Illinois State University

Discover the notable alumni of Illinois State University. The list includes people like John Malkovich, Gary Sinise, Jane Lynch, Michelle Williams & Keith Habersberger. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as film & theater personalities, fashion, youtubers and miscellaneous etc.
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 1 
Gary Sinise
13
Birthdate: March 17, 1955
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Blue Island, Illinois, United States
Gary Sinise is best known for his Golden Globe-winning performance as Harry S. Truman in Truman and his Academy Award-nominated role in Forrest Gump. Fans also loved him in the movie Apollo 13 and the series CSI: NY. He co-established the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and formed the Lt. Dan Band.
 2 
Jane Lynch
(Actress, Comedian and Author Known for Her Role as ‘Sue Sylvester’ in the TV Series ‘Glee’)
Jane Lynch
34
Birthdate: July 14, 1960
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Evergreen Park, Illinois, United States
Best known for her Emmy-winning performance as Sue Sylvester in Glee, Jane Lynch has also played major roles in the series Two and a Half Men and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and the film The 40-Year-Old Virgin. She has also voiced characters in animated films such as Wreck-It Ralph
 3 
Craig Robinson
(Actor)
Craig Robinson
16
Birthdate: October 25, 1971
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'2" (188 cm)
 4 
Colton Underwood
(American Reality Television Personality and Former Professional Football Player)
Colton Underwood
14
Birthdate: January 26, 1992
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Reality star Colton Underwood has previously been a footballer for Illinois State and NFL teams such as the San Diego Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Oakland Raiders. He later soared to fame with shows such as The Bachelorette and The Bachelor. He is associated with medical charity foundations, too.
 5 
Sean Hayes
(Actor, Producer)
Sean Hayes
8
Birthdate: June 26, 1970
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 6 
Jeff Perry
(Film actor)
Jeff Perry
1
Birthdate: August 16, 1955
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Highland Park, Illinois, U.S.
 7 
Mike Zimmer
(American Football Coach)
Mike Zimmer
2
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 5, 1956
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Peoria, Illinois, United States
 8 
Terry Kinney
(Actor)
Terry Kinney
0
Birthdate: January 29, 1954
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lincoln, Illinois, USA
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 9 
Adam Kinzinger
(Politician)
Adam Kinzinger
8
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 27, 1978
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Kankakee, Illinois Kankakee, Illinois, U.S.
 10 
Doug Collins
(American Former Basketball Player & Coach Who Won 4 NBA All-Stars With the Team 'Philadelphia 76ers')
Doug Collins
5
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 28, 1951
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Christopher, Illinois, United States
Once a popular basketball player for the NBA team Philadelphia 76ers, Doug Collins later turned to coaching. He was part of the controversial Munich Olympics game that the US lost to Soviet Union and thus won a silver. Apart from the 76ers, he has also managed teams such as the Chicago Bulls.
 11 
Tim Russ
(Actor)
Tim Russ
1
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: June 22, 1956
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Washington, District of Columbia, USA
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
 12 
Cecilia Suárez
(Actress)
Cecilia Suárez
2
Birthdate: November 22, 1971
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Tampico, Tamaulipas, México
 13 
Suzy Bogguss
(Musician)
Suzy Bogguss
2
Listed In: Musicians
Birthdate: December 30, 1956
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Aledo, Illinois, U.S.
 14 
Ron Goldman
(Waiter murdered alongside friend Nicole Brown Simpson)
Ron Goldman
13
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 2, 1968
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: June 12, 1994

Ron Goldman was a restaurant waiter who was a good friend of Nicole Brown Simpson, the ex-wife of O. J. Simpson. He and Nicole were murdered in 1994, and Simpson was eventually found guilty for their deaths. While Ron worked primarily as a waiter, he also modeled occasionally. He had become friends with Nicole just weeks before their murders.

 15 
Richard Roeper
(Journalist)
Richard Roeper
2
Birthdate: October 17, 1959
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 16 
Zeke Upshaw
(Basketball player)
Zeke Upshaw
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: May 27, 1991
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: March 26, 2018
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 17 
Joe Woods
(American football coach)
Joe Woods
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 25, 1970
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: North Vandergrift, Pennsylvania, United States
 18 
Erika Lauren Wasilewski
(American Radio Personality, Singer and Songwriter)
Erika Lauren Wasilewski
0
Listed In: Singers
Birthdate: October 2, 1987
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Frankfort, Illinois, United States
 19 
Ralph Modjeski
(Polish-American Civil Engineer)
Ralph Modjeski
0
Listed In: Engineers
Birthdate: January 27, 1861
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bochnia, Poland
Died: June 26, 1940

Born to actor Helena Modjeska, Polish-American engineer Ralph Modjeski was a talented pianist in his younger days. He later worked on the railroad bridge across the Mississippi and also re-designed the Quebec Bridge after a major disaster. Over his illustrious career, he had designed over 50 major bridges.

 20 
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell
(Basketball player)
DeVaughn Akoon-Purcell
1
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: June 5, 1993
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Orlando, Florida, United States
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
 21 
Terry Adkins
(Artist)
Terry Adkins
0
Birthdate: May 9, 1953
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Washington, D.C., United States
Died: February 8, 2014
 22 
Ogonna Nnamani
(American Indoor Volleyball Player and Former Member of the United States National and Olympic Team)
Ogonna Nnamani
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 29, 1983
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Bloomington, Illinois, United States
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
 23 
Rachel Crothers
(Playwright)
Rachel Crothers
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: December 12, 1878
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Bloomington, Illinois, United States
Died: July 5, 1958
 24 
Tep Sothy
(Cambodian Politician)
Tep Sothy
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: February 13, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Kampong Cham Province, Cambodia

Initially a school teacher in the US, Tep Sothy later joined the Cambodian Human Rights Party and then the Cambodia National Rescue Party. The Cambodian politician now represents the Takeo province as an MP. She is mostly involved with the rights of women, children, and migrant workers.