15 Famous Alumni From The University Of Maryland
We know that if you’re attending the University of Maryland, you probably have some pretty big goals. When you were little you might have danced around and told all your grade school teachers you were going to do big things in your dream career. Whether you told everyone you were going to be the next astronaut to discover a new galaxy or the next Britney Spears (no? just me?) choosing to go to UMD was probably the right choice. With so many famous alumni from The University of Maryland, it was difficult to choose just a few. Check out what these alum accomplished after they were done tailgating on the weekends and pulling all nighters in Mckeldin Library.
1. Jim Henson
You can thank him for basically everything fun about your childhood. Henson was a screenwriter, puppeteer and producer for some extremely notable works. Specifically he’s most known for Sesame Street and The Muppet Show! If you think being a college student is hard, remember Kermit’s struggle “It’s not easy being green.”
2. Larry David
Any Curb Your Enthusiasm or Seinfeld fans out there? You can thank Larry David for all those laughs. As a comedian, actor and writer, David was one of the most successful alumni to graduate from the university as he continues to conquer the entertainment industry.
3. Kevin Plank
As founder and CEO of Under Armour, you could say that Plank’s time at the university was well spent. The school recognizes his work and you can always get tons of awesome Maryland Under Armour Gear in the official apparel store!
4. Sergey Brin
Let’s be honest- would any of our GPA’s really survive if we didn’t have Google to turn to in our times of need? If you’re thinking “prob not,” and are looking for someone to thank, look no further. As one of the cofounders of Google and President of Alphabet Inc. Sergey Brin is probably one of the most successful computer scientists and entrepreneurs there is.
5. Connie Chung
Looking to go into Journalism? You would be in great company as an alumnus from UMD. An accomplished American Journalist, Chung has been a reporter for ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NBC and CBS.
6. Michael D. Griffin
A famous American physicist and aerospace engineer, Griffin served as the Administrator of NASA for four years. Some people think “reaching for the stars” is just a figure of speech-pshh.
7. Dianne Wiest
If you’re able to tell people you’ve been in movies acting alongside Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder, we’re willing to bet you probably did something right. Wiest has been in countless films and has won more than one Academy Award for her roles as a powerful supporting actress.
8. Boomer Esiason
After retiring from a successful career as a quarterback in the NFL, Boomer Esiason began working as a sports commentator and analyst. He currently works on The NFL Today, Monday Night Football and Inside the NFL as well as co-hosting his own sports radio station in the morning Boomer and Carton on WFAN New York.
9. Giuliana Rancic
Calling all E! News fans! You’ve probably seen her on television at least once, as she also often co-hosts many red carpet events like the Golden Globes. Brains, beauty and personality-this girl has it all and a super successful television career.
10. David Simon
If you’re looking to conquer the creative entertainment industry, you should definitely check out David Simon’s work. As an author, writer/producer, and reporter, Simon’s mini-series on HBO landed him a spot as one of the 2010 MacArthur Fellows. His latest series to soon be released on HBO will feature James Franco as a co-producer and actor (I already love it.)
11. Steny Hoyer
As the U.S. Representative for Maryland’s fifth congressional district, he has held a successful time in office since 1981. A great role model for those UMD students looking to go into politics!
12. Aaron McGruder
As writer, screenwriter, cartoonist and creator of the animated comics and series The Boondocks this African American Studies graduate really give us someone to look up to.
13. Ed Snider
Snider was the chairman of Comcast Spectator, the Wells Fargo Center, Comcast SportsNet, and Global Spectrum. He was also formerly a partial owner of NFL team the Philadelphia Flyers and former owner of the NBA’s Philadelphia 76ers.
14. Bonnie Bernstein
The American Sportscasters Association has recognized Bernstein as one of the most successful female sports journalists. After years of working with ESPN/ABC and CBS, she has made our list for being a huge inspiration to all those female sports enthusiasts out there. Go girl!
15. Len Bias
RIP to one of Maryland’s greats. Before his untimely death, Bias was an All-American college basketball forward and was drafted by the Boston Celtics just two days before his passing. UMD students are still proud to say that he played for the team as someone people consider to be one of the greatest athletes to never play on a professional level.
