List of California State University, Long Beach people



The following is a list of notable people associated with California State University, Long Beach. CSULB has more than 320,000 alumni as of 2018.

Entertainment



 * Millicent Borges Accardi: poet and writer, NEA winner
 * Paul "Coy" Allen: television director, Sam & Cat; television producer, R&B Divas: Atlanta, R&B Divas: Los Angeles; music video director
 * Richard Bach: fiction and nonfiction author, Jonathan Livingston Seagull
 * Tony Baxter: Disney Imagineering executive
 * Guy Bee: director of ER
 * Daniele Bolelli: author
 * Jan Burke: mystery author, 2000 Edgar Award for Best Novel
 * Bobby Burgess: actor and dancer on the TV shows Mickey Mouse Club (the original series), The Lawrence Welk Show, and The Donna Reed Show
 * Chris Carter: creator and producer of the X-Files
 * Agnes de Mille: award-winning choreographer, niece of Cecil B. DeMille
 * John Dykstra: winner of two Academy Awards for special effects
 * Jonathan Fahn: voice/TV/film actor; film and stage director, producer, and writer
 * Matt Gourley: actor and comedian; co-creator of Superego
 * Donna Hilbert: poet and writer
 * Mark Steven Johnson: director of Hollywood thriller Daredevil; writer of Grumpy Old Men and sequel Grumpier Old Men
 * Joe Johnston: director of Jurassic Park III and Jumanji
 * Bob Kevoian: radio host
 * J. F. Lawton: author of Pretty Woman
 * Raymond Lee: actor
 * Steve Martin: actor and comedian
 * Tim Minear: television writer and producer, X-Files, Angel, Firefly, Wonderfalls
 * Manny Montana: actor, Good Girls
 * John Roland: longtime reporter and anchor for WNYW in New York City 1969–2004
 * Stu Rosen: winner of 10 Emmy awards
 * Steve Ryan: author, game creator, syndicated puzzle columnist, TV game show historian and creator, Blockbusters
 * Penelope Spheeris: film director, producer and screenwriter best known for Wayne's World and The Decline of Western Civilization trilogy
 * Steven Spielberg: filmmaker, student 1965–1969 and 2001–2002
 * David Twohy: author of Terminal Velocity and The Fugitive
 * Cristina Valenzuela: animation and video game voice actress
 * Maitland Ward: actress, Boy Meets World
 * Bill Wasserzieher (B.A. and M.A.): music and film critic, fiction writer
 * Jessica Williams: comedian and correspondent on The Daily Show
 * Stan Winston: special effects designer
 * Bob Woods: actor, One Life to Live
 * Linda Woolverton: screenwriter, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King
 * Jennifer Yuh Nelson: animation film director and storyboard artist
 * Joon Park: singer and entertainer, member of South Korean group g.o.d

Music

 * Dave Alvin: singer-songwriter: founder of The Blasters, former member of X
 * Arleen Auger: opera singer
 * John Bettis: songwriter, has 26 gold and 10 platinum records
 * Larry Carlton: jazz fusion guitarist
 * Richard and Karen Carpenter: The Carpenters, pop duo
 * Melissa Hasin: cellist
 * Bobby Hatfield: half of The Righteous Brothers and Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame inductee
 * Greg Kriesel: bass player for The Offspring
 * Bill Medley: half of The Righteous Brothers
 * Bradley Nowell: lead singer and guitarist of rock band Sublime
 * Jae Park: member of the South Korean boy band Day6
 * Joon Park: member of the South Korean boy band g.o.d
 * John Patitucci: Grammy Award-winning jazz bassist
 * Basil Poledouris: film composer
 * Jenni Rivera: singer-songwriter
 * Mark Turner: jazz saxophonist
 * Heather Youmans: singer-songwriter

Government and politics



 * Kathy Augustine (M.P.A.): Nevada State Controller (1999–2006)
 * Patricia Bates (B.S.): serving in the California State Senate
 * Ian Calderon (B.A. 2008): California State Assemblyman
 * Debbie Cook (B.S.): Mayor of Huntington Beach
 * Kevin Drum (B.A. 1981): political blogger and columnist
 * Robert Garcia: mayor of Long Beach, California
 * George Gascón (B.A. 1977): Los Angeles County District Attorney, former District Attorney of San Francisco, former police chief
 * Lena Gonzalez (B.A.): serving in the California State Senate
 * Eklil Ahmad Hakimi (M.S. 1998): former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan
 * Tim Leslie (M.P.A.): California State Senator
 * John Moorlach (B.A. 1977): California State Senator
 * Patrick O'Donnell (B.A., M.P.A.): currently serving in the California State Assembly
 * Jenny Oropeza (B.S.): California State Senator
 * Curt Pringle (B.A., M.P.A.): Speaker of the California State Assembly and Mayor of Anaheim
 * Dana Rohrabacher (B.A. 1969): United States Congressman
 * Gloria Romero (B.A., M.A.): California State Senate Majority leader
 * Wade Sanders: Deputy Assistant United States Secretary of the Navy for Reserve Affairs and convicted sex offender
 * John G. Schmitz (M.A. 1960): United States Congressman and 1972 American Independent Party candidate for President of the United States
 * Kelly Seyarto (M.P.A.): member of the California State Assembly
 * Edward Ulloa (B.A.): attorney and former criminal prosecutor

Sports

 * Guy Baker: head coach of the USA Women's water polo team; led the team to three consecutive Olympic medal ceremonies (silver 2000; bronze 2004; silver 2008)
 * Gil Castillo: amateur wrestler; retired MMA fighter
 * Amber Corwin: figure skater and costume designer
 * Paul Goydos: PGA golfer
 * John Mallinger: PGA golfer
 * Pat McCormick: four-time Olympic gold medalist, won both the platform and springboard events, in both (1952 and 1956)
 * Mark O'Meara: champion golfer
 * Tim Shaw: Olympic silver medalist 1976 and 1984 (water polo), Sullivan Award Winner
 * Dwight Stones: two-time Olympic high jump bronze medalist (1972 and 1976); sports commentator

Baseball

 * Abe Alvarez: pitcher, Palfinger Reggio Emilia (Italy)
 * John Bowker: first baseman, San Francisco Giants
 * Brent Cookson: retired outfielder, Kansas City Royals and Los Angeles Dodgers
 * Mark Cresse: bullpen coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers
 * Bobby Crosby: shortstop, Pittsburgh Pirates
 * Matt Duffy: infielder, Tampa Bay Rays
 * Jarren Duran: outfielder, Boston Red Sox
 * Danny Espinosa: second baseman, Washington Nationals
 * Marco Estrada: pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays
 * Mike Gallo: pitcher, MLB free agent
 * Jason Giambi: retired first baseman, Colorado Rockies
 * Chris Gomez: shortstop, MLB free agent
 * Evan Longoria: third baseman, Tampa Bay Rays
 * Paul McAnulty: outfielder, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
 * Cesar Ramos: pitcher, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
 * Jeremy Reed: outfielder, Toronto Blue Jays
 * Termel Sledge: outfielder, played for Montreal Expos, Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres
 * Steve Trachsel: pitcher, MLB free agent
 * Troy Tulowitzki: shortstop, Toronto Blue Jays
 * Jason Vargas: pitcher, Philadelphia Phillies
 * Nick Vincent (born 1986): pitcher in the Philadelphia Phillies organization
 * Jered Weaver: pitcher, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
 * Vance Worley: pitcher, Baltimore Orioles

Basketball

 * Andrew Betts: Charlotte Hornets 1998 draftee
 * Deishuan Booker (born 1996): basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Cindy Brown: Olympic gold medalist (1988), ABL (Seattle Reign), and WNBA (Detroit Shock)
 * James Ennis: Miami Heat
 * George Gervin: leading scorer four times in a row with the San Antonio Spurs
 * Lucious Harris: Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers
 * Juaquin Hawkins: Houston Rockets
 * Craig Hodges: Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, Phoenix Suns, Chicago Bulls 1991 and 92 NBA champion
 * Gabe Levin (born 1994): American-Israeli basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
 * Mike Montgomery: head coach, University of California, Berkeley
 * Ed Ratleff: Houston Rockets, Olympic silver medalist (1972)
 * Bryon Russell: Washington Wizards, Utah Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers, Denver Nuggets
 * Jerry Tarkanian: coached Long Beach State 1968–1973, later at UNLV and Fresno State
 * Chuck Terry: Milwaukee Bucks, San Antonio Spurs, New York Nets
 * Penny Toler: first player to score a basket in the WNBA, head coach and general manager of the Los Angeles Sparks
 * Michael Wiley: San Antonio Spurs
 * Morlon Wiley: assistant coach, Orlando Magic; younger brother of Michael Wiley

American football

 * George Allen: head coach, coach of the Washington Redskins, coached the Los Angeles Rams
 * Russ Bolinger: NFL offensive lineman
 * Willie Brown: NFL, NFL Hall of Fame Oakland Raiders' defensive back
 * Dan Bunz: NFL, San Francisco 49ers' linebacker
 * Terrell Davis: NFL, Denver Broncos' football running back
 * Jim Fassel: former offensive coordinator of the NFL's Baltimore Ravens and former head coach of the New York Giants
 * Steve Folsom: NFL tight end
 * Jeff Graham: NFL quarterback
 * Mike Horan: NFL, Denver Broncos' punter
 * David Howard: NFL linebacker
 * Lynn Hoyem: NFL offensive lineman
 * Ron Johnson: football player
 * Charles Lockett: NFL wide receiver
 * Mike McCoy: Coach, San Diego Chargers
 * Terry Metcalf: NFL, Arizona Cardinals' running back
 * Dean Miraldi: NFL, offensive lineman
 * Billy Parks: NFL, wide receiver
 * Ben Rudolph: NFL, defensive lineman
 * Mark Seay: NFL, San Diego Chargers' wide receiver
 * Jeff Severson: NFL, safety

Rowing

 * Joan Lind Van Blom: Olympic rower; silver medal in single sculls, 1976 Montreal; silver medal in coxed quad sculls, 1984 Los Angeles; first woman to receive Olympic medal in the sport for the US

Volleyball

 * Tara Cross-Battle: Olympic volleyball player
 * Bob Ctvrtlik: Olympic gold medalist (1988), volleyball, IOC member
 * Tayyiba Haneef-Park: Olympic silver medalist (2008), volleyball
 * Brent Hilliard: Head Coach, University of San Diego, Olympic bronze medal (1992), Volleyball National Championship and NCAA Player of the Year (1992)
 * Tom Hoff: Olympic gold medalist (2008), volleyball
 * David Lee: Olympic gold medalist (2008), volleyball
 * Misty May-Treanor: Olympic gold medalist (2004,2008 and 2012), women's beach volleyball
 * Danielle Scott-Arruda: Olympic silver medalist (2008), volleyball
 * Scott Touzinsky: Olympic gold medalist (2008), volleyball

Visual arts

 * Chris Bachalo: illustrator, DC and Marvel Comics (X-Men)
 * John Cederquist (born 1946): sculptor, BA in 1969, MA in 1971
 * Cathy Cooper: stylist, painter, model
 * Helen Feyler-Switz: sculptor, painter, art instructor
 * Roberta Gregory (born 1953): comic book writer
 * Seonna Hong (born 1973; B.A. in art): painter
 * Gerhardt Knodel (born 1940; M.F.A 1970): textile artist, installation artist, educator
 * Gilbert "Magú" Luján (1940–2011; B.A. in art 1969): Chicano sculptor, muralist and painter
 * Betye Saar (born 1926): assemblage artist
 * Shag (Josh Agle; born 1962): painter and designer
 * Greg Simkins (born 1979; B.A. in studio art): painter
 * Linda Vallejo (born 1951): artist known for painting, sculpture and ceramics

Journalism

 * Scott Stantis: editorial cartoonist for The Chicago Tribune, creator of the comic strips The Buckets and Prickly City

Academics

 * Erin Gruwell: inspiring teacher from Freedom Writers, the book and movie
 * Robert W. Hillman: Distinguished Professor of Law Emeritus, University of California, Davis.
 * Robin Kelley: Distinguished Professor and Gary B. Nash Chair in U.S. History, University of California, Los Angeles
 * Lee Mallory: poet, author and retired English professor at Santa Ana College
 * Dennis J. Murray: President of Marist College
 * John Sailhamer: academic and theologian

Other

 * J. Jon Bruno: the Episcopal Bishop of Los Angeles
 * Linda Burhansstipanov MSPH, DrPH: Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma member, public health educator and researcher focused on Native American cancer care and support
 * Neil Campbell: biologist/author
 * Ronald Chagoury: co-founder and CEO of the Chagoury Group
 * Libby Gill: leadership speaker, executive coach and author
 * Ken Hoang: professional Super Smash Bros. player, with the nickname "King of Smash"
 * Palmer Lucky: Creator of the Oculus Rift/Ranked #26 on Forbes' 2015 list of America's richest entrepreneurs under 40
 * Alex Meruelo: billionaire owner of the Meruelo Group, the Arizona Coyotes of the NHL, Fuji Food, multiple radio stations, casinos and Colom Island
 * John Platt: Microsoft researcher, astronomer
 * J. Warner Wallace: homicide detective and Christian apologist
 * Laura Yeager: U.S. Army general

Fictional

 * The character Alan Harper (Jon Cryer) on the sitcom Two and a Half Men graduated from CSULB. This was stated in the episode "The Salmon Under My Sweater".

Faculty

 * Phil Alvin: taught mathematics at CSULB; member of The Blasters band
 * Xiaolan Bao: professor of history
 * Vera Barstow: violinist and teacher
 * Verne Carlson: taught cinematography, author and cinematographer
 * August Coppola: Professor of Comparative Literature
 * Karla Diaz: school of art
 * Fitzhugh Dodson: taught in the Psychology department from 1962
 * Robert Eisenman: Professor of Middle East Religions and Archaeology and Director of the Institute for the Study of Judeo-Christian Origins at California State University, Long Beach; Visiting Senior Member of Linacre College, Oxford University; expert on the Dead Sea Scrolls
 * Karen L. Gould (born 1948): President of Brooklyn College
 * Jack Green: professor of the Geological Sciences; a volcanologist and lunar planetary scientist
 * Steve Horn: Professor Emeritus, former President of the University; 5-term former U.S. Congressman
 * Maulana Karenga: former Head of Black Studies Dept., author and activist best known as the founder of the African-American holiday of Kwanzaa
 * Alan Lowenthal: professor of community psychology, State senator
 * Kevin MacDonald: evolutionary psychologist professor, anti-semitic conspiracy theorist, white supremacist
 * Ilan Mitchell-Smith: English professor, former child actor
 * Clifton Snider: poet, novelist, literary critic specializing in Jungian and Queer Criticism
 * Shira Tarrant: author and cultural critic; Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Department