# List of California State University, Fullerton people

The following is a list of notable people associated with California State University, Fullerton.

## Students

| Name | Known for | Relationship to Fullerton |
| Omid Abtahi | actor | B.A. in communications-advertising, 2002 |
| Khalil Ahmad | athletics; basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League | |
| Josh Akognon | athletics; basketball player | |
| Damon Allen | athletics; football player | |
| Nicholas Arciniaga | athletics; long-distance runner | graduated 2006 |
| Tanner Bibee | athletics; baseball player (Cleveland Guardians) | |
| James Blaylock | author | M.A. in English, 1974 |
| Bruce Bowen | athletics; basketball player | B.A. in communications, 2006 |
| Bobby Brown | athletics; basketball player | majored in communications |
| Gerald Brown | athletics; basketball player | |
| Christine Marie Cabanos | actor | |
| Rubén Carbajal | actor (Hamilton) | B.F.A. in theatre arts, 2015 |
| David Castañeda | actor (The Umbrella Academy) | B.A. in communications-radio/TV/film, 2015 |
| Charles Castronovo | musician; tenor opera singer | studied music, 1993–1995 |
| Cedric Ceballos | athletics; basketball player | |
| Matt Chapman | athletics; baseball player (San Francisco Giants) | graduated 2015 |
| Phillip Chen | politician; California State Assembly | |
| Marc Cherry | screenwriter and producer; creator of Desperate Housewives | B.A. in theatre arts, 1995 |
| Roy Choi | chef | B.A. in philosophy |
| Sherry Cola | actress and comedian | |
| Mark Collins | athletics; football player | |
| Chad Cordero | athletics; baseball player | |
| Lou Correa | politician; United States House of Representatives | B.A. in economics, 1980 |
| Shane Costa | athletics; baseball player | did not graduate |
| Kevin Costner | actor and filmmaker | B.A. in business, 1978 |
| Valorie Curry | actress | B.A. in theatre arts, 2008 |
| Mara Davi | actress (A Chorus Line, The Drowsy Chaperone) | |
| J. D. Davis | athletics: third baseman for the San Francisco Giants | |
| Khris Davis | athletics; baseball player | |
| Richard K. Davis | business; former chairman of U.S. Bancorp | B.A. in economics, 1983 |
| Joey DiGiamarino | athletics; soccer player | |
| T.J. Dillashaw | athletics; mixed martial artist | |
| Stewart Donaldson | author, psychologist, evaluation research scientist | M.A. in experimental psychology, 1987 |
| Brian Dunseth | athletics; soccer player | |
| Tracy Caldwell Dyson | NASA astronaut | B.S. in chemistry, 1993 |
| Berlin Edmond | YouTuber | B.A. in English, 2017 |
| Linda Emond | actress | B.A. in theatre arts, 1982 |
| Rizwan Farook | criminal; 2015 San Bernardino attack | |
| Danielle Fishel | actress (Boy Meets World) | B.A. in psychology, 2012 |
| Courtney Force | athletics; drag racer | B.A. in communications |
| Joe Franchino | athletics; soccer player | |
| Dustin Garneau | athletics; baseball player | |
| Grant Geissman | musician | did not graduate |
| Elizabeth George | author | |
| Todd Gerhart | athletics; football player | 1981–1984 |
| Jeremy Giambi | athletics; baseball player | |
| Rod Gilfry | musician; baritone opera singer | B.A. in music education |
| Mary Gray-Reeves | Episcopal bishop | B.A. in history, 1987 |
| Mike Harkey | athletics; baseball player | |
| Dan Henderson | athletics; Olympic wrestler and mixed martial artist; former Pride/UFC champion | |
| Robin Holmes-Sullivan | academia; psychologist, president of Lewis & Clark College | B.A. in psychology, 1986 M.A. in psychology, 1988 |
| Ashley Force Hood | athletics; drag racer | B.A. in communications, 2003 |
| K. W. Jeter | author | B.A. in sociology, 1973 |
| Reed Johnson | athletics; baseball player | |
| Ross Johnson | politician | |
| Kato Kaelin | actor (witness in the O. J. Simpson murder case) | |
| Tony Kanal | musician; bassist of No Doubt | |
| Gabe Kapler | athletics; baseball player, and manager (San Francisco Giants) | did not graduate |
| Bobby Kemp | athletics; football player | |
| Kozue and Dan Kitchens (a.k.a. Kozyndan) | artist and illustrator team | B.F.A. in illustration, 2002 |
| Mark Kostabi | artist | B.A. in drawing and painting |
| Mark Kotsay | athletics; baseball player | |
| Kim Krizan | screenwriter (Before Sunset) | |
| Mike Lamb | athletics; baseball player | |
| Adam Lambert | musician; lead singer for Queen + Adam Lambert | did not graduate |
| Giovanni Lanaro | athletics; Olympian track and field; pole vaulter; 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing | graduated in 2004 |
| Matthew Libatique | cinematographer | |
| Bentley Little | author | |
| Rene Liu | musician and actress | B.A. in music |
| Matthew Lopez | athletics; mixed martial artist | |
| Michael Lorenzen | athletics; baseball player (Los Angeles Angels) | |
| Elita Loresca | television meteorologist (KNBC) | B.A. in broadcast journalism |
| Danella Lucioni | model | B.A. in communications-radio/TV/film, 2007 |
| Carl Macek | screenwriter and producer (Robotech) | |
| Steve Mariucci | athletics; football coach | |
| Antonio Martínez | athletics; soccer player | |
| Joe A. Martinez | UFC, MMA, boxing ring announcer | B.A. in broadcast journalism, 1999 |
| James D. McCaffrey | software researcher and writer | B.A. in mathematics |
| José Mota | athletics; baseball player, broadcaster | |
| Patrick Nagel | artist and illustrator | |
| Phil Nevin | athletics; baseball player | |
| Chris Norby | politician; California State Assembly | M.A. in history, 1989 |
| Jack O'Connell | politician; California State Superintendent of Public Instruction | B.A. in history |
| Yuji Okumoto | actor | B.A. in theater arts |
| Duncan Oughton | athletics; soccer player | did not graduate |
| Jessica Penne | athletics; mixed martial artist | B.A. in communications |
| Mike Penner | sportswriter | |
| Walter Perez | actor | B.S. in criminal justice |
| Vinnie Pestano | athletics; baseball player | |
| Ann Phong | artist | M.F.A. in painting, 1995 |
| Brett Pill | athletics; baseball player | |
| Allen Pitts | athletics; football player | |
| Cynthia J. Popp | television director and producer | B.A. in communications-radio/TV/film, 1984 |
| Monique Powell | musician; lead singer of Save Ferris | |
| Tim Powers | author | |
| Mike Pringle | athletics; football player | |
| Bao Quach | athletics; wrestler; mixed martial artist | B.S. in kinesiology |
| Sharon Quirk-Silva | politician; California State Assembly | |
| Tom Ranier | musician | B.A. in music composition, 1972 |
| Tony Reagins | athletics; general manager, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim | B.A. in marketing, 1991 |
| Anthony Rendon | politician; Speaker of the California State Assembly | B.A. and M.A. in political science, 1992 and 1994 |
| Jessica Rey | actress and fashion designer | B.A. in business, 2000 |
| Mitrice Richardson | crime victim | B.A. in psychology in 2008 |
| Jeremy Riddle | musician; Bethel Music | B.A. in political science |
| Greg Robinson | athletics; football coach | |
| Ricky Romero | athletics; baseball player | |
| Terry Rossio | screenwriter | B.A. in communications, 1984 |
| Mike Rouse | athletics; baseball player | |
| Aaron Rowand | athletics; baseball player | |
| Edward R. Royce | politician; United States House of Representatives | B.A. in accounting and finance, 1977 |
| Michele Ruiz | journalist | |
| Kirk Saarloos | athletics; baseball player | did not graduate |
| Vida Samadzai | model; 2003 Miss Afghanistan | |
| Josh Saunders | athletics; soccer player | |
| Judson Scott | actor | |
| D. J. Seeley | athletics; basketball player | |
| Michael Shermer | author and founder, The Skeptics Society | M.A. in psychology, 1978 |
| Eddie Soto | athletics; soccer player | |
| Pape Sow | athletics; basketball player | |
| Shay Spitz | athletics; soccer player | |
| Gwen Stefani | musician; lead singer of No Doubt | did not graduate |
| Marc Stein | sportswriter | B.A. in communications/journalism, 1991 |
| Nadya Suleman | media; Suleman octuplets | B.S. in child development |
| Kurt Suzuki | athletics; baseball player | |
| Jesse Taylor | athletics; mixed martial artist | |
| Josh Robert Thompson | actor and comedian (Geoff Peterson from The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson) | |
| Brianne Tju | actress | |
| Darin Toohey | professor; atmospheric and oceanic sciences | B.S. in chemistry and a B.A. in physics |
| Jenny Topping | athletics; softball player | |
| Justin Turner | athletics; baseball player | |
| Kirsten Vangsness | actress (Criminal Minds) | B.A. in theatre arts, 1996 |
| Kwame Vaughn | athletics; basketball player (Israeli Basketball National League) | |
| Deborah Voigt | musician; soprano opera singer | |
| Tim Wallach | athletics; baseball player | |
| Brent Whitfield | athletics; soccer player | |
| Jason Windsor | athletics; baseball player | |
| Leon Wood | athletics; basketball player, NBA referee | |
| Linda Woolverton | screenwriter (Beauty and the Beast) | M.A. in theatre arts, 1979 |
| Clayton Banks | Entrepreneur; CEO of Silicon Harlem | B.A. Communications, 1985 |

## Faculty

| Name | Known for | Relationship to CSU Fullerton |
| Joel K Abraham | ecologist | Associate Professor |
| Alfie Agnew | composer, songwriter, musician | Professor of Mathematics |
| Jeremy Beck | composer | Associate Professor of Music (1999–2002) |
| Michael H. Birnbaum | mathematical psychologist | Professor of Psychology and Director, Decision Research Center |
| Edward Castronova | research on the economies of synthetic worlds | Associate Professor of Telecommunications |
| John R. Clymer | systems engineering expert | Professor of Electrical Engineering, Emeritus |
| Christina Cogdell | art historian | Assistant Professor of Liberal Studies (2001–2004) |
| Daniel R. Crary | bluegrass guitarist | Professor of Speech Communication, Emeritus |
| William Cunliffe | jazz pianist and composer | Associate Professor of Music |
| Lawrence B. de Graaf | historian | Professor of History |
| Eduardo Delgado | pianist | Professor of Music |
| Edwin Duerr | director | Professor of Theater, Emeritus |
| Svetlana Efremova | actress, head of acting program | Professor of Theatre |
| Robert Engels | writer, producer and director | Assistant Professor of Radio-TV-Film |
| Judi Garman | women's softball coach | Coach (1980–1999) |
| Ananda W.P. Guruge | Buddhism expert | Adjunct Professor of Religious Studies |
| Richard Hellesen | author and playwright | Professor of Theatre Arts |
| Gregory Ivy | artist | Professor of Art (1965–1971) |
| Fred Katz | cellist and composer | Professor of Ethnic Music |
| David Keirsey | author and psychologist | Professor Emeritus of Psychology |
| Mary M. Lepper | political scientist and public administration scholar | Professor of Political Science |
| Paul Martin Lester | author and photojournalist | Professor of Communications |
| Willis E. McNelly | science-fiction scholar | Professor of English, Emeritus |
| Billie Moore | first US Olympic women's basketball coach (1976) | Women's Basketball Coach and Athletic Director (1969–77) |
| Kye Palmer | trumpeter | Instructor in Music |
| Anthony Rendon | politician; Speaker of the California State Assembly | Professor of Political Science and Criminal Justice |
| Håkan O. Rosengren | clarinetist | Professor of Music |
| David M. Sandner | fantasy and science-fiction writer | Associate Professor of English, Comparative Literature and Linguistics |
| Nancy L. Segal | psychologist, twin researcher | Professor of Psychology, and Director, Twin Studies Center |
| Jule Selbo | screenwriter | Professor of Screenwriting |
| Muzammil Siddiqi | Islamic studies | Adjunct Professor of Comparative Religion |
| Nancy Snow | author, speaker | Professor of Communications, Emeritus |
| Raphael Sonenshein | author and race relations | Professor of Political Science |
| Bogdan Suceava | mathematician, fiction writer | Professor of Mathematics |
| Lara Teeter | actor and theatre director | Associate Professor in Theatre and Dance |
| Emory Tolbert | historian | Professor of History, 1984–1991 |
| Otto von Sadovszky | linguistic anthropologist | Professor of Anthropology, Emeritus |

## University presidents

| Name | Years served |
| Dr. William B. Langsdorf | 1957–1971 |
| Dr. L. Donald Shields | 1971–1980 |
| Dr. Miles D. McCarthy | 1981 |
| Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb | 1981–1989 |
| Dr. Milton Andrew Gordon | 1990–2012 |
| Dr. Willie J. Hagan (interim) | January 9, 2012–June 10, 2012 |
| Dr. Mildred García | 2012–2017 |
| Dr. Fram Virjee | 2017–2023 |
| Dr. Sylvia Alva | 2023–present |