Famous BU Alumni: Martin Luther King Jr., Julianne Moore, Howard Stern & 30+ More

BU's alumni list reads like a who's who across every major field. Martin Luther King Jr. earned his PhD here. Julianne Moore, Geena Davis, and Faye Dunaway are all Oscar winners from BU's College of Fine Arts. Howard Stern graduated from the College of Communication. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez graduated from CAS in 2011. And Jim Craig and Mike Eruzione -- the goalie and captain of the 1980 Miracle on Ice team -- are both BU Terriers. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone while teaching at BU.

The most famous BU alumnus. King earned his doctorate at BU's School of Theology and met his wife Coretta Scott at a Boston social event while a student. His papers are archived at BU's Howard Gotlieb Archival Research Center. King preached at Marsh Chapel on campus during his student years.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (CAS '11, International Relations & Economics)

The youngest woman ever elected to Congress (2018). AOC graduated cum laude from BU and interned for Senator Ted Kennedy while a student. She's frequently referenced as a prominent young BU alumna.

Barbara Jordan (LLB 1959)

First African-American woman elected to Congress from a southern state (Texas). Jordan was a BU Law graduate who became one of the most influential voices in American politics.

Tipper Gore (CAS '70, Psychology)

Second Lady of the United States (1993-2001). Co-founded the Parents Music Resource Center (PMRC).

Gary Locke (JD 1975)

US Ambassador to China, US Secretary of Commerce, and Governor of Washington. The first Chinese-American governor in US history.

Bill O'Reilly (MA, Broadcast Journalism)

One of the most-watched cable news hosts in history. Graduated from BU's College of Communication.

BU's College of Fine Arts has produced an extraordinary number of Oscar, Emmy, and Golden Globe winners:

Why so many actors from BU? The College of Fine Arts has one of the strongest undergraduate acting programs in the country, and its location in Boston (a major theater market) gives students professional opportunities during school. Many CFA alumni credit the conservatory-style training.

BU's College of Communication (COM) has produced major names in media:

Howard Stern (COM '76)

"The King of All Media." Stern graduated from BU's College of Communication and started his radio career while still a student at the campus radio station WTBU. He is the most commercially successful radio personality in history.

Andy Cohen (COM alumnus)

Emmy and Peabody Award winner. Host of Watch What Happens Live and executive producer of the Real Housewives franchise. Cohen has spoken frequently about how BU COM shaped his career in media.

Nina Totenberg (attended BU)

NPR's legendary legal affairs correspondent. Has covered the Supreme Court for NPR since 1975.

Rosie O'Donnell (attended BU)

Comedian, actress, and talk show host. Attended BU before pursuing comedy full-time.

Bill O'Reilly (MA, Broadcast Journalism)

Former host of The O'Reilly Factor, the most-watched show on cable news for over a decade.

COM's reputation: BU COM is consistently ranked in the top 10 nationally for communication programs. The combination of broadcast journalism, film/TV, advertising, and PR programs in the 7th-largest media market creates a strong pipeline to media careers.

BU's business alumni network is extensive in the Boston market, particularly in healthcare, biotech, and financial services. Questrom School of Business alumni hold leadership positions at companies throughout the Northeast.

The Questrom alumni network is particularly strong in Boston's financial district, with graduates at Fidelity, State Street, Bain Capital, and dozens of Boston-based private equity and venture capital firms.

BU's most iconic sports alumni are from the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team:

Jim Craig (CAS alumnus)

Goaltender for the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team that defeated the Soviet Union. Craig's image draped in an American flag after the gold medal game is one of the most iconic photos in sports history.

Mike Eruzione (CAS alumnus)

Captain of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" team. Scored the game-winning goal against the Soviet Union. Eruzione stayed involved with BU after his playing career and has been a major ambassador for the university.

Jack Parker

Legendary BU hockey coach who led the program for 40+ years (1973-2013). Won 3 NCAA championships. Parker is the most important figure in BU hockey history.

BU has produced dozens of NHL players over the decades. The university's hockey program is one of the most decorated in college hockey history, with 5 national championships and 31 Beanpot titles.

One of the most successful television producers in history. Creator of L.A. Law, The Practice, Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Big Little Lies, and many more. Multiple Emmy and Peabody Award winner. Kelley practiced law briefly before turning to screenwriting.

Sandra Lynch (JD 1971)

Chief Judge of the US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. One of the highest-ranking federal judges in New England.

Barbara Jordan (LLB 1959)

Pioneering congresswoman (also listed under Politics). Her keynote address at the 1976 Democratic National Convention is considered one of the greatest political speeches in American history.

Invented the telephone in 1876 while working as a professor of vocal physiology at BU. The invention happened in a BU laboratory. Bell is technically notable faculty rather than an alumnus, but he's inseparable from BU's identity.

Elie Wiesel (BU Professor)

Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Holocaust survivor. Wiesel taught at BU for decades as the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities. Students could take his courses as undergraduates.

Robert Lowell (BU Professor)

Pulitzer Prize-winning poet. Taught at BU and mentored future poets including Sylvia Plath and Anne Sexton.

Robert Briggs (1952 graduate)

Pioneer in cloning research. Briggs conducted the first successful nuclear transfer in a frog in 1952, laying the groundwork for Dolly the Sheep and modern cloning science.

BU's alumni network includes over 400,000 living alumni in 185+ countries. For current students, this matters in practical ways:

Career connections: BU alumni are disproportionately represented in Boston's healthcare, biotech, finance, media, and legal industries. The BU network in Boston is arguably stronger than the networks of higher-ranked schools simply because of volume and regional loyalty.

COM pipeline: If you want to work in media, BU COM's alumni network is one of the strongest in the country. Howard Stern, Andy Cohen, and dozens of network executives create a clear path from student to professional.

CFA pipeline: Four Oscar winners and multiple Emmy winners from one undergraduate arts program is remarkable. CFA alumni actively mentor current students.

BU Hub: The alumni mentoring platform connects students with alumni in their target industry. Available through BU's career services.

Regional strength: BU's alumni density is highest in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. If you plan to work in any of these markets, the BU name carries significant weight.