Yale University has cemented itself as one of the top colleges in the world and has been part of the Ivy League for a long time! Yale is known for producing many famous people and hence the list of Yale notable alumni stretches miles. So, we have listed down some of the most famous alumni of Yale University to shorten the list!
Top 15 Yale Notable Alumni
The graduates of Yale University have shaken the world in their own right; there are actors, politicians, and even an heir to a throne! With so many options to choose from, we have selected 15 notable alumni of Yale University; we have also mentioned who they are and the degrees that they have pursued to help you get a clearer picture.
1. Meryl Streep
Who They Are: Actress
Degree: MFA
One of the most popular Yale notable alumni has to be Meryl Streep! She is an American actress who has appeared in Kramer vs. Kramer, The Devil Wears Prada, and many more! Over her 50 years of acting career, Meryl has been nominated for 21 Oscars and 32 Golden Globe Awards and has won three Oscars and eight Golden Globes! Meryl has pursued a Master's in Fine Arts at Yale School of Drama and graduated in 1975, allowing her to become one of the most famous actresses there is!
2. George W Bush
Who They Are: 43rd US President
Degree: BA
Next on our list of Yale University notable alumni is the 43rd President of the United States of America, George W Bush. He pursued his undergraduate degree from Yale and graduated in 1948! During his college years, Bush was a part of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity and went on to get elected as the President there. Not only that, but he was also the captain of the Yale baseball team, and was initiated into the secret society of Yale called Skull and Bones. This makes George W Bush one of the famous alumni of Yale!
3. Hilary Clinton
Who They Are: Former United States Secretary of State
Degree: JD
Hilary Clinton is another politician who is a renowned Yale notable alumni and was the former US Secretary of State under Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013. Hilary was part of the editorial board at the Yale Review of Law and Social Action, and she graduated in 1973 with a Juris Doctor or a Doctor of Law (JD). At Yale, she has done multiple good deeds and worked in many social causes, like taking on cases of child abuse at Yale–New Haven Hospital volunteering to provide the poor with free legal advice, and many more! This makes Hilary Clinton a very famous Yale notable alumni.
4. David Duchovny
Who They Are: Actor
Degree: MA in English Literature
If you are a fan of the show Californication or The X-Files, then you will recognize David Duchovny within a second! David Duchovny is a notable alumni of Yale as he graduated from the university with a Master's in Arts English Literature in 1989. David is not only an actor, but he is also a writer, producer, director, musician, and author! He has only won the Golden Globe Awards for his roles in The X-Files and Californication, making him a renowned Yale notable alumni!
5. Jodie Foster
Who They Are: American Actress
Degree: BA in Literature
Jodie Foster is not only a Yale notable alumni but also the winner of 2 Oscars, 3 BAFTA Awards, and 3 Golden Globe Awards! Jodie is a famous American actress who has appeared in movies like The Accused, The Silence of the Lambs, Elysium, and many more! Jodie Foster graduated from Yale in 1985 with a Master's in Literature with the highest honors as she had written her thesis on Toni Morrison and she mainly focused on African-American literature.
6. Bill Clinton
Who They Are: 42nd US President
Degree: JD
There are many renowned Yale notable alumni and Bill Clinton is one of them! He graduated from Yale in 1973 with a JD and soon went on to become the 42nd US President. During his studies at Yale, he met with Hilary Rodham, who was also pursuing her JD there, and soon both fell in love and got married.
7. Jordana Brewster
Who They Are: Actress
Degree: BA in English
Known as Mia Torreto from the Fast and Furious franchise, Jordana Brewster is a famous alumni of Yale as she graduated with a BA in English in 2003. She first appeared in the Fast and Furious movies and then took a break to complete her education at Yale. Her grandfather was the President of Yale University from 1963 to 1977, making her almost royalty at Yale!
8. Charles B. Johnson
Who They Are: American Billionaire Businessman
Degree: BA
Next on our list of Yale notable alumni is an American businessman named Charles B. Johnson. Charles is a part owner of the San Francisco Giants and is currently valued at around $6.1 billion. He pursued his Bachelor's in Arts at Yale, and during that time, he played offensive guard for the Yale Football team and served dining hall tables as a scholarship student! He graduated in 1954 and then went on to become the CEO of Franklin Resources!
9. Ben Silbermann
Who They Are: Co-founder of Pinterest
Degree: BA in Political Science
If you love scrolling through aesthetic photos on Pinterest, then you can thank Ben Silbermann, another Yale notable alumni! Ben studied BA in Political Science at Yale and graduated in 2003. Soon, he teamed up with Evan Sharp to create the now-famous pinboard app called Pinterest and launched the app in 2010!
10. Edward Norton
Who They Are: American Actor
Degree: BA in History
The next Yale notable alumni we are going to cover is Tyler Durden (oops, spoilers!). Edward Norton is a notoriously famous American actor who has featured in movies that have been labeled classics and won awards, such as The Fight Club, Primal Fear, American History X, and many more! Norton himself has won one Golden Globe Award! He studied BA in History at Yale and also studied Japanese and he even was a competitive rower. Due to his fame, Edward Norton is easily one of the most famous alumni of Yale.
11. Joel Benjamin
Who They Are: Chess Grandmaster
Degree: Major in History
Joel Benjamin, a chess grandmaster, is the next addition to our list of Yale University notable alumni! At the age of 13, Joel became the youngest chess master in the US in 1977 and then playing a bit more, he decided to take a break and went on to pursue a major in history at Yale University in 1985. After taking his break and completing his major in history, Joel went on to become a chess grandmaster in 1986, making him a famous Yale notable alumni!
12. Anderson Cooper
Who They Are: Journalist
Degree: BA in Political Science
Anderson Cooper is a renowned journalist and political commentator who studied at Yale University and graduated in 1989 with a BA in Political Science! During his studies at Yale, Cooper lived in Trumbull College, where he participated in lightweight rowing and was a member of the Manuscript Society, making him a famous Yale University notable alumni.
Yale is hands down one of the best universities to study political science! But if you are looking for more options, then our guide to the best colleges for political science.
13. Gerald Ford
Who They Are: 38th US President
Degree: LLB
It is quite surprising how many US Presidents are famous alumni of Yale University! Gerald Ford was the 38th President of the United States from 1974 to 1977, and he studied Law at Yale. He was rejected by Yale the first time he applied due to coaching duties. When he joined Yale in 1938, he was promoted to the position of junior varsity head football coach and also started modeling. He was soon introduced to politics in 1940 and then graduated in the top third of his class in 1941, making him one of the famous Yale notable alumni!
14. Brett Kavanaugh
Who They Are: Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the US
Degree: BA in History, JD
Brett Kavanaugh is the next Yale notable alumni who not only has gotten their undergraduate degree from Yale but also their Juris Doctor! Brett Kavanaugh is a famous lawyer who was appointed as the associate justice of the Supreme Court of the US in 2018 by then-President Donald Trump; before that, Kavanaugh worked as a judge on the US Court of Appeals. He graduated from Yale in 1987 with his BA in History and soon got his JD from Yale as well in 1990!
15. Victoria
Who They Are: Heir to the Swedish Throne
Degree: Various Subjects
It is not every day that royalty is part of a university's notable alumni list, but for famous Yale University alumni, there is Victoria, who is the Crown Princess of Sweden and the Duchess of Västergötland! Victoria studied at Yale during her stay in the US from 1998 to 2000, and she took part in various subjects, making her a famous Yale notable alumni!
These were a few of the most popular Yale notable alumni that are out there! With Yale's acceptance rate of 4.6% and being one of the lowest acceptance rate universities in the USA, you can bet that the university produces some of the best talents that the world has seen! This proves why Yale is part of the Ivy League, and if you are confused as to what the Ivy League actually is, here is a guide on what Ivy Leagues are!