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Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni

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Updated July 22, 2019 19.8k views 106 items

List Rules People on this list must have gone to Southern Illinois University Carbondale and be of some renown.

List of famous alumni from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, with photos when available. Prominent graduates from Southern Illinois University Carbondale include celebrities, politicians, business people, athletes and more. This list of distinguished Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni is loosely ordered by relevance, so the most recognizable celebrities who attended Southern Illinois University Carbondale are at the top of the list. This directory is not just composed of graduates of this school, as some of the famous people on this list didn't necessarily earn a degree from Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Examples of graduates on this list include Jenny McCarthy and John Belushi.

This list answers the questions “Which famous people went to Southern Illinois University Carbondale?” and “Which celebrities are Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumni?”
1
Jenny McCarthy is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Comedian, Television producer, Model

Age: 46

Birthplace: USA, Evergreen Park, Illinois

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2
John Belushi is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Comedian, Musician, Screenwriter

Age: Dec. at 33 (1949-1982)

Birthplace: Humboldt Park, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

John Adam Belushi (January 24, 1949 – March 5, 1982) was an American comedian, actor, and singer. He was one of the seven original cast members of the NBC sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live ...more

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3
Dick Gregory is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Comedian, Entrepreneur, Actor

Age: 86

Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America

Richard Claxton Gregory (October 12, 1932 – August 19, 2017) was an American comedian, civil rights activist, social critic, writer, conspiracy theorist, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. ...more

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4
Dennis Franz is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Actor

Age: 74

Birthplace: Proviso Township, Maywood, Illinois, United States of America

Dennis Franz Schlachta (; born October 28, 1944), known professionally as Dennis Franz, is an American former actor best known for his role as NYPD Detective Andy Sipowicz in the ABC television ...more

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5
Joan Higginbotham is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Astronaut, Engineer

Age: 54

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Joan Elizabeth Higginbotham (born August 3, 1964) is an American engineer and a former NASA astronaut. She flew aboard Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-116 as a mission specialist and is the ...more

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6
Timothy Krajcir is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Sailor

Age: 74

Birthplace: Allentown, Pennsylvania

Timothy Wayne Krajcir (pronounced /ˈkraɪtʃər/) (born Timothy Wayne McBride; November 28, 1944) is a convicted American serial killer from West Mahanoy Township, Pennsylvania who has confessed to ...more

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7
Richard Roundtree is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Model, Actor

Age: 76

Birthplace: USA, New York, New Rochelle

Richard Roundtree (born July 9, 1942) is an American actor and former model. Roundtree is noted as being "the first black action hero" for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft ...more

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8
Walt Frazier is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Basketball player, Actor

Age: 73

Birthplace: Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America

Walter "Clyde" Frazier (born March 29, 1945) is an American former basketball player in the National Basketball Association. As their floor general, he led the New York Knicks to the ...more

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9
Steve James is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Film Producer, Screenwriter, Cinematographer

Age: 64

Birthplace: Hampton

Steve James (born March 8, 1954) is an Oscar-nominated American film producer and director of several documentaries, including Hoop Dreams (1994), Stevie (2002), and Abacus: Small Enough to Jail ...more

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10
Shawn Colvin is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Songwriter, Musician, Singer-songwriter

Age: 63

Birthplace: Vermillion, South Dakota, United States of America

Shawn Colvin (born January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. While Colvin has been a solo recording artist for nearly 30 years, she is perhaps best known for her 1997 ...more
11
David Selby is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Actor, Voice acting, Writer

Age: 78

Birthplace: Morgantown, USA, West Virginia

David Lynn Selby (born February 5, 1941) is an American film, television and stage actor. He is best known for playing Quentin Collins in the daytime soap opera Dark Shadows (1968–71), and ...more
12
Donald F. Mchenry is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Businessperson, Diplomat

Age: 82

Birthplace: Area code 557, St. Louis, St. Louis County, Area code 314, United States of America, + more

Donald Franchot McHenry is an American former diplomat. He was the United States Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the United Nations from September 1979 until January 20, 1981.
13
Brandon Jacobs is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Brandon Jacobs American football player

Age: 33

Birthplace: Houma, Louisiana

Brandon Christopher Jacobs (born July 6, 1982) is a former American football running back, who spent the majority of his career with the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He ...more
14
Troy Hudson is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Basketball player

Age: 42

Birthplace: Carbondale, Illinois

Troy Elderon Hudson (born March 13, 1976) is an American retired professional basketball point guard. He played 11 years in the National Basketball Association (NBA) after going undrafted in ...more
15
Jim Belushi is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Spokesperson, Film Score Composer, Television director

Age: 64

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States of America

James Adam Belushi (; born June 15, 1954) is an Albanian-American actor, voice actor, comedian, singer and musician.He is the younger brother of late comic actor John Belushi and the father of ...more

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16
Chander Raman is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Professor
Chander Raman (b. 1961), Associate Professor of Medicine, received his B.Sc. degree in Zoology from Madras University, India (1980). He subsequently received his M.S. degree in Microbiology from ...more
17
Don S. Davis is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Sculptor, Painter, Soldier

Age: Dec. at 66 (1942-2008)

Birthplace: USA, Aurora, Missouri

Don Sinclair Davis (August 4, 1942 – June 29, 2008) was an American character actor best-known for playing General Hammond in the television series Stargate SG-1 (1997–2007), and earlier for ...more
18
Roland Burris is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Politician, Lawyer

Age: 81

Birthplace: Illinois, United States of America, Clinton County, Washington County, Centralia, + more

Roland Wallace Burris (born August 3, 1937) is an American politician and attorney who is a former United States Senator from the state of Illinois and a member of the Democratic Party. In 1978, ...more
19
Justin Hartley is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Television director, Screenwriter, Actor

Age: 42

Birthplace: Knoxville, USA, Illinois

Justin Scott Hartley (born January 29, 1977) is an American actor. He is known for his television roles that include Fox Crane on the NBC daytime soap opera Passions (2002–2006), Oliver ...more

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20
Bart Scott is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
American football player

Age: 38

Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan

Bartholomew Edward Scott (born August 18, 1980) is a former American football player and current radio personality. Scott was a linebacker in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven ...more
21
Bill Ernest is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni

Age: 69

William "Bill" Ernest (born December 16, 1950) is the CEO of Saudi Entertainment Ventures (SEVEN) Company. He had previously had occupied the role of President and Managing Director, ...more
22
Benjamin Percy is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Author, Writer

Age: 39

Birthplace: Eugene, Oregon

Benjamin Percy is an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, comics writer, and screenwriter.
23
Lena Taylor is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Lawyer

Age: 52

Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America

Lena C. Taylor (born July 25, 1966) is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 4th District since 2005, and formerly served as the co-chair of the Joint Committee on ...more
24
Greg A. Lee is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Businessperson
Greg A. Lee is Senior Vice President, Human Resources for Motorola. In this role, Lees worldwide responsibilities include workforce development, organizational effectiveness, benefits and ...more
25
Tom Baugh is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list Famous Southern Illinois University Carbondale Alumni
Tom Baugh American football player

Age: 55

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois

Thomas Anthony Baugh (born December 1, 1963) is a former professional American football player. He was a center who played four seasons in the National Football League for two teams.A 1981 ...more