5 and and their backups
James Watson (Ph.D., 1950) – Co-discovered the double-helix structure of DNA. He was awarded the 1962 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, a breakthrough that laid the foundation for modern genetics, biotechnology, and molecular biology.
Robert Gates fits the pure graduate criteria better) -> Let's use Robert Gates (Ph.D., 1974) – 22nd U.S. Secretary of Defense. He is the only defense secretary in history to be asked to remain in office by newly elected presidents from both major political parties (Bush and Obama), managing global military strategy through critical modern conflicts.
Ernie Pyle (Attended 1919–1923) – Legendary Pulitzer Prize-winning war correspondent whose front-line dispatches during World War II humanized the conflict for millions of Americans. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential journalists in American history.
Mark Spitz (B.S., 1972) – 9-time Olympic Gold Medalist swimmer. He achieved historic, global immortality by winning seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, setting a world record in every single event—a feat unmatched until Michael Phelps in 2008.
John Chambers (MBA, 1975) – Longtime CEO and Executive Chairman of Cisco Systems. He grew the tech giant from a $70 million company into a $50 billion global powerhouse, effectively building the digital and physical routing infrastructure that powered the modern internet.
Jimmy Wales (Ph.D. Coursework, 1990s) – Co-founder of Wikipedia. He created the world's largest, most widely used collaborative reference encyclopedia, fundamentally democratizing human knowledge and access to free education globally.
Howard Ashman (M.F.A., 1974) – Brilliant two-time Academy Award-winning lyricist and playwright. He was the creative anchor behind the "Disney Renaissance," writing the timeless music for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin before his tragic passing in 1991.
Michael Higgins (M.A., 1967) – Ninth President of Ireland, serving since 2011. A towering political figure, sociologist, and poet, he has used his platform to address global human rights, social justice, and international peace.
Mark Cuban (B.S., 1981) – Billionaire entrepreneur and tech pioneer who co-founded Broadcast.com, selling it for $5.7 billion. Beyond his sports and television legacy, his creation of the Cost Plus Drugs Company disrupted the pharmaceutical market to provide low-cost lifesaving medications.
Joshua Bell (Artist Diploma, 1989) – Globally acclaimed, Grammy Award-winning virtuoso violinist. Recognized as one of the most celebrated classical musicians of the modern era, he has performed with nearly every major orchestra in the world and serves as Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.