Top 10 Cornell University Notable Alumni

Want to know who are some of the popular alumni of Cornell University? Check out the list of top 10 Cornell University notable alumni and understand why they are still popular in modern times.

Cornell University isn't just an Ivy League institution; but has also produced great innovators who have changed industries and influenced company cultures. Despite low acceptance rate of Cornell, millions of students want to attend it. Cornell is one of the top 100 universities in the world. As of today, Cornell has 250,000 alumni.

So, who are these influential people, and what drove them to achieve such great accomplishments after being admitted to Cornell? This article highlights some of Cornell's most popular alumni and their achievements.

List of Top 10 Cornell University Notable Alumni

Interested in knowing the top 10 Cornell University notable alumni list? Check out the notable alumni from Cornell below: 

1. Bill Nye
2. Toni Morrison
3. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw
4. Christopher Reeve
5. Jane Lynch
6. Bill Maher
7. James Whitman McLamore
8. Claudia Dale Goldin
9. Sanjeev Goyal
10. Glenn Altschuler

10 Popular Cornell University Notable Alumni

Let us discuss in detail about Cornell University notable alumni in this section based on the top 10 list above: 

1. Bill Nye

Bill Nye is an engineer from Cornell and had a short stint at Boeing, where he invented a hydraulic resonance suppressor. His career, however, with no apparent direction, veered him towards comedy, where he got his start on "Almost Live!" and then went on to create the highly recognised "Bill Nye the Science Guy" (1993-1999) by combining education with humour, while winning 19 Emmys. All of this thrust Nye into a well-engaged science advocate role by appearing on shows such as "The Big Bang Theory" and "Dancing with the Stars." He was CEO of The Planetary Society and published five bestselling books, including "Undeniable" and "Unstoppable." His work in documentaries like "Bill Nye: Science Guy" and other series, such as "Bill Nye Saves the World" and "The End Is Nye," also demonstrated Nye's willingness and ability to tackle the challenge of making science accessible and fun to society. Nye continues to teach and entertain, providing and encouraging the public that addressing global issues through the cognitive power of science creates opportunities and outcomes on a positive scale.

2. Toni Morrison

Toni Morrison (1931 - 2019) was an instrumental figure in African-American literature, as she was a participant in both Howard and Cornell as a student, and then subsequently as a professor -- before she became Random House's first African-American woman fiction editor and represented Black literary authors. Morrison's first book, 'The Bluest Eye' (1970), was a novel about a Black girl who wanted blue eyes and the way her identity regarding race impacted her. She was awarded a Pulitzer Prize in 1988 for 'Beloved' (1987) and the Nobel Prize for Literature in the year of 1993, for her body of narrative work. Other important works such as 'Song of Solomon' and 'Sula' contributed to cementing her status as one of the most respected writers in portraying the Black American life. While Morrison's contribution is important in the form of literature, Morrison was recognized when awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2012) and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame (2020). Morrison's works are too critical for understanding issues of race and identity, such that she is also considered one of the top 10 notable alumni from the Cornell University alumni.

3. Kimberlé Williams Crenshaw

Kimberlé Crenshaw is a leading civil rights and critical race theory advocate, best known for her work in introducing intersectionality. In her 1989 essay, she defined the concept, which discussed how race, gender, and class intersect to create unique experiences of oppression, particularly for Black women. Crenshaw received her BA in Government and African studies from Cornell University, a JD from Harvard University, and an LLM from the University of Wisconsin. Her 2016 TED Talk and the #SayHerName campaign greatly increased awareness of intersectionality, highlighting police brutality against Black women. In 1996, to advance racial and gender justice, she established the African American Policy Forum. In addition, she is also known among Cornell University's distinguished alumni for her achievements and contributions.

4. Christopher Reeve

Christopher Reeve is a popular actor, author, activist and director. Known for his performance in the Superman movie series, he played the lead character. For this, Reeve won Emmy, British Academy Film and Grammy Awards. He also got the Walter Briehl Human Rights Foundation award, the Helen Hayes MacArthur Award, and the Lasker Award for Public Service. His contributions to paralysis research and advocacy were also celebrated through various honours, and his foundation.

5. Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch, a Cornell University notable alumni is an American actress, comedian, and singer. She is recognised for her comic roles and has won multiple awards, including a Golden Globe, 05 Primetime Emmys, and 02 Screen Actors Guild Awards. Lynch got famous as Sue Sylvester in the TV series Glee. Other than acting, she has hosted the game show Hollywood Game Night (2013–2020) and has been the host and executive producer of the American version of The Weakest Link since 2020.

6. Bill Maher

Bill Maher is animal rights advocate and has been on the board of PETA since 1997. He has also been an advisory board member of Project Reason, a non profit organization promoting secularism. Bill Maher also makes it to the list of the top 10 Cornell University notable alumni. 

7. James Whitman McLamore

James McLamore was an American entrepreneur. He was the co-founder and first CEO of Burger King. Along with David Edgerton, McLamore established Burger King in 1954, with its Whopper in 1957. After retiring from Burger King, McLamore joined the University of Miami and the United Way Board.

8. Claudia Dale Goldin

Claudia Goldin is a known labour economist in America. Her studies on women's economic history, mainly labour force participation and the gender wage gap, are the highlights of her career. Goldin has got a BA degree from Cornell and an MA and a PhD from the University of Chicago. Besides, she has been teaching at the Ivy League universities like Harvard and has made significant contributions to the fields of labour economics and economic history.

9. Sanjeev Goyal

10. Glenn C. Altschuller

Glenn C. Altschuler is a Cornell University notable alumni, is an accomplished American writer, educator, and university administrator. He pursued higher education at Brooklyn College and Cornell University, earning his BA, MA, and PhD. Altschuler's academic interests span American history, popular culture, and higher education. He has co-authored books like ‘The Rise and Fall of Protestant Brooklyn’ (2022), ‘The GI Bill: A New Deal for Veterans' (2009), and ‘All Shook Up: How Rock 'n Roll Changed America' (2003). Altschuler has been recognised with the Clark Teaching Award and the Stephen H. Weiss Presidential Fellowship. He has spent over 40 years at Cornell University, contributing to American Studies. Altschuler's career is marked by his dedication to teaching, scholarship, and a passion for exploring American culture and history through various lenses. 

These are some of Cornell University notable alumni whose ideas have shaped the industries and continue to do so today. Cornell University courses are wide, which makes it a popular academic higher education institution in the USA, and admission to Cornell is equivalent to prestige. 

Interested in studying at Cornell University? Sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a callback from our counsellors.