizzo		Rapper, singer-songwriter
Anne Lundy	1979	Classical conductor, music educator
Master P*		Hip-hop artist, actor, producer, and athlete
Sally Mayes		Broadway singer and actress, rock/jazz singer
Susanne Mentzer*	1982	Operatic mezzo-soprano
Yvar Mikhashoff	1967	Composer, concert pianist, recording artist, music educator
Mary Mills*	1988	Operatic soprano
Carli Mosier		Voice actress
Pauline Oliveros*	1952	Electronic music composer and performance artist
Bárbara Padilla	2004	Opera singer
Jim Parsons	1996	Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor, The Big Bang Theory
Chris Patton		Voice Actor
Cindy Pickett	1972	Actress
Dennis Quaid*	1974	Actor
Randy Quaid	1971	Actor; winner of Golden Globe Award; nominated for Emmy and Academy Awards
Kenneth Radnofsky		Classical saxophonist, educator
Timothy Rhea	1999	Director of Bands at Texas A&M University
Kenny Rogers*	1958	Country singer; winner of multiple Grammy, American Music, Country Music Association, Academy of Country Music, and CMT Awards; USA Today "Favorite Singer of All Time"
Brad Rushing	1986	Cinematographer
Julian Schnabel	1973	Filmmaker; winner of Best Director prize at Cannes Film Festival; visual artist
Elliot Segal		Disc jockey
Guru Singh		Actor
Brent Spiner*	1974	Actor
Crystle Stewart	2007	Miss USA 2008
Allison Sumrall		Voice actress
DJ Sun		Record producer, DJ
Christopher Theofanidis	1992	Classical composer
John Tracy	1968	Television director
Tommy Tune		Broadway dancer, actor, Tony Award winner
Jack Valenti	1946	President of the Motion Picture Association of America
Townes Van Zandt*	1966	Country and folk music singer-songwriter
Viper		Rapper
Paul Wall	2001	Rapper and DJ
Judy Wilson		Casting director
Trey Wilson		Actor
Darren Keith Woods	1982	Opera singer, General Director of Fort Worth Opera
Roger Wright	1996	Classical pianist and 2004 National Scrabble Championship winner
Robert Wuhl	1976	Comedian, actor, and writer
Arthur Yoria		Guitarist, singer-songwriter
Terence Yung	2012	Concert pianist
Stella Zambalis*	1984	Operatic soprano
Jessica Zhu	2009	Concert pianist

Journalism

Jim Nantz, lead CBS Sports broadcaster

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Dan Cook*	1945	Longtime San Antonio television sports reporter and columnist
Steve Edwards*		Talk-show host
Fred Faour	1987	Sports commentator, talk-show host
Robert Flores	1992	ESPN anchor
Saul Friedman	1956	Newspaper reporter, columnist, wrote "Gray Matters" column for Newsday
Kevin James	1988	Radio host, conservative political commentator
Tom Jarriel	1956	Correspondent for 20/20 and ABC's evening news
Star Jones	1986	Former co-host of the TV show The View
Shane McAuliffe	2003	Creator and host of television program The Texas Bucket List
Maxine Mesinger		Gossip columnist for the Houston Chronicle
Jim Nantz	1981	Lead CBS Sports broadcaster
Chau Nguyen	2010	Television news anchor
Dan Rather*		Former Managing Editor and anchor for CBS Evening News
Caroline Valenta*	1945	Pulitzer-nominated photojournalist at the Houston Post
Bill Worrell	1969	Sportscaster
Steve Zabriskie		Network television play-by-play sportscaster, ABC, ESPN, CBS

Literature

Gene Wolfe, science-fiction author

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Donald Barthelme*	1957	Author, UH professor
Shane Bolks	1997	Author of chick lit and historical romance novels
Jericho Brown	2007	Poet, winner of 2020 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry
Kathryn Casey	1984	Author, journalist
Katherine Center	1998	Author
Thomas Cobb		Author
Jill Alexander Essbaum	1994	Poet, writer, professor
Ibis Gómez-Vega	1976	Writer, critic
Jennifer Grotz	2005	Poet
Christine Hà	2013	Writer, poet, editor; chef who won the grand prize on the MasterChef cooking competition on Fox in 2012
Mary Lynne Gasaway Hill	1997	American poet, writer, professor at St. Mary's University, Texas and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts
Detrick Hughes	1989	Poet
Lacy M. Johnson	2008	Writer
Corey Marks	2000	Poet
Leslie Adrienne Miller	1991	Poet
Vassar Miller	1947	Poet
David M. Parsons	1991	Poet, 1991 Poet Laureate of Texas
George Sessions Perry*	—	Novelist, correspondent
Padgett Powell		Author; professor at University of Florida
Cynthia D. Ritchie		Writer, filmmaker, social activist
Cristina Rivera Garza	1995	Author, professor, won 2024 Pulitzer Prize
Pattiann Rogers	1981	Poet
Allie Rowbottom		Writer, educator
Alice Sebold*	1985	Novelist
Lynda Schraufnagel	1987	Poet
Larry D. Thomas	1970	Poet, 2008 Texas State Poet Laureate
Sidney Wade	1994	Poet, professor
Bryan Washington	–	Writer
Will Wilkinson	2015 (MFA)	Writer, blogger
Gene Wolfe	1956	Science fiction novelist
Robert Clark Young		Author

Visual arts

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Michelle Barnes	1970	Artist and arts administrator
Susan Budge	1987	Ceramic sculptor
Michael Ray Charles	1993	Painter
Michael Galbreth	1984	Contemporary performance, conceptual, visual artist
Carll Goodpasture	1975	Photography
Priscilla Hamby	2003	Illustrator, comic-book artist
Cheryl Kelley	—	Photorealist painter
Jack Massing	1984	Contemporary performance, conceptual, visual artist
Eileen Maxson	2002	Video and installation artist
Julian Schnabel	1973	Neo-expressionist painter, sculptor, photographer, and filmmaker
Sheryl Sims		quilter and Alexandria, Virginia Commissioner for the Arts
Nestor Topchy	1987	Painter, sculptor, installation artist

Athletics

Baseball

Jeff Banister, Manager of the Texas Rangers

Michael Bourn, baseball outfielder

Jesse Crain, baseball pitcher

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
John Altobelli	1987	Minor league player, college coach; died in helicopter crash with Kobe Bryant
Jeff Banister	1986	Manager, Texas Rangers; perfect 1.000 major-league career batting average
Matt Beech	1994	Former pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies
Beau Bell		Infielder for St. Louis Browns, Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians
Michael Bourn	2003	Outfielder for Houston Astros/Atlanta Braves
Jesse Crain	2002	Best career start for a relief pitcher
Steve Cummings	1986	Former pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
Steve Decker		Catcher for San Francisco Giants, Florida Marlins, Colorado Rockies, Anaheim Angels
Larry Dierker		Pitcher for Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals
Doug Drabek	1983	1990 Cy Young Award winner, 1994 All-Star
Vaughn Eshelman	1991	Former pitcher for the Boston Red Sox
Joe Gallagher	1951	Professional baseball player and college baseball coach
Wayne Graham	1973	Head coach of Rice Owls baseball
Bill Henry	1946	Pitcher, 1960 All-Star
Rob Johnson	2004	Catcher for Seattle Mariners
Donnie Joseph	2009	Pitcher for Kansas City Royals
Jake Lemoine*	2015	Pitcher for Oakland Athletics
Brad Lincoln*	2006	Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher
Jason McDonald	1993	Oakland Athletics player
Garrett Mock	2004	Pitcher for Washington Nationals
Shane Nance	2000	Former Milwaukee Brewers and Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher
Rayner Noble	1988	Reached AAA level as player; later UH head baseball coach
John Paciorek		Played one game for Houston Colt .45s; holds MLB record for most plate appearances (5) while compiling a 1.000 career batting average
Tom Paciorek	1968	1981 All-Star; National College Baseball Hall of Fame
David Pierce	1985	Head coach at Tulane
Austin Pruitt	2013	Pitcher for Texas Rangers
Seth Romero*	2017	Pitcher for Washington Nationals
Jake Scheiner		Infielder/outfielder for Hiroshima Toyo Carp
Scott Sheldon	1991	Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers infielder
Chris Snyder	2002	Arizona Diamondbacks, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Houston Astros catcher
Chris Tremie	1992	Houston Astros catcher
Ryan Wagner	2003	First Cincinnati Red to be drafted and reach the majors in the same season
Mike Walker	1986	Former pitcher for the Seattle Mariners
Ben Weber	1991	2002 World Series champion
Patrick Weigel*	2015	Player for Atlanta Braves
Gary Weiss	1978	1981 World Series champion
Rocket Wheeler		Minor league player and manager
Todd Whitting	1995	UH head baseball coach
Woody Williams	1988	1993 World Series champion, 2003 All-Star
Anthony Young	1987	Major League Baseball's longest losing streak

Basketball

Clyde Drexler, former basketball shooting guard, ten-time NBA All-Star, and Basketball Hall of Fame member

Hakeem Olajuwon, former basketball center, twelve-time NBA All-Star, and Basketball Hall of Fame member

Elvin Hayes, former basketball center, twelve-time NBA All-Star, and Basketball Hall of Fame member

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Benny Anders*	1985	Member of Phi Slama Jama; later played in South America
Greg "Cadillac" Anderson	1987	Player for San Antonio Spurs/Milwaukee Bucks/New Jersey Nets/Denver Nuggets/Detroit Pistons/Atlanta Hawks
Terrance Arceneaux*	current student
Otis Birdsong	1977	Player for Kansas City Kings/New Jersey Nets/Boston Celtics
Armoni Brooks*	2019	Player for Houston Rockets
Randy Brown*	1988	Transferred from Houston to New Mexico State; player for Sacramento Kings/Chicago Bulls/Boston Celtics/Phoenix Suns; coach for Bulls
Josh Carlton	2022	Player for Le Mans Sarthe Basket
Don Chaney	1968	Player for Boston Celtics/Spirits of St. Louis (ABA)/Los Angeles Lakers; Head Coach of the New York Knicks, Houston Rockets, Detroit Pistons, and Los Angeles Clippers; 1969 NBA Finals and 1974 NBA Finals champion, 1991 NBA Coach of the Year Award winner
Aubrey Coleman	2010	Led NCAA Division I Men's Basketball in scoring for 2009–2010 season; player for Aliağa Petkim of Turkish Basketball League/Austin Toros of NBA Development League/Pallacanestro Biella of Italian League
Marcus Cousin	2010	Player for Utah Jazz
LJ Cryer*	current student
Doug Davalos	1994	Head basketball coach at Sul Ross State University, Texas State University
Corey Davis Jr.	2019	Player for Afyon Belediye S.K. of the Basketball Super League
Devin Davis	2018	Player for Lakeland Magic/G.S. Lavrio B.C./ESSM Le Portel
Dwight Davis	1972	Player for Cleveland Cavaliers/Golden State Warriors
Sergio De Randamie	2006	Player for ABC Amsterdam/Donar/Landstede Hammers/BV Den Helder/Apollo Amsterdam/Rotterdam/ZZ Leiden
David Díaz	1993	Player for Venezuelan national team
Damyean Dotson	2017	Player for New York Knicks
Dion Dowell	2008	Player for Golden State Warriors
Clyde Drexler	1983	Player for Portland Trail Blazers/Houston Rockets; 1995 NBA Finals Champion, NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team, 2004 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Player inductee; gold medal, 1992 Olympic Games
Louis Dunbar	1975	Player for Harlem Globetrotters
Kyler Edwards	2022	Player for San Antonio Spurs
Anwar Ferguson	2004	Player for Saitama Broncos
Rolando Ferreira	1988	Player for Portland Trail Blazers
Alton Ford	2004	Player for Phoenix Suns/Houston Rockets
Reid Gettys	1989	Member of Phi Slama Jama, player for Albany Patroons
Anthony Goldwire	2020	Player for Charlotte Hornets/Denver Nuggets/San Antonio Spurs/Washington Wizards/New Jersey Nets/Minnesota Timberwolves/Detroit Pistons/Milwaukee Bucks/Los Angeles Clippers; earned UH degree after professional career
Or Goren	1980	Player for Hapoel Megido, Hapoel Gvat/Yagur, Hapoel Ramat Gan, Elitzur Netanya, Hapoel Galil Elyon, Beitar Tel Aviv, and Maccabi Hadera
Justin Gorham	2021	Player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
Rob Gray	2017	Finished UH career as all-time AAC scoring leader; player for JL Bourg Basket
Quentin Grimes*	2021	Drafted by New York Knicks
Joe Hamood	1966	Player for Houston Mavericks (ABA)
Elvin Hayes	1968	Player for San Diego/Houston Rockets, Baltimore/Capital/Washington Bullets; player in the "NCAA Game of the Century", 1978 NBA Finals Champion, 1990 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Player inductee, NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team member
Carl Herrera	1990	Player for Houston Rockets/San Antonio Spurs/Vancouver Grizzlies/Denver Nuggets; 1994 NBA Finals and 1995 NBA Finals Champion
Nate Hinton*	2020	Player for Dallas Mavericks
Danuel House*	2014	Player for Washington Wizards/Phoenix Suns/Houston Rockets
DeJon Jarreau	2020	Player for Memphis Grizzlies
Chandi Jones	2004	Player for Detroit Shock/Minnesota Lynx
Damon Jones	1998	Player for New Jersey Nets/Boston Celtics/Golden State Warriors/Dallas Mavericks/Vancouver Grizzlies/Detroit Pistons/Sacramento Kings/Milwaukee Bucks/Miami Heat/Cleveland Cavaliers
Dwight Jones	1973	Player for Atlanta Hawks/Houston Rockets/Chicago Bulls/Los Angeles Lakers
Oliver Lafayette	2007	Player for Boston Celtics
Monica Lamb-Powell*	1985	Player for Houston Comets
Leary Lentz	1970	Player for Houston Mavericks/New York Nets (both ABA)
Guy Lewis	1947	UH head basketball coach (see Faculty and staff section below)
Kelvin Lewis	2010	Player for Houston Rockets Summer League team/Texas Legends of the NBA Development League
Ted Luckenbill	1961	Player for Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors
Sancho Lyttle	2005	Player for Atlanta Dream
Sam Mack	1992	Player for San Antonio Spurs/Houston Rockets/Vancouver Grizzlies/Golden State Warriors/Miami Heat
Larry Micheaux	1983	Player for Kansas City Kings/Houston Rockets
Caleb Mills*	2021	Transferred from UH to Florida State
Zamal Nixon	2011	Player for Hertener Loewen/Nürnberg Falcons BC/Flyers Wels/Phoenix Hagen/G.S. Lavrio B.C./Limoges CSP/USC Heidelberg/Riesen Ludwigsburg/Promitheas Patras B.C.
Hakeem Olajuwon*	1984	Player for Houston Rockets/Toronto Raptors; 1994 NBA MVP, 1994 NBA Finals and 1995 NBA Finals Champion, 1994 and 1995 NBA Finals MVP, NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team; Gold Medal, 1996 Olympic Games; 2008 Hall of Fame inductee
Charles "Bo" Outlaw	1993	Player for Los Angeles Clippers/Orlando Magic/Phoenix Suns/Memphis Grizzlies
Andre Owens	2005	Player for Utah Jazz
Gary Phillips	1961	Player for Boston Celtics/San Francisco Warriors
Devonta Pollard	2016	Player for BK Liepājas Lauvas/Koroivos B.C./Al Sadd Basketball Team/Niagara River Lions/Pioneros de Los Mochis
George Reynolds	1969	Player for Detroit Pistons
J'Wan Roberts	2023
Galen Robinson Jr.	2019	Player for Austin Spurs
Dave Rose	1983	Member of Phi Slama Jama; head basketball coach at Brigham Young University
Walker Russell*	1980	Player for Detroit Pistons/Atlanta Hawks/Indiana Pacers; coach for Toronto Raptors; scout for New York Knicks
Marcus Sasser*	2023	Player for Detroit Pistons
Jamal Shead	2024	Player for Toronto Raptors
Jaaron Simmons*	2014	Transferred to Ohio; player for Union Neuchâtel Basket
Jonathon Simmons*	2012	Player for San Antonio Spurs/Orlando Magic
Byron Smith	1991	Head coach, Prairie View A&M
Ken Spain	1969	Player for Pittsburgh Condors (ABA)
Ollie Taylor	1970	Player for New York Nets/San Diego Conquistadors/Carolina Cougars (all ABA)
Álvaro Teherán	1991	Player in Colombia
TaShawn Thomas*	2014	Transferred to Oklahoma; player for Hapoel Jerusalem B.C.
Jahmar Thorpe	2007	Player for BG Göttingen/Austin Spurs/Vilpas Vikings/Bakken Bears/Changan Group Guangdong/Saigon Heat/Forssan Koripoiat/Saint-Brieuc Basket Cotes D'Armor/Randers Cimbria/Link Tochigi Brex/Levanga Hokkaido/Basket Esch/Sun Rockers Shibuya/Iwate Big Bulls/Osaka Evessa/Bambitious Nara/Tokyo Hachioji Bee Trains/Kumamoto Volters/Kawasaki Brave Thunders/Saga Ballooners/Sendai 89ers/Rizing Zephyr Fukuoka/Alvark Tokyo/Kanazawa Samuraiz
Louis Truscott	2003	Player for Gary Steelheads/London Towers/Asheville Altitude/BC Mureș
Jarace Walker*	2023	Player for Indiana Pacers
Fabian White Jr.	2022	Player for South Bay Lakers
Rob Williams	1982	Player for Denver Nuggets
Rickie Winslow	1987	Player for Milwaukee Bucks
Joe Young*	2013	Transferred after sophomore year at UH to Oregon; player for Indiana Pacers
Michael Young	2003	Player for Phoenix Suns/Philadelphia 76ers/Los Angeles Clippers (finished UH degree after NBA career)

Bobsled

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Seun Adigun	2009	Bobsledder
Ngozi Onwumere	2014	Bobsledder

Bodybuilding

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Lee Labrada	1984	Bodybuilder, nutritionist; IFBB Mr. Universe weight-class world champion 1985, twice runner-up in Mr. Olympia international competition

Breakdancing

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Jeffrey Louis	2018	Olympic breakdancer, aka B-Boy Jeffro

Football

Kevin Kolb, football quarterback

Andre Ware, former football quarterback, Heisman Trophy recipient, College Football Hall of Fame member, sports analyst

Sebastian Vollmer, football offensive tackle

Wade Phillips, football defensive coordinator, former head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, and Buffalo Bills

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Matthew Adams	2018	Linebacker, Indianapolis Colts
Willis Adams	1982	Wide receiver, Cleveland Browns
Allen Aldridge	2002	Lineman, Denver Broncos/Detroit Lions
Dalva Allen	1957	Lineman, Houston Oilers/Oakland Raiders, 1960 AFL Championship and 1961 AFL Championship winner
Kyle Allen	2017	Quarterback, Carolina Panthers/Washington Football Team
Anthony Alridge	2008	Wide receiver, Denver Broncos (also played running back while at UH)
Kimble Anders	—	Fullback, Kansas City Chiefs, 1995 Pro Bowl, 1996 Pro Bowl, and 1997 Pro Bowl player
David Anenih	2022	Linebacker, Phoenix Cardinals
Donnie Avery	2008	Wide receiver, St. Louis Rams
Demarcus Ayers*	2015	Wide receiver, drafted by Pittsburgh Steelers
Joey Banes	—	Lineman, Indianapolis Colts
Don Bass	—	Tight end, Cincinnati Bengals/New Orleans Saints
Jackie Battle	—	Running back, Dallas Cowboys/Kansas City Chiefs
Tom Beer	1971	Tight end, Denver Broncos/Boston–New England Patriots
Val Belcher	1977	Lineman, Ottawa Rough Riders/Winnipeg Blue Bombers (CFL)
Adriano Belli	2001	Lineman, Atlanta Falcons/New York Giants/Cleveland Browns (NFL); Las Vegas Outlaws (XFL); BC Lions/Montreal Alouettes/Hamilton Tiger-Cats/Toronto Argonauts (CFL)
Earl Bennett	2022	Director of player development, Vanderbilt Commodores football; previously played six seasons as wide receiver for NFL Chicago Bears
Royce Berry	—	Linebacker, Cincinnati Bengals/Chicago Bears
Dan Birdwell	—	Lineman, Oakland Raiders, 1968 Pro Bowl player
Alois Blackwell	1978	Running back, Dallas Cowboys
Tyus Bowser	2016	Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens
Kent Branstetter	1974	Lineman, Green Bay Packers
Greg Brezina	1970	Linebacker, Atlanta Falcons, 1969 Pro Bowl Player
Bill Bridges	—	Lineman, Buffalo Bills
Art Briles*	1977	Head coach at UH and Baylor University
Kendal Briles	2005	Quarterback, wide receiver in college; assistant coach for Baylor, Florida Atlantic, Houston
Terrance Broadway*	2012	Quarterback, transferred from UH to Louisiana–Lafayette
Charlie Brown	—	Offensive tackle, Oakland Raiders
Don Brown	—	Running back, Houston Oilers
Guy Brown	—	Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys
Sammy Brown	2012	Linebacker, St. Louis Rams
Wilbert Brown	—	Lineman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Washington Redskins/New England Patriots
Reggie Burnette	1991	Linebacker, Green Bay Packers/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Bo Burris	—	Defensive back, New Orleans Saints
Glenn Cadrez	1993	Linebacker, New York Jets/Denver Broncos/Kansas City Chiefs
Patrick Carr	2020	Running back, Seattle Seahawks, Milano Seamen
Paul Carr	1956	Defensive back, San Francisco 49ers
Tyron Carrier	2012	Wide receiver, Montreal Alouettes (CFL)
Nelson Ceaser	2023	Lineman, signed by Seattle Seahawks
Zeon Chriss	current student	Quarterback
Rusty Clark	1970	Quarterback, Edmonton Eskimos, BC Lions
Bobby Clatterbuck	1953	Quarterback, New York Giants
Chuck Clements	1996	Quarterback, New York Jets
Mike Clendenen	1984	Kicker, Denver Broncos
James Cleveland	2011	Wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys, New Mexico Stars (LSFL)
Larry Cole*	1967	Lineman, Dallas Cowboys; transferred from Houston to Hawaii
Jim Colvin	1959	Lineman, Baltimore Colts/Dallas Cowboys/New York Giants
Billy Cosh	2015	Quarterback; college head coach
Carl Cunningham	1966	Linebacker, Denver Broncos/New Orleans Saints
Tank Dell*	2023	Wide receiver, Houston Texans
Jim Dickey	1957	Head coach, Kansas State Wildcats
Tom Dimmick	1955	Lineman/linebacker, Philadelphia Eagles/Dallas Texans (AFL)
James Dixon	1988	Wide receiver, Dallas Cowboys
Quinten Dormady*	2019	Quarterback, Orlando Guardians (transferred to Central Michigan after one year at UH)
Steven Dunbar Jr.	2018	Wide receiver, Edmonton Elks
Patrick Edwards	2012	Wide receiver, Detroit Lions
Emeke Egbule	2018	Linebacker, Los Angeles Chargers
Kenneth Farrow	2015	Running back, San Diego Chargers
Wiley Feagin	1960	Lineman, Baltimore Colts/Washington Redskins
Simon Fletcher	1984	Lineman, Denver Broncos
Don Flynn	1956	Defensive back, Dallas Texans (AFL)/New York Jets
Charlie Ford	1970	Defensive back, Chicago Bears/Philadelphia Eagles/Buffalo Bills/New York Giants
Robert Ford	1973	Assistant coach for multiple professional and college teams
Eddie Foster	1976	Split end, Houston Oilers
Charlie Fowler	1966	Lineman, Miami Dolphins
Nolan Frese	2015	Long snapper, Seattle Seahawks
Ben Fricke	1997	Lineman, Dallas Cowboys
Thomas Gafford	2004	Lineman, Green Bay Packers/Kansas City Chiefs
Terrance Ganaway*	2008	Running back, New York Jets; transferred from UH to Baylor after his freshman season
Willie Gaston	2007	Defensive back, Baltimore Ravens
Steve George	1972	Lineman, St. Louis Cardinals/Atlanta Falcons
Paul Gipson	1968	Fullback, Atlanta Falcons/Detroit Lions/New England Patriots
Mike Gisler	1991	Lineman, New England Patriots/New York Jets
Matthew Golden*	2023	Wide receiver; transferred to Texas
Mike Green	1999	Running back, Tennessee Titans/Cincinnati Bengals
Deontay Greenberry*	2014	Wide receiver
Rex Hadnot	2003	Lineman, Miami Dolphins
Charlie Hall	1967	Linebacker, Cleveland Browns
Logan Hall	2021	Lineman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Brandon Hartson	2013	Lineman, Chicago Bears
A. J. Haulcy*	current student	Defensive back
D. J. Hayden	2013	Defensive back, Oakland Raiders
Manny Hazard	1991	Wide receiver, Toronto Argonauts; set NCAA record for receptions in a season
Ken Hebert	1967	Wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers
Clay Helton	1994	Quarterback, became head coach at USC
Tyson Helton	1999	Quarterback, became head coach at Western Kentucky
Charlie Hennigan	—	Wide receiver, Houston Oilers (attended UH after football career)
Jimmy Herndon	1995	Lineman, Jacksonville Jaguars/Chicago Bears/Houston Texans
Carl Hilton	1985	Tight end, Minnesota Vikings
Gus Hollomon	1967	Defensive back, Denver Broncos/New York Jets
Phillip Hunt	2009	Defensive end, Winnipeg Blue Bombers/Philadelphia Eagles
David Hunter	2012	Defensive lineman, Houston Texans
Joe Bob Isbell	1961	Lineman, Dallas Cowboys/Cleveland Browns
Johnnie Jackson	1988	Defensive back, San Francisco 49ers/Green Bay Packers
William Jackson III	2015	Cornerback, Cincinnati Bengals/Washington Football Team
Curley Johnson	1956	Lineman/running back/kicker, Dallas Texans (AFL)/New York Jets/New York Giants
Isaiah Johnson	2018	Cornerback, Oakland Raiders/Pittsburgh Steelers
Josh Jones	2020	Offensive lineman, drafted by Arizona Cardinals
Marcus Jones	2021	Defensive back, return specialist, New England Patriots
Melvin Jones	1979	Lineman, Washington Redskins
Case Keenum	2010	Quarterback, Houston Texans/St. Louis Rams/Los Angeles Rams/Minnesota Vikings/Washington Redskins/Cleveland Browns/Buffalo Bills; during UH career became all-time NCAA FBS record holder in career passing yards, total offense, passing touchdowns, completions, 300-yard games, 5000-yard seasons
J. D. Kimmel	1952	Lineman, Washington Redskins/Green Bay Packers
D'Eriq King	2019	Quarterback, transferred from Houston to Miami, signed by New England Patriots
David Klingler	1991	Quarterback, Cincinnati Bengals/Oakland Raiders/Green Bay Packers
Jimmy Klingler	1994	Quarterback, Birmingham Barracudas/Texas Terror
Wade Koehl		Linebacker, Team Texas
Kevin Kolb	2006	Quarterback, Philadelphia Eagles/Arizona Cardinals/Buffalo Bills
Tom Landry	1952	Defensive back, New York Yankees (AAFC)/New York Giants, 1956 NFL Championship winner; coach, Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowl VI and Super Bowl XII champion, Pro Football Hall of Fame coach inductee (1990), inventor of the 4-3 defense formation
Lamar Lathon	1989	Linebacker, Houston Oilers/Carolina Panthers, 1996 Pro Bowl player
Richie Leone	2013	Punter and kicker, BC Lions
Harold Lewis	1958	Running back/defensive back, Baltimore Colts/Buffalo Bills/Oakland Raiders
Errol Linden	1960	Lineman, Cleveland Browns/Minnesota Vikings/Atlanta Falcons/New Orleans Saints
Everett Little	1975	Lineman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Eugene Lockhart	1983	Linebacker, Dallas Cowboys/New England Patriots, 1989 All-Pro Team
Randy Love	1978	Running back, St. Louis Cardinals
Josh Lovelady	2000	Lineman, Detroit Lions
Cameron Malveaux	2016	Lineman, Miami Dolphins
Vincent Marshall	2007	Wide receiver, Saskatchewan Roughriders/Calgary Stampeders/Winnipeg Blue Bombers
Dedric Mathis	1995	Defensive back, Indianapolis Colts
Matt Mattox	2004	Lineman; assistant coach at Houston and Texas
Joey Mbu	2015	Defensive tackle, Atlanta Falcons
Alton McCaskill*	2022	Running back; transferred to Colorado
Marcus McGraw	2012	Linebacker, Arizona Cardinals
Audray McMillian	1984	Defensive back, Houston Oilers/Minnesota Vikings
Warren McVea	1967	Running back, Cincinnati Bengals/Kansas City Chiefs, Super Bowl IV champion
Mekhi Mews	current student	Wide receiver
Brandon Middleton	2003	Wide receiver, St. Louis Rams
Ostell Miles	1991	Running back, Cincinnati Bengals
Hamin Milligan	2001	Defensive specialist, Dallas Desperados (Arena Football League)
Hanik Milligan	2001	Defensive back, San Diego Chargers, 2006 Pro Bowl player
Billy Milner	1994	Lineman, Miami Dolphins/St. Louis Rams
Leonard Mitchell	1980	Lineman, Philadelphia Eagles/Atlanta Falcons
Mack Mitchell	1974	Lineman, Cleveland Browns/Cincinnati Bengals
Alton Montgomery	1989	Defensive back, Denver Broncos/Atlanta Falcons
Glenn Montgomery	1988	Lineman, Houston Oilers/Seattle Seahawks
Monty Montgomery	1996	Defensive back, Indianapolis Colts/San Francisco 49ers/Philadelphia Eagles/New Orleans Saints
Barrick Nealy*	2003	Quarterback, Calgary Stampeders
Robert Newhouse	1971	Running back, Dallas Cowboys, Super Bowl XI champion
Riley Odoms	1971	Lineman, Denver Broncos, 1973 Pro Bowl, 1974 Pro Bowl, 1975 Pro Bowl, and 1978 Pro Bowl player
Alfred Oglesby	1990	Lineman, Miami Dolphins/Green Bay Packers/New York Jets/Cincinnati Bengals
John O'Korn*	2014	Quarterback; transferred from UH to Michigan
Ed Oliver*	2018	Lineman, Buffalo Bills
Fendi Onobun	2010	Tight end, St. Louis Rams/Chicago Bears
Chad O'Shea	1995	Coaching staffs of Minnesota Vikings, New England Patriots
Gervarrius Owens	2023	Defensive back, New York Giants
Derek Parish	2022	Fullback, lineman, Jacksonville Jaguars
Patrick Paul	2023	Lineman, drafted by Miami Dolphins
Johnny Peacock	1968	Defensive back, Houston Oilers
Kenny Perry	1992	College and XFL coach
Jason Phillips	1988	Wide receiver, Detroit Lions/Atlanta Falcons
Wade Phillips	1968	Head coach of Dallas Cowboys; previous coaching positions with Houston Oilers, New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, Atlanta Falcons, San Diego Chargers
Dickie Post	1966	Running back, San Diego Chargers/Denver Broncos/Houston Oilers
Joffrey Reynolds	2002	Running back, St. Louis Rams
Elandon Roberts*	2015	Linebacker, New England Patriots
Willie Roberts	1969	Defensive back, Chicago Bears
SirVincent Rogers	2009	Offensive lineman Toronto Argonauts
Stanford Routt	2004	Cornerback, Oakland Raiders
Kody Russey	2022	Lineman, New England Patriots
Nick Saenz	2012	Defensive back, Buffalo Bills
Ra'Shaad Samples	2018	Assistant coach, Los Angeles Rams
Rocky Schwartz	2008	Safety, signed by New Orleans Saints
Darrell Shepard*	1979	Quarterback, transferred to University of Oklahoma
Mike Simpson	1968	Defensive back, San Francisco 49ers
Charles Sims	2012	Running back, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Antowain Smith	1996	Running back, Buffalo Bills/New England Patriots/Tennessee Titans/New Orleans Saints/Houston Texans, Super Bowl XXXVI and Super Bowl XXXVIII champion; inventor of the "deke" move
Donovan Smith	current student	Quarterback
Lamar Smith	1993	Running back, Seattle Seahawks/Miami Dolphins/New Orleans Saints/Carolina Panthers
Marcus Spriggs	1996	Lineman, Buffalo Bills/Miami Dolphins/Green Bay Packers
Marquez Stevenson	2021	Wide receiver, Buffalo Bills
Phillip Steward	2013	Linebacker, St. Louis Rams
Rich Stotter	1967	Linebacker, Houston Oilers
Jim Strong	1969	Running back, San Francisco 49ers/New Orleans Saints
Grant Stuard	2021	Linebacker, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pat Studstill	1959	Wide receiver, Detroit Lions/Los Angeles Rams/New England Patriots
Hosea Taylor	1980	Lineman, Baltimore Colts
Earl Thomas	1970	Wide receiver/tight end, Chicago Bears/St. Louis Cardinals/Houston Oilers
Randy Thornton	1987	Denver Broncos, Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII champion
Nick Thurman	2018	Lineman, New England Patriots
Matangi Tonga	2010	Football player
Clayton Tune*	2023	Quarterback
Payton Turner	2021	Defensive end, drafted by New Orleans Saints
T. J. Turner	1985	Lineman, Miami Dolphins
Craig Veasey	1989	Lineman, Pittsburgh Steelers/Houston Oilers/Miami Dolphins
Sebastian Vollmer	2009	Lineman, New England Patriots
Greg Ward*	2016	Wide receiver, Philadelphia Eagles; was a starting quarterback at UH
Andre Ware	1989	Quarterback, Oakland Raiders/Detroit Lions/CFL, Recipient of the 1989 Heisman Trophy and Davey O'Brien Award
Chuck Weatherspoon	1990	Running back, Detroit Lions/Philadelphia Eagles/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Hogan Wharton	1958	Lineman, Houston Oilers
Wilson Whitley	1976	Lineman, Cincinnati Bengals/Houston Oilers
Damarion Williams	2021	Defensive back, Baltimore Ravens
Jarrid Williams*	2020	Lineman, transferred from UH to Miami
Jermaine Williams	1996	Running back, Jacksonville Jaguars/Oakland Raiders
Shomari Williams*	2009	Lineman, Saskatchewan Roughriders
Brandon Wilson	2016	Defensive back, Cincinnati Bengals
Howard Wilson	2016	Defensive back, Cleveland Browns
Elmo Wright	1970	Wide receiver, Kansas City Chiefs/New England Patriots/Houston Oilers, inventor of the touchdown victory dance
George Wright	1969	Lineman, Baltimore Colts

Golf

Fred Couples, PGA Tour and Champions Tour golfer

Steve Elkington, PGA Tour golfer

Fuzzy Zoeller, PGA Tour and Champions Tour golfer

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Rex Baxter	1957	1 PGA victory
Larry Beck	1960	PGA Tour professional
Homero Blancas	1962	4 PGA victories, 1 Senior victory; 1965 PGA Rookie of the Year, US Ryder Cup team; record holder for lowest round in the history of competitive golf
Billy Ray Brown	1985	3 PGA victories before injuries ended career
Fred Couples	1980	15 PGA victories including 1 major (1992 Masters); first American to reach #1 world rank; World Golf Hall of Fame
Richard Crawford	1961	2 PGA victories
Jacky Cupit	1959	4 PGA victories
Steve Elkington	1985	10 PGA victories including 1 major (1995 PGA Championship)
Brad Fabel*	1975	PGA Tour professional, 2 Nationwide Tour victories
Nick Faldo*	1976	9 PGA victories including 6 majors (1987, 1990, and 1992 British Opens; 1989, 1990, and 1996 Masters); 30 European Tour victories; held world #1 ranking for 98 weeks; World Golf Hall of Fame
Keith Fergus	1976	3 PGA victories, 2 Nationwide Tour victories, 1 Champions Tour victory
Ed Fiori*	1977	4 PGA victories, 1 Champions Tour victory
Marty Fleckman	1966	1 PGA victory
Kirk Hanefeld	1977	PGA, Champions tours
Anders Hansen	1995	PGA Tour professional, 3 European Tour victories, 2 Sunshine Tour victories
Leonie Harm	2019	Champion, The Women's Amateur Championship
Butch Harmon	—	Golf instructor; coached Tiger Woods and many other PGA champions
Jeff Hawkes	1975	PGA Tour professional, 1 European Tour victory, 1 Southern Africa Tour victory
Babe Hiskey	1962	2 PGA victories
David Ishii	1977	1 PGA victory, 14 Japan Golf Tour victories
Tom Jenkins	1971	1 PGA victory, 7 Champions Tour victories
Bruce Lietzke	1973	13 PGA victories, 7 Champions Tour victories including Senior Open
John Mahaffey	1969	10 PGA Victories including 1 major (1978 PGA Championship)
Dave Marr	1952	3 PGA victories including 1 major (1965 PGA Championship); PGA Golfer of the Year for 1965
Blaine McCallister	1981	5 PGA victories, 1 Champions Tour victory
Wade Ormsby*	2001	Asian Tour, European Tour, others
Phil Rodgers	1958	5 PGA victories
Bill Rogers	1973	6 PGA victories including 1 major (1981 British Open); 1981 PGA Golfer of the Year
Jack Rule, Jr.*	1959	2 PGA Tour victories
Jay Sigel*	—	PGA Tour professional, 8 Champions Tour victories
Jim Simons*	1969	3 PGA victories
Mike Standly	1986	1 PGA victory
Warren Sye	1980	2 Canadian Amateur Championship victories
Rocky Thompson	1962	PGA Tour professional, 3 Champions Tour victories
Hal Underwood	1967	2 PGA Tour of Australasia victories, 1 European Tour victory
Bobby Wadkins*	1970	PGA Tour professional, 1 European Tour victory, 2 Japan Golf Tour victories, 4 Champions Tour victories
Kermit Zarley	1963	2 PGA victories, 1 Senior PGA victory
Fuzzy Zoeller*	1973	10 PGA victories including 2 majors (1979 Masters, 1984 U. S. Open), 2 Champions Tour victories including Senior PGA

Gymnastics

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Shannon Miller	2003	Most decorated American gymnast
Mo Mitchell	1995	Gymnastics coach, University of Kentucky

Swimming and diving

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Ang Peng Siong	1984	Swimming
Micaela Bouter	2018	Diver, qualified for South Africa Olympic team
Tania Cagnotto*	2007	Olympic medalist for Italy; first Italian female diver to win a medal in a World Championship
Carin Cone	1962	Olympic medalist, set 7 world records; featured on cover of Sports Illustrated
Jane Figueiredo	1987	Diver, UH diving coach
Hilary Grivich*	1997	Nationally ranked diver at UH; had been an Olympic medalist and US junior all-around champion in gymnastics as a teen
Vera Ilyina	—	Olympic medalist for Russia
Anne Jardin	—	Olympic medalist for Canada; set world record in 50m freestyle
David Lowe	—	Olympic medalist for Great Britain
Yuliya Pakhalina	2002	Won two silver medals for Russian diving team at 2008 Olympics
Anastasia Pozdniakova	2009	Won silver medal for Russian diving team at 2008 Olympics
Teresa Rivera	—	Pan-American Games medalist for Mexico
Michelle Smith de Bruin	—	Swimming

Tennis

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Sarah Borwell	2002	65 in the world for doubles, number 1 GBR doubles player, played every Grand Slam, represented Great Britain 3 times and won a bronze medal at the Commonwealth Games Player for New York Buzz (WTT)
Ricardo Ycaza	—	World top-ten junior, Davis Cup stalwart, world top-fifty touring professional

Track and field

Carl Lewis, track and field legend, 10 Olympic medals (9 gold, 1 bronze)

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Jenny Adams	2000	Hurdler
Seun Adigun	2009	Hurdler, African champion
Kirk Baptiste	1985	Sprinter
Brianne Bethel	2020	Sprinter
Andrea Blackett	2001	Sprinter; coach at Rice University
Mario Burke	2019	Sprinter, Barbados national champion
Cameron Burrell	2018	Sprinter
Dawn Burrell	1996	World champion long jumper
Leroy Burrell	1990	World record-breaking sprinter, replaced track coach Tom Tellez
Chris Carter	2011	Triple jumper
Kym Carter		Heptathlete
Ollan Cassell	1961	Sprinter, Olympic gold medalist
Cletus Clark	1985	Hurdler, Pan American Games gold medalist
Michelle Collins		Sprinter
Dennis Darling	—	Sprinter, World Championships medalist for Bahamas
Joe DeLoach		Sprinter, 1988 Olympic 200 m champion
Tristan Evelyn	2020	Sprinter
Stanley Floyd	—	Sprinter, set several world records
Sandra Glover	1991	Hurdler
Elijah Hall	2018	Sprinter
Darrell Hill*	2012	Shot put; transferred from UH to Penn State
Leonard Hilton	1971	Long-distance runner
Louie Hinchliffe*	current student	Sprinter
Obi Igbokwe	2019	Sprinter
Grégoire Illorson		Sprinter
Jolanda Jones	1995	City of Houston Council Member, U.S. heptathlon champion, contestant on Survivor
Amere Lattin	2019	Hurdler
Allan Lawrence	1963	Distance runner, Olympic medalist for Australia, set several US records
Carl Lewis	1985	Track and field legend, 10 Olympic medals (9 gold, 1 bronze) in long jump and sprint events
Carol Lewis	1989	American record-breaking long jumper; bronze medal, World Championship (1983)
Shaun Maswanganyi*	current student	Sprinter
Kahmari Montgomery	2019	Sprinter
Errol Nolan	2014	Sprinter; gold and bronze medals at World Junior Championships
Jack Parrington		Sprinter
Frank Rutherford	1988	Triple jumper, Olympic medalist (first ever Olympic medals for Bahamas); awarded Order of the British Empire
Lyndon Sands		Triple jumper
LaMont Smith		Sprinter
Brian Stanton		High jumper
Cecilia Tamayo-Garza	2022	Sprinter
Nuuausala Tuilefano	—	Shotputter

Volleyball

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Lucille Charuk	2012	Canadian National Volleyball Team
Rita Crockett*	1977	Volleyball
Flo Hyman*	1977	Volleyball
Rose Magers	1981	Volleyball
Sophie Paine	2016	Australian National Volleyball Team

Business

Mary Kay Ash, founder of Mary Kay Cosmetics

John Moores, Co-founder of BMC Software, co-owner of San Diego Padres

Samuel DiPiazza, CEO of PricewaterhouseCoopers

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Mary Kay Ash*	1943	Founder, Mary Kay Cosmetics
Bruce D. Broussard	1989	CEO and president, Humana
Rod Canion	1966	Co-founder, Compaq
Samuel DiPiazza	1973	Chairman and Global CEO, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Tilman J. Fertitta		President and CEO, Landry's Restaurants
Alan Gershenhorn	1982	Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, United Parcel Service
Karen Katz	1982	President and CEO, Neiman Marcus
Kenneth Lay	1970	Former CEO, Enron
Aylwin Lewis	1990	President and CEO, Kmart, Sears
James E. Lyon		Houston developer and Republican political activist
Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel		Chef and restaurateur
Mike McShaffry	1990	Video-game programmer, entrepreneur, author; founder, Tornado Alley
Jack B. Moore	1977	President and CEO, Cameron
John Moores	1970	Founder, Peregrine Systems; co-founder, BMC Software; owner, San Diego Padres; major contributor to University of Houston and San Diego State University
Matt Mullenweg*	2004	Founding developer of WordPress; founder of Automattic
Dominic Ng	1980	Chairman and CEO, East West Bancorp, Inc.
Marvin Odum	1995	President, Shell Oil Company; CEO, Intergen
Dan Rapoport	1991	President of Rapoport Capital, financier and philanthropist
Kristy Scott	2016	Social media personality and content creator
John Stubblefield	1970	Former CFO, Sysco Corporation
Ramiz Tafilaj		Oil business executive; activist who has helped liberate Kosovo and Albania
Henry Taub*		Founder, Automatic Data Processing
Kenneth Thomas	1972	CFO, United States Chess Federation
David A. Williams	1992	President and CEO, Make-A-Wish Foundation
Bruce Williamson	1995	Chairman, CEO, and President, Dynegy
Welcome W. Wilson, Sr.	1949	Chairman of GSL Welcome Group, chairman of University of Houston System Board of Regents

Government, politics, and law

Government

Margaret Spellings, former U.S. Secretary of Education

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Carol E. Dinkins	1971	Former U.S. Deputy Attorney General
Holly Ham	1994	Executive director of the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders at the U.S. Department of Education
Michael P. Jackson	1977	Former United States Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security and Former United States Deputy Secretary of Transportation
Kamal Kharazi	1976	Former Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs; former Iranian Ambassador to the United Nations
Brian D. Montgomery	1986	Assistant Secretary for Housing and Former Deputy Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary
Peter Roussel	1965	Former White House Deputy Press Secretary
Margaret Spellings	1979	8th United States Secretary of Education
Philip D. Zelikow	1977	Executive director of 9/11 Commission

Politics

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Alma A. Allen	1992	Texas State Representative
Thad Altman	1976 & 1977	Current Florida State Representative; former Florida State Senator; former Brevard County Commissioner
Carol Alvarado	1992 & 2008	Texas State Representative
Ray Barnhart	1993 (M.A. in speech and theatre)	State representative from Pasadena from 1973–75, Republican Party state chairman from 1977–79, and director of the Federal Highway Administration from 1981–87
Michael Berry	1993	Former Houston city councilman and current talk show host
Elton Bomer		Texas state representative from Anderson County and former Texas Secretary of State
Peter Hoyt Brown	1958	Houston city councilman, 2009 Houston Mayoral Candidate
Briscoe Cain		Texas State Representative for District 128, beginning 2017; lawyer in Deer Park; received B.S. in Communications
Bill Callegari	1972	Texas State Representative, 2001–2015; engineer and businessman
Robert R. Casey	1934	Former Texas State Representative; former U.S. Congressman
David Cobb*	1993	2004 presidential candidate of the Green Party
Henry Cuellar*		United States and Texas State Representative
John E. Davis		Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 129 in Houston since 1999
Tom DeLay	1970	Former U.S. Congressman; former Deputy Minority Whip; former House Majority Whip; former House Majority Leader
Eni Faleomavaega	1972	U.S. Congressman, Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa; former Lieutenant Governor of American Samoa; former Attorney General of American Samoa
Jessica Farrar	1995	Texas State Representative
Gene Green	1971	U.S. Congressman
Henry Grover	1962	Texas Republican politician, gubernatorial nominee in 1972
David Heitmeier	1987	Member of the Louisiana State Senate for New Orleans; optometrist
Al Hoang	1989
Fred Hofheinz	1964	Houston mayor, son of Roy Hofheinz
Roy Hofheinz	1931	Houston mayor, Harris County judge, Texas State Representative; also entrepreneur who led efforts to create Houston Colt .45s, Astrodome, Astroturf
Dean A. Hrbacek	1986	Former mayor of Sugar Land, Texas
Lacey Hull		Texas State Representative
Daylin Leach	1986	Pennsylvania State Representative
Melissa Noriega	1977	Houston City Councilperson
Rick Noriega	1984	Former Texas State Representative
Colion Noir	2005	National Rifle Association spokesperson
Dora Olivo	1981	Texas State Representative
Ted Poe	1973	U.S. Congressman
Howard Wallace Pollock	1955	Former U.S. Congressman
Barbara Ann Radnofsky	1976	U.S. Senate nominee, Texas Attorney General candidate
Richard T. Schulze*	1949	Former U.S. Congressman
Steve Stockman	1990	U.S. Representative from Texas, 1995–97, 2013-; candidate for U.S. Senate in 2014 Republican primary
Azam Khan Swati	–	Member, Pakistani Senate
Robert Talton	1971	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from 1993 to 2009; candidate for Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court in 2014 Republican primary election
Senfronia Thompson	1996	Texas State Representative
Sylvester Turner	1977	Texas State Representative, mayor of Houston
Leticia R. Van de Putte*		Texas State Senator
Richard Viguerie	1958	Conservative activist, writer
Hubert Vo	1983	Texas State Representative; first and only Vietnamese American to be elected to the Texas Legislature
Armando Walle*		Texas State Representative
Elizabeth Warren	1970	United States Senator from Massachusetts; special advisor of U.S. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; chair of Congressional Oversight Panel; Harvard law professor; bankruptcy expert; one of Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World
Royce West	1979	Texas State Senator
James E. White	M.S. 2010 and Ph.D. 2012	Member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 19 in Tyler County; educator and rancher
John Whitmire	1975	Texas State Senator, Dean of the Texas Senate
Kathryn J. Whitmire	1977	Former City of Houston Mayor
Martha Wong	1976	Former Texas State Representative
Beverly Woolley	1993	Texas State Representative
Joseph P. Wyatt, Jr.*	1970	U.S. Congressman
Judith Zaffirini		Texas State Senator

Law and law enforcement

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Alfred H. Bennett	1988	U. S. district judge
Tony Buzbee	1997	Trial lawyer
Larry Joe Doherty	1970	Judge for TV show Texas Justice, 2008 Congressional candidate
Vanessa Gilmore	1981	US Federal judge (youngest in the nation at the time of her appointment)
Richard "Racehorse" Haynes	1956	Criminal Defense attorney
Randy Hendricks	1968	Sports attorney and agent
Patricia R. "Pat" Lykos	1967	Harris County District Attorney
I. D. McMaster	1950	US District Judge
Gray H. Miller	1974	US Federal judge
David Newell	1993	Judge of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 9
John O'Quinn	1967	Highest paid attorney in Texas
Ruby Kless Sondock	1962	First female Texas Supreme Court justice

Religion

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Shaker Elsayed		Muslim Imam of the Dar Al-Hijrah mosque in Falls Church, Virginia
René Henry Gracida	1950	Former Catholic Bishop
Hal Lindsey*		Christian evangelist and writer
Victoria Osteen*		Co-pastor of Lakewood Church, the largest church in the nation; spouse of Joel Osteen
Abu Ammaar Yasir Qadhi		Muslim scholar, writer, educator
Hyman Judah Schachtel	1948	Longtime Houston rabbi and deliverer of Lyndon B. Johnson's inaugural prayer
Priscilla Shirer		Christian speaker, author
Thomas B. Warren		Church of Christ minister and Restorationist Philosopher and Theologian
Kenneth W. Wright		Church of Christ minister

Science and technology

Astronauts

Bonnie J. Dunbar, former NASA astronaut

Bernard A. Harris, Jr., former NASA astronaut

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Maurizio Cheli	1994	ESA astronaut
Nancy J. Currie-Gregg	1997	NASA astronaut
Bonnie J. Dunbar	1983	Former NASA astronaut; President of the Museum of Flight; member of National Academy of Engineering
William Frederick Fisher	1980	Former NASA astronaut; longest space walk in history
Bernard A. Harris, Jr.	1978	Former NASA astronaut; first African-American to walk in space
Donald Holmquest	1988	NASA astronaut
Akihiko Hoshide	1997	JAXA astronaut
John D. Olivas	1993	NASA astronaut
Rex J. Walheim	1989	NASA astronaut

Other scientists and engineers

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Abdeldjelil Belarbi	1986	Chair, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Houston
Brigitte Boisselier		Raëlian bishop and CEO of Clonaid
Savas Dimopoulos		Particle physicist
Eddy Goldfarb*	1942	Invented chattering teeth and hundreds of other toys
Duy-Loan Le	1989	Engineer
Emily Leproust	2001	Bioscientist, entrepreneur, CEO and co-founder of Twist Bioscience
Keqin Li	1990	Computer scientist, SUNY Distinguished Professor, IEEE Fellow
David W. Murhammer	1989	Department Chair of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering at the University of Iowa
Dennis Paul		Engineer; Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from Harris County; earlier worked to clean up Armand Bayou

Other

Name	Class year	Notability	Reference(s)
Justin Whitlock Dart, Jr.	1953	Activist, father of Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
Lynn Eusan	1970	First black Homecoming queen at UH
Antonio Molina		Member of first same-sex married couple in Texas; played football for UH Cougars
Olga Rodriguez	1970	Chicano activist
Charles Rogers		Implicated in John F. Kennedy assassination
Jon Schillaci		former fugitive on the FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives
Aafia Siddiqui*	1991	Neuroscientist (alleged Al-Qaeda operative), convicted of assaulting with a deadly weapon and attempting to kill U.S. soldiers and FBI agents.
Andrea Yates*	1984	Drowned her five children; highly publicized legal case ensued

Honorary degrees

Individuals who have received honorary degrees from the University of Houston include Edward Albee, Donald Barthelme, Irvin Borish, George H. W. Bush, Rafael Ángel Calderón Fournier, Ernesto Cortes, Hugh Roy Cullen, Jan de Hartog, Loretta Devine, Christoph Eschenbach, Cristina Rivera Garza, David Gockley, Glenn Goerke, Barron Hilton, Eric Hilton, Gerald D. Hines, Oveta Culp Hobby, William P. Hobby Jr., Philip Guthrie Hoffman, Brien Holden, Philip Johnson, Edith Irby Jones, Bob Lanier, Jacques-Louis Lions, Lyle Lovett, Jim McIngvale, Carlos Menem, George P. Mitchell, François Mitterrand, John Moores, Robert Mosbacher, Jim Nantz, Edison E. Oberholtzer, Rod Paige, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ruth Simmons, Dinesh Singh, Song Jian, Margaret Spellings, Ron Stone, Herman D. Suit, Jack Valenti, Catalina Vasquez Villalpando, Welcome W. Wilson Sr., and Daniel Yergin.
(Bold names indicate UH alumni.)

Faculty and staff

Administration

Name	Department	Years	Notability	Reference
Marguerite Ross Barnett	Administration	1990–1992	President of University of Houston
A. D. Bruce	Administration	1954–1956	President of University of Houston
Hugh Roy Cullen	Administration	1937–1957	Chairman of Board of Regents
James A. Elkins	Administration	Board of Regents
Glenn Goerke	Administration	1995–1997	President of University of Houston
Jay Gogue	Administration	2003–2007	President of University of Houston, Chancellor of University of Houston System
Philip Guthrie Hoffman	Administration	1961–1977	President of University of Houston, Chancellor of University of Houston System
Renu Khator	Administration	2008–	President of University of Houston, Chancellor of University of Houston System
Barry Munitz	Administration	1977–1982	President of University of Houston
Edison E. Oberholtzer	Administration	1927–1950	Founder and first president of University of Houston
Michael Pelletier	Institute for Global Engagement	2021–present	Executive director, IGE
Richard L. Van Horn	Administration	1983–1989	President of University of Houston
Welcome W. Wilson, Sr.	Administration	2006–	Chairman of Board of Regents

Athletics

Name	Department	Notability	Reference
John Altobelli	Athletics	Assistant baseball coach 1987
Frank Anderson	Athletics	Assistant baseball coach 2013–2017
Major Applewhite	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2015–2016; head football coach 2016–2018
Dave Aranda	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2003–2004
Joe Arenas	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1963–1986
Kevin Barbay	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2024–present
Clancy Barone	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2000–2002
Doug Belk	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2019–2023
John R. Bender	Athletics	PE instructor 1927–1928, coined "Cougars" nickname
Marquel Blackwell	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2019–2021
Tom Boisture	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1962–1965
Art Briles	Athletics	Head football coach 2003–2007
Kendal Briles	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2018
Alvin Brooks	Athletics	Head basketball coach 1993–1998, assistant basketball coach 2010–2021
Melvin Brown	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1962–1977
Jamie Bryant	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2011–2012
Todd Buchanan	Athletics	Head women's basketball coach 2010–2013
Dick Bumpas	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1999–2002
Leroy Burrell	Athletics	Head track coach 1998–2022
Leon Burtnett	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2008–2011
Travis Bush	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2012–2014
Neil Callaway	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1993–1997
Bill Carr	Athletics	Athletic Director 1993–1997
Tyron Carrier	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2019–2020
James Casey	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2016–2018
Red Conkright	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1957–1958
Kevin Cook	Athletics	Assistant women's basketball coach 1995–1997
Harden Cooper	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1950–1954
Larry Coyer	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1990
Jack Cressend	Athletics	Assistant baseball coach 2010–2012
Joe Curl	Athletics	Head women's basketball coach 1998–2010; National Coach of the Year 2003–2004
Rudy Davalos	Athletics	Athletic Director 1987–1992
Shannon Dawson	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2019–2022
Cedric Dempsey	Athletics	Athletic Director 1979–1982
James Dickey	Athletics	Head basketball coach 2010–2014
Jim Dickey	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1964–1965
Dana Dimel	Athletics	Head football coach 2000–2002
Mark D'Onofrio	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2017–2018
Clyde Drexler	Athletics	Head basketball coach 1998–2000
Jim Eddy	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1986–1989
Chuck Fairbanks	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1962–1965
Keith Fergus	Athletics	Golf coach 1988–1994
Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie	Athletics	Assistant track coach 2014–2018
Jane Figueiredo	Athletics	Assistant diving coach 1988–1990, head diving coach 1990–2014
Pat Foster	Athletics	Head basketball coach 1986–1993
Harry Fouke	Athletics	Athletic Director 1946–1979
Willie Fritz	Athletics	Head football coach 2023–present
Reid Gettys	Athletics	Assistant basketball coach 1998
David Gibbs	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2013–2014; interim head football coach 2014
Sterlin Gilbert	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2005
Chet Gladchuk Jr.	Athletics	Athletic Director 1997–2001
Anthony Goldwire	Athletics	Basketball staff 2021–present
Kenny Guiton	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2017–2018
Brick Haley	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1997
Phill Hansell	Athletics	Swimming and diving coach, 1957–1996
Floyd Heard	Athletics	Assistant track coach 2012–present
Clay Helton	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1997–1999
Kim Helton	Athletics	Head football coach 1993–1999
Tom Herman	Athletics	Head football coach 2015–2016
Lovette Hill	Athletics	Head baseball coach 1950–1974, assistant football coach 1949–1961
Dana Holgorsen	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2008–2009; head football coach 2019–2023
Joel Hunt	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1955
Ben Hurt	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1965–1971
Jim Jeffcoat	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2008–2010
John Jenkins	Athletics	Head football coach 1990–1992
Mike Jinks	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2022–present
Brian Johnson	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2017
Scott Kellar	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2001–2004
Malcolm Kelly	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2017–2018
Kliff Kingsbury	Athletics	Football staff 2008–2011
Les Koenning, Jr.	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1999
Hal Lahar	Athletics	Head football coach 1957–1961
Clyde Lee	Athletics	Head football coach 1948–1954
Tony Levine	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2008–2011; head football coach 2011–2014
Carl Lewis	Athletics	Assistant track coach 2014–2022; head track coach 2022
Guy Lewis	Athletics	Head basketball coach 1956–1986: 592 wins; 27 consecutive seasons without a losing record; five Final Four appearances, including two NCAA finals; National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame 2007; Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2013
John Lott	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1991–1996
Dave Maggard	Athletics	Athletic Director 2002–2009
Mickey Matthews	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1986
Matt Mattox	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2005–2006
Ray McCallum	Athletics	Head basketball coach 2000–2004
Marcus McGraw	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2014–2016
Bill Meek	Athletics	Head football coach 1955–1956
Brandon Middleton	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2012–2013
Philip Montgomery	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2003–2005
Eric Morris	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2010–2011
Eman Naghavi	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2023–present
Ruth Nelson	Athletics	Head women's volleyball coach 1974–1980
Mike Nesbitt	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2012
Rayner Noble	Athletics	Head baseball coach 1994–2010
Todd Orlando	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2015–2016; interim head football coach 2016
Chad O'Shea	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1996–1999
Yulia Pakhalina	Athletics	Diving coach 2014–2015
Jack Pardee	Athletics	Head football coach 1987–1989
Alden Pasche	Athletics	Head basketball coach 1946–1956
Tom Penders	Athletics	Head basketball coach 2004–2010
Bradley Dale Peveto	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1999–2002
Dan Pfaff	Athletics	Assistant track coach 1980–1981
Bum Phillips	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1965–1966
Jason Phillips	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2010–2011
Wade Phillips	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1969
Hollis Price	Athletics	Assistant basketball coach 2014–present
Mack Rhoades	Athletics	Athletic Director 2009–2015
Melvin Robertson	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1965–1971, 1991–1993
Terry Rooney	Athletics	Assistant baseball coach 2017–2021
Doc Sadler	Athletics	Assistant basketball coach 1986
Kelvin Sampson	Athletics	Head basketball coach 2014–present
Chris Scelfo	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2017
John Skladany	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2008–2009
Brian Stewart	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2010–2011
Kevin Sumlin	Athletics	Head football coach 2008–2011
Tom Tellez	Athletics	Head track coach 1976–1998, volunteer assistant track coach 1998–present; legendary coach of numerous world champions and Olympic gold medalists, head coach of U.S. national team for World Championships and Pan American Games, namesake of UH's Tom Tellez Track at Carl Lewis International Complex
Pat Thomas	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1985–1989
Ned Thompson	Athletics	Head baseball coach 1947, assistant football coach 1946–1948, associate athletic director 1946–1976
Chris Thurmond	Athletics	Interim head football coach 2007
Don Todd	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1972–1985
Marcus Tubbs	Athletics	Assistant athletics director 2016–2019
Kristin Vesely	Athletics	Assistant softball coach 2011–2016; head softball coach 2017–present
Jewell Wallace	Athletics	Head football coach 1946–1947
Rolan Walton	Athletics	Head baseball coach 1975–1986
Alan Weddell	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2005–2007
Todd Whitting	Athletics	Head baseball coach 2010–present
Dave Williams	Athletics	Head golf coach 1952–1987; won 16 national championships
Greg Williams	Athletics	Head women's basketball coach 1985–1990
Gregg Williams	Athletics	Assistant football coach 1988–1989
Ryan Wochomurka	Athletics	Head swimming and diving coach 2015–2021
Shiel Wood	Athletics	Assistant football coach 2024–present
Bill Yeoman	Athletics	Head football coach 1962–1986
Steve Yoder	Athletics	Assistant basketball coach 2014–2017

Government, politics, and law

Name	Department	Notability	Reference
Frances Farenthold	Law	Educator, lawyer, politician, college administrator, activist
Alberto Gonzales	Law	80th United States Attorney General
Elwyn Lee	Law	Vice President for Student Affairs, UH; Vice Chancellor, UH System
Raymond Nimmer	Law	Dean of UH Law School
Kirk Watson	Public Affairs	Dean, UH Hobby School of Public Affairs

Liberal arts

Name	Department	Notability	Reference
Alfred Arteaga	English	Poet, writer, scholar
Donald Barthelme	English	Author and co-founder of Creative Writing School
J. Don Boney	Psychology, Education	Educator
Robert Boswell	English	Short-story writer, novelist
Brené Brown	Social work	Scholar, author, public speaker
Rosellen Brown	English	Author
Elizabeth Brown-Guillory	English	Playwright, performer, academic
Alessandro Carrera	Italian studies	Poet, translator; Director of Italian Studies at UH
Carol L. Dennis	English	Author, editor, teacher
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni	English	Author, poet, and professor of English
Mark Doty	English	Poet, memoirist
Nick Flynn	English	Writer, poet
Sandra Gin	Communication	Television journalist, Emmy Award-winning producer of Cristina's Court
William Goyen	English	Author
Elena Grigorenko	Psychology	Clinical psychologist, geneticist
Edward Hirsch	English	Poet
Tony Hoagland	English	Poet, winner of 2008 Jackson Prize
Alan Hollinghurst	English	Novelist
Frank Holt	History	Authority on Ancient Greece and Rome; numismatist
Gerald Horne	History	Historian
Richard Howard	English	Poet, critic, essayist
Chinhui Juhn	Economics	Labor Economist
Mat Johnson	English	Fiction writer
Justin Leiber	Philosophy	Philosopher, science fiction writer
Philip Levine	English	Poet
Joe Leydon	Communication	Award winning film critic and author, adjunct professor of Journalism
Paul Lisicky	English	Novelist, memoirist
Phillip Lopate	English	Film critic, essayist, fiction writer, poet, teacher
Rubén Martínez	English	Journalist, author, musician
William Matthews	English	Poet, essayist
David Mikics	English	Author, professor
Steven Mintz	History	Author, professor
Ange Mlinko	English	Poet; Guggenheim Fellow
Antonya Nelson	English	Author
Lynn Okagaki	Education	Head, National Center for Education Research
Robert Phillips	English	Poet
Kevin Prufer	English	Poet, essayist
Pamela Anne Quiroz	Sociology	Director, UH Center for Mexican American Studies, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities Fellow
Claudia Rankine	English	Poet
Cristina Rivera Garza	Hispanic Studies, Creative Writing	Author, won 2024 Pulitzer Prize
Mary Robison	English	Short-story writer, novelist
Allie Rowbottom	English	Writer
Alexander F. Schilt	Education	Education professor; former chancellor of UH System and president or chancellor of several other colleges and universities
Dale Schunk	Education	Educational psychologist
Daniel Stern	English	Novelist
Mark Strand	English	Poet, essayist
Mercedes Valdivieso	English	Novelist, journalist
Jody Williams	Social work	Nobel laureate, professor of Social Work and Global Justice
Meg Wolitzer	English	Writer
Charles Wright	English	Poet

Performing arts

Name	Department	Notability	Reference
Edward Albee	Theatre	Playwright; Kennedy Center honoree, three Pulitzer Prizes, Tony Award
Steven Ansell	Music	Violist; principal, Boston Symphony Orchestra
James Austin	Music	Trumpet player; principal, Houston Symphony
Daniel Belcher	Music	Opera singer
Emanuel Borok	Music	Violinist; concertmaster, Dallas Symphony Orchestra
Igor Buketoff	Music	Conductor
Tony Campise	Music	Jazz saxophonist; director of UH Jazz Ensemble
Lois Chiles	Theatre	Actress
Katherine Ciesinski	Music	Opera singer
Wayne Crouse	Music	Violist; principal, Houston Symphony
Carlisle Floyd	Music	Opera composer; American Academy of Arts and Letters, National Medal of Arts (U.S.)
Horacio Gutiérrez	Music	Concert pianist
Sidney Harth	Music	Violinist, conductor; concertmaster, New York Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and Los Angeles Philharmonic
Michael Horvit	Music	Composer
Frank Huang	Music	Violinist; concertmaster, New York Philharmonic
Benjamin Kamins	Music	Bassoonist; principal, Houston Symphony
Milton Katims	Music	Violist and conductor; principal violist, NBC Symphony Orchestra; Music Director, Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Fredell Lack	Music	Violinist
Mark Medoff	Theatre	Playwright, screenwriter, actor; Tony Award, Oscar nomination
Brett Mitchell	Music	Conductor; Music Director, Colorado Symphony
Bill Moffit	Music	Director of marching bands at UH and other universities; composer, arranger ("Soundpower Series"), and marching innovator
Elena Nikolaidi	Music	Opera singer
Stuart Ostrow	Theatre	Playwright, theatrical director, and Tony Award-winning producer
Howard Pollack	Music	Musicologist
Theresa Rebeck	Theatre	Playwright
Hal Robinson	Music	Classical string bassist; principal, Philadelphia Orchestra and National Symphony Orchestra (U.S.)
A. Clyde Roller	Music	Conductor
Beatrice Schroeder Rose	Music	Harpist; principal, Houston Symphony
Jade Simmons	Arts leadership	Pianist, arts advocate, former beauty queen
Abbey Simon	Music	Pianist
W. Stephen Smith	Music	Voice teacher and author of The Naked Voice; faculty 1990–98
Patsy Swayze	Theatre	Film choreographer; taught dance at the University of Houston for 18 years
Laszlo Varga	Music	Cellist; principal, New York Philharmonic
Lanford Wilson	Theatre	Playwright; won Pulitzer Prize for Talley's Folly

Visual arts

Name	Department	Notability	Reference
Michael Ray Charles	Art	Painter
Luis Jiménez	Art	Sculptor
George Krause	Photography	Established UH photography department
Rick Lowe	Art	Visual artist, social activist, MacArthur Fellow
Abinadi Meza	Art	Sound artist, conceptual artist, filmmaker; was awarded a Rome Prize
Masaru Takiguchi	Art	Sculptor, educator

Science and technology

Name	Department	Notability	Reference
Neal Amundson	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	Research on air quality issues; United States National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Guggenheim Fellow, NAE Founders' Award
David P. Anderson	Computer science	Space research scientist
Kevin Bassler	Physics, Mathematics	Fellow of the American Physical Society
Peter C. Bishop	Future studies	Futurist
Eric R. Bittner	Chemistry	Guggenheim Fellow
Irvin Borish	Optometry	Optometrist, educator
Maurice Brookhart	Chemistry	Research in organometallic chemistry; member, National Academy of Sciences
Patrick Callaerts	Biology	Molecular biologist
Shiing-Shen Chern	Mathematics	Research in differential geometry
Wynne Chin	Decision and Information Sciences	Information technologist
Chu Ching-wu (Paul Chu)	Physics	Leader in superconductivity research, U.S. National Medal of Science
Joseph Colaco	Architecture	Structural engineer, architect; member, National Academy of Engineers
David Criswell	Space systems	Director of the Institute for Space Systems Operations at UH
Bonnie Dunbar	Engineering	Director, UH STEM Center; former NASA astronaut, President of the Museum of Flight, member of National Academy of Engineering
Siemion Fajtlowicz	Mathematics	Developed Graffiti computer program
George E. Fox	Biology	Researcher in cell biology
Roland Glowinski	Mathematics	Research in partial differential equations, variational inequalities
Jan-Åke Gustafsson	Biosciences & Nutrition	Leading researcher in hormone function; Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, United States National Academy of Sciences
Eva Harth	Chemistry	Director, Welch Center of Excellence in Polymer Chemistry, UH
Andy Hines	Future studies	Futurist
Fazle Hussain	Mechanical engineering	Engineer
Lennart Johnsson	Computer science	Hugh and Lillie Roy Cranz Cullen Distinguished Chair of Computer Science, Mathematics, and Electrical and Computer Engineering, UH; research in grid computing
Ioannis Kakadiaris	Computer science	Developed an identity verification system
Alamgir Karim	Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering	Dow Chair and Welch Foundation Professor; Director, International Polymer & Soft Matter Center; Director, Materials Engineering Program, UH Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Włodzimierz Kuperberg	Mathematics	Research in geometry and topology
John H. Lienhard	Mechanical engineering	Writer and host of PBS program The Engines of Our Ingenuity; National Academy of Engineering; UH professor emeritus
R. Bowen Loftin	Computer science	Former chair of UH Department of Computer Science; now President of Texas A&M University
Archer John Porter Martin	Chemistry	Winner of 1952 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for invention of partition chromatography
Joseph L. McCauley	Physics	Research in econophysics, nonlinear dynamics, statistical physics
Claudia Neuhauser	Research	UH Associate Vice President/Associate Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Transfer
Steven Pennings	Biology, biochemistry	Research on coastal ecosystems
B. Montgomery Pettitt	Chemistry	Cullen Professor
Andrea Prosperetti	Mechanical engineering	Distinguished professor; research in multiphase flow, scientific computing, fluid dynamics, applied mathematics, bubble dynamics; National Academy of Engineering
Badri Roysam	Electrical and computer engineering	Image processing; Fellow, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE); Chair, UH Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Barbara A. Schaal	Biology	Evolutionary biologist
Jerome Schultz	Engineering	Bioengineer
Ronald M. Sega	Physics	NASA astronaut
Venkat Selvamanickam	Mechanical engineering, physics	Chair, UH Mechanical Engineering Department; Director of Applied Research Hub, Texas Center for Superconductivity
Leon Thomsen	Earth and atmospheric sciences	UH professor of geophysics, proposed Thomsen parameters to characterize transversely isotropic materials
Adam Thrasher	Health and Human Performance	Author of Space Moose
Arthur C. Vailas	Biology, mechanical engineering	Biochemist, scholar; later president of Idaho State University
Mary Wheeler	Mathematics	Research in partial differential equations