health | January 16, 2026

Fordham University Notable Alumni

Discover the notable alumni of Fordham University. The list includes people like Donald Trump, Denzel Washington, Alan Alda, Adam Smith & Annie Parisse. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as media personalities, film & theater personalities, miscellaneous, writers and business people etc.

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 1 

Denzel Washington

(One of the Most Profound Actors Best Known for His Academy Award Winning Movie 'Training Day')

Denzel Washington

Birthdate: December 28, 1954

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Mount Vernon, New York, United States

Actor, director, and producer, Denzel Washington, is famous for portraying strong real-life characters like anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko, and human rights activist, Malcolm X, in films. Well-built and ruggedly handsome, he became the first black star to be named the Sexiest Man Alive in 1996. 

Lana Del Rey

Birthdate: June 21, 1985

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Singer and songwriter, Lana Del Rey broke into the world of music when her debut single, Video Games, became viral in 2011. She then gained international fame with her debut album Born to Die in 2012. Over the years, she has released a numerous chart-topping albums. Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass, a collection of poetry, is her first book.

 3 

Alan Alda

(Actor, Director and Screenwriter Best Known for His Role in the TV Series 'M*A*S*H')

Alan Alda

Birthdate: January 28, 1936

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: New York, United States

Alan Alda is best known for his Emmy-winning roles of Hawkeye in M*A*S*H and Arnold Vinick in The West Wing. Fans also loved him in The Aviator. He has a keen interest in cosmology, serves on the boards of various science and technology institutes, and has received several honorary degrees.

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 4 

Dylan McDermott

(Actor known for his role as lawyer and law firm head Bobby Donnell on the legal drama series The Practice)

Dylan McDermott

Birthdate: October 26, 1961

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Waterbury, Connecticut, United States

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

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 5 

Regina Hall

(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Brenda Meeks’ in ‘Scary Movie’ Film Series)

Regina Hall

Birthdate: December 12, 1970

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States

Regina Hall is best known as Brenda Meeks from the Scary Movie franchise and as Corretta Lipp from Ally McBeal. She appeared in the movies The Best Man and Think Like a Man and their respective sequels. She supports the Scleroderma Research Foundation and endorsesElizabeth Taylor's White Diamonds.

 6 

Taylor Schilling

(Actress known for her role as Piper Chapman on the Netflix original comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019))

Taylor Schilling

Birthdate: July 27, 1984

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

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 7 

Patricia Clarkson

(Actress)

Patricia Clarkson

Birthdate: December 29, 1959

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

 8 

Betty Gilpin

(Actress)

Betty Gilpin

Birthdate: July 21, 1986

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: USA

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

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 9 

David Copperfield

(American Magician Known for Making the ‘Statue of Liberty’ Disappear and Walking Through the ‘Great Wall of China’)

David Copperfield

Birthdate: September 16, 1956

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Metuchen, New Jersey, United States

David Copperfield is a famous American magician. Such is his popularity that his TV specials have received 38 Emmy Award nominations, out of which they have won 21 awards. He also has 11 Guinness World Records under his belt. Also known for his charitable activities, Copperfield founded a rehabilitation program called Project Magic, which is used in over 1100 hospitals.

 10 

Raul Julia

(Golden Globe- and Emmy-Winning Puerto Rican Actor)

Raul Julia

Birthdate: March 9, 1940

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Floral Park, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Died: October 24, 1994

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

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 11 

Vince Lombardi

(One of the Greatest Coaches and Leaders in the History of All American Sports)

Vince Lombardi

Birthdate: June 11, 1913

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Died: September 3, 1970

Football coach, Vince Lombardi, is best known for being the head coach of the Green Bay Packers during the 1960s. Beginning his career as a high school coach, he eventually started coaching  National Football League (NFL) teams. As a head coach in the NFL, he never had a losing season. He died of cancer in 1970.

 12 

Faith Evans

(R&B Singer Known for Her Albums 'Faith', 'Keep the Faith' and 'Faithfully')

Faith Evans

Birthdate: June 10, 1973

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Lakeland, Florida, United States

R&B and hip-hop artist Faith Evans is the first female artist to sign with Sean Combs’s label. She was married to rapper The Notorious B.I.G., who was killed in a shooting. Evans later won a Grammy for the song I'll Be Missing You, released in memory of her late husband.

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 13 

Vin Scully

(One of the Greatest Baseball Broadcaster of All Time)

Vin Scully

Birthdate: November 29, 1927

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States

Died: August 2, 2022

Vincent Edward Scully, or Vin Scully, is best remembered for his 67-season stint of calling games with the MLB team Los Angeles Dodgers, making him the longest-tenured broadcaster of a single team in the history of sports. He  also served as the lead play-by-play announcer for NBC

Geraldine Ferraro

Birthdate: August 26, 1935

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Newburgh, New York, United States

Died: March 26, 2011

Recommended Lists: Andrew Cuomo

Birthdate: December 6, 1957

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Queens, New York, United States

The 56th governor of New York, Andrew Cuomo has been holding office since 2011. The son of a prominent politician, he earned a degree in law before following in his father’s footsteps. He began his political career in the 1990s and oversaw the passage of the 2011 Marriage Equality Act during his governorship.

 16 

Annie Parisse

(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Alexandra Borgia’ in the TV Series ‘Law & Order’)

Annie Parisse

Birthdate: July 31, 1975

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Anchorage, Alaska, United States

Annie Parisse is an American actress known for her portrayal ofJulia Snyder in the TV soap opera As the World Turns, for which she received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination under the Outstanding Younger Actress in a Drama Series category. Parisse is also known for playing important roles in TV series like Law & Order and Friends from College.

Recommended Lists: Jonathan Harris

Birthdate: November 6, 1914

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States

Died: November 3, 2002

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 18 

Chris Cuomo

(American Television Journalist and Former Presenter of the New Show 'Cuomo Prime Time')

Chris Cuomo

Birthdate: August 9, 1970

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Queens, New York, United States

Peabody-winner Chris Cuomo, best known for hosting the CNN morning show, has also been associated with Fox and the show 20/20. His work on the ABC show Good Morning America won him an Emmy. He has covered sensitive issues such as heroin addiction and the war on terror, with finesse. 

Recommended Lists: Michaela McManus

Birthdate: May 20, 1983

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Warwick, Rhode Island, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

 20 

G. Gordon Liddy

(FBI Agent Who was Convicted for His Role in the Watergate Scandal)

G. Gordon Liddy

Birthdate: November 30, 1930

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Died: March 30, 2021

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Recommended Lists: Tommy Dorfman

Birthdate: May 13, 1992

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 22 

Edmond O'Brien

(American Actor Who Mainly Played Character Roles)

Edmond O'Brien

Birthdate: September 10, 1915

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Died: May 9, 1985

Edmond O'Brien was an American film director and actor. During his illustrious career, that spanned almost four decades, O'Brien recieved several prestigious awards like an Academy Award and Golden Globe Awards. He also has a couple of stars on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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 23 

Robert Munsch

(Author)

Robert Munsch

Birthdate: June 11, 1945

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

 24 

Mary Higgins Clark

(Novelist)

Mary Higgins Clark

Birthdate: December 24, 1927

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: The Bronx, New York, United States

Died: January 31, 2020

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 25 

Julie White

(Film actress)

Julie White

Birthdate: June 4, 1961

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: San Diego, California, U.S.

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

 26 

Frankie Frisch

(Baseball Player)

Frankie Frisch

Birthdate: September 9, 1898

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: The Bronx, New York, United States

Died: March 12, 1973

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 27 

John N. Mitchell

(Served as the 67th Attorney General of the United States Under President Richard Nixon)

John N. Mitchell

Birthdate: September 15, 1913

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States

Died: November 9, 1988

John N. Mitchell served as the U.S. Attorney General under President Nixon, from 1969 to 1972. A qualified lawyer, he had also chaired Nixon’s presidential campaigns. He spent 19 months in prison due to his crimes related to the Watergate scandal. He had served the Navy during World War II.

 28 

Don DeLillo

(Writer, Playwright, Screenwriter, Novelist, Essayist, Journalist)

Don DeLillo

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Birthdate: November 20, 1936

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: New York City

Recommended Lists: Hunter Tylo

Birthdate: July 3, 1962

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Fort Worth, Texas, United States

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

 30 

Ilyasah Shabazz

(Author)

Ilyasah Shabazz

Birthdate: July 22, 1962

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Queens

Recommended Lists: John Benjamin Hickey

Birthdate: June 25, 1963

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Plano, Texas, United States

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

 32 

Kamie Crawford

(Model, Television Host)

Kamie Crawford

Birthdate: October 25, 1992

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

Recommended Lists: Paddy Chayefsky

Birthdate: January 29, 1923

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Died: August 1, 1981

Jazmin Grace Grimaldi

Birthdate: March 4, 1992

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Palm Springs, California, United States

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 35 

Julia Cameron

(Screenwriter, Film director, Novelist, Poet)

Julia Cameron

Birthdate: March 4, 1948

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Libertyville

 36 

Kether Donohue

(Actress)

Kether Donohue

Birthdate: October 31, 1985

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, USA

Height: 5'3" (160 cm)

Recommended Lists: John O Brennan

Birthdate: September 22, 1955

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: North Bergen, New Jersey, United States

A former American intelligence officer, John O Brennan was the first individual of the agency to rise through the ranks to become its director, since Robert M. Gates. He also served Barak Obama as chief counterterriorism advisor. During the 2008 election campaign and the presidential transition, he also advised Obama on intelligence issues and foreign policy. 

 38 

Wellington Mara

(Co-owner of the 'New York Giants' of the National Football League)

Wellington Mara

Birthdate: August 14, 1916

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Rochester, New York, United States

Died: October 25, 2005

Wellington Mara co-owned the NFL team New York Giants, as he inherited the team from his father and the team’s founder, Tim Mara. The Giants players named him The Duke, as it was believed he was named after the Duke of Wellington. He died of lymphoma at age 89.

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 39 

Jerrold Nadler

(Politician)

Jerrold Nadler

Birthdate: June 13, 1947

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

 40 

Pat Harrington Jr.

(Actor)

Pat Harrington Jr.

Birthdate: August 13, 1929

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Died: January 6, 2016

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

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 41 

Michael Kay

(Broadcaster)

Michael Kay

Birthdate: February 2, 1961

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: New York City, New York, United States

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

 42 

Rosa DeLauro

(Politician)

Rosa DeLauro

Birthdate: March 2, 1943

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.

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 43 

Virginia Williams

(Actress)

Virginia Williams

Birthdate: March 18, 1978

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

 44 

P. J. Carlesimo

(Basketball coach, Basketball player)

P. J. Carlesimo

Birthdate: May 30, 1949

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

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 45 

Tom Leykis

(Radio personality)

Tom Leykis

Birthdate: August 1, 1956

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: The Bronx

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 46 

Mike Breen

(Sports commentator)

Mike Breen

Birthdate: May 22, 1961

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: New York City

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 47 

Amanda Hearst

(American Socialite, Activist, Fashion Model and Heiress)

Amanda Hearst

Birthdate: January 5, 1984

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

 48 

Hage Geingob

(Politician)

Hage Geingob

Birthdate: August 3, 1941

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Otjiwarongo, Namibia

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 49 

Robert Mulligan

(Director)

Robert Mulligan

Birthdate: August 23, 1925

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Died: December 20, 2008

 50 

Smush Parker

(Basketball player)

Smush Parker

Birthdate: June 1, 1981

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

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Founded by the Catholic Diocese of New York in 1841, Fordham University is a private non-profit research university based out of New York. Being deemed 60th in the classification of ‘more selective’ universities by U.S. News & World Report, Fordham University has a combined enrollment of approximately 15,000 students. The university offers graduate, post graduate, doctoral and professional degrees wherein the academic ideals are drawn from its Jesuit influences. Fordham University offers various programs in the fields of Business, Law, Social Service, Arts & Science, Education, and Religion and so on. It has been deemed as a doctoral university with high research activity by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Fordham University has also bagged the 60th place in the category of America’s Best Colleges: National Universities, as per the 2017 edition of U.S. News & World Reports. Additionally, Fordham University is renowned for its curriculum which incorporates wisdom, critical and innovative thinking, creative problem-solving and integrity. All these core values are reflected in its principles, ideals and teachings. The campus is so diverse in ethnicity and culture that it is the perfect amalgamation of openhearted cultures from across the globe. Not only does it give foreign students the opportunity to study in the exquisite campus, but provides all its students with over 130 study abroad opportunities to hone their skills. Some of its esteemed alumni’s include Denzel Washington, Mary Higgins Clark, Vince Lombardi and Geraldine Ferraro. Keep reading to know more remarkable personalities who studied at Fordham University.