10 Inspiring UCLA Notable Alumni Who Changed the World

UCLA: Where Legends Are Made. Explore the extraordinary accomplishments of 10 UCLA notable alumni, from NBA champions and Oscar winners to groundbreaking scientists and influential activists. Their success stories will inspire you to reach for your dreams if you plan to study at UCLA soon! Check out the article for UCLA alumni who are notably known for their works or contributions. 

University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is the most reputable university globally. Also, it is one of the most prestigious universities in the University of California system. Highly respected for its academics, student diversity, and rich history, UCLA has produced many graduates who have excelled in entertainment, business, science, and politics. UCLA admits 14,000 students annually. The acceptance rate at UCLA is usually between 9% - 15%, making it a selective US university. Despite these stats, international students in those areas thrive on studying at UCLA. The UCLA alumni network is as big as 660,000 members and stronger at present. 

This article focuses on the 10 UCLA notable alumni and their achievements that changed society. UCLA alumni rule their worlds but also are at the forefront of changing the world in culture, politics, and technology.

10 Popular UCLA Notable Alumni

Here is a list of the 10 popular University of California, Los Angeles notable alumni:

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
2. Ronda Rousey
3. Jackie Robinson
4. Francis Ford Coppola
5. Ben Stiller
6. Maya Rudolph
7. James Cameron
8. Shonda Rhimes
9. Pauley Perrette
10. Tiger Woods

Let us now discuss in detail about the above mentioned UCLA notable alumni in detail and understand how they have become renowned personalities over time after graduating from UCLA. 

List of Top 10 UCLA Notable Alumni

UCLA notable alumni have contributed enormously to a multitude of fields. They have left an indelible mark on the earth, from sports and entertainment to science and social activism. UCLA alumni famous for their contributions to the world and society have some influence beyond the campus domain into many facets of the world. Let us look at some of the notable alumni of UCLA in this section: 

1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

The very first UCLA notable alumni is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, one of the most popular basketball players in the world. Abdul-Jabbar played with UCLA from 1966 to 1969 for John Wooden and led the Bruins to three straight NCAA championships.

Abdul-Jabbar enjoyed a storied career in the NBA along with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Abdul-Jabbar scored 38,387 points during his two-decade-long run, making him the highest-ever scorer in the history of the NBA- a record he still holds today. He won six NBA championships, he was a 19-time All-Star, and he won six MVPs.

Besides being an athlete, Abdul-Jabbar is a cultural ambassador and social justice advocate. He has penned many books, acted in movies, and been a key voice since his early years on racial equality and social justice issues. 

2. Ronda Rousey

The second renowned UCLA notable alumni is Ronda Rousey, an Olympic medalist. She was a judo scholarship student at the University of California, Los Angeles, a trailblazer in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and one of the most influential personalities in fighting sports history. She was a bronze medalist in judo at the Beijing Olympics in 2008. Her stay at UCLA gave her an excellent athletic foundation that she later used in her MMA career.

In 2012, she was the first woman to sign up for the UFC and became the inaugural UFC women’s bantamweight champion. She became the first female fighter to do the main event in the UFC and became one of the most dominant fighters in the sport. Her rise to fame made women's MMA mainstream and played heart-breakingly against many cultural sports stereotypes. She also starred in Expendables 3 and Furious 7.

3. Jackie Robinson

Jackie Robinson is undoubtedly one of the most celebrated personalities in American history, both in sports and the civil rights movement. Another UCLA famous alumni, Robinson, broke the colour barrier by becoming the first modern-day African American to play in Major League Baseball with the Brooklyn Dodgers and made history in 1947.

Throughout his career, Robinson had a brilliant record both on the field and off-the-field: he was an All-Star six times and won a National League MVP Award. Robinson also utilised a national platform to fight for civil rights and racial equality, becoming a central figure in the civil rights movement. His legacy has inspired generations of athletes and activists.

In memory of Jackie Robinson, UCLA retired his number 42 on April 1, 2004. This proves that Jackie Robinson was a notable UCLA alumnus and a famous one. 

4. Francis Ford Coppola

Academy Award-winning director Francis Ford Coppola is one of Hollywood's mythical filmmakers. Francis Ford Coppola, a UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television alumni, is also called a master of the UCSC film school; he has made some of the legendary movies in cinema history. Laforte's notable works include The Godfather trilogy, Apocalypse Now, and The Conversation.

Moving with intricate storytelling and character development and being relatively modern in his visual styles, Coppola was the one to change the course of contemporary cinema and is known to be the master in making immaculate movies ever made; indeed, the influence of his work is immeasurable. C-Urpa's work has made him win several awards and nominations, the grip of a valuable director in film history, hence making him a UCLA alumni famous for his contributions to cinema.

5. Ben Stiller

The next UCLA notable alumni on the list is Ben Stiller. Stiller has grown to be one of the most recognisable names in Hollywood, both as an actor and director. He had gotten his festival training in film acting at UCLA around the early 1980s. His comedy genius and versatility in acting have made him one of his generation's most successful comedy actors.

Stiller's other known successes include Meet the Parents, Zoolander, Night at the Museum, and Tropic Thunder, of which he directed and produced the last. Ben Stiller's direction led to many hugely successful television shows and films as a producer and director. His impact on entertainment, especially comedy, has made him a popular name and UCLA alumni famous for his comedy. 

6. Maya Rudolph

Maya Rudolph is a skilled actress, comedian, and singer who is another UCLA School of Theater Film and Television alumni. In her earlier days, she got noticed in Saturday Night Live and soon became a fan with her diversified impersonations and timing.

But SNL is just the beginning of her career. Other considerable motion pictures she has starred in are Bridesmaids, The Way Way Back, and Grown Ups. Plus, she has made her fortunes in voiceovers for The Lego Movie 2 and Big Mouth series.

Her versatility as an actress and unique sense of humour led her to achieve an expansive and successful career as one of the most loved actresses in Hollywood and a UCLA notable alumni. 

7. James Cameron

Another popular or, rather, UCLA alumni famous personality is James Cameron. James Cameron is a university-trained filmmaker who originally planned to pursue Physics as a career. He graduated as UCLA School of Theater Film and Television alumni. His love of making movies led him to orchestrate some historic high-grossing films.

He was nominated for Academy and Golden Globe Awards for his contributions. Under his direction, Titanic won 11 Best Picture and Best Director Oscars. Avatar, one of the highest-grossing films of all time, shaped a new era in filmmaking by introducing the world to radically new 3D technology and visual effects.

He is also known for designing groundbreaking new techniques that have helped define technology and film production, including underwater filming techniques on The Abyss. Hence, Cameron is a UCLA notable alumni. 

8. Shonda Rhimes

Shonda Rhimes, one of the most potent and profitable producers of the 21st century, is the most popular UCLA alumni. She is known for creating hit television series like Grey's Anatomy, How to Get Away with Murder, Scandal and others for which Rhimes is widely recognised.

Rhimes' aptitude to see the complexity of a character, and, much more often, the drawing-out quality of ground-breaking narratives, has made her an instrumental figure in the entertainment industry. With multiple awards received to her credits and as one of the best-paid showrunners in Hollywood, she is considered to have revolutionised the screen industry with diversity and powerful female-driven narratives. Rhimes is also the founder of ShondaLand, her own production company synonymous with quality, high-rated television works. Again a prominent figure and UCLA's notable alumni. 

9. Pauley Perrette

Pauley Perrette is the next UCLA notable alumni on the list. She is best known for her long-standing role as Abby Sciuto in the television series NCIS. After earning her UCLA degree, she studied sociology and criminology, a foundation for her later role on NCIS as a forensic scientist.

Perrette is a popular UCLA alumni and an eager activist in her spare time, spreading awareness for animals, homelessness, and LGBTQ+ issues. For her campaign work, Perrette has received accolades for her work related to social change and bettering populaces. Her status as a film star and humanitarian has since made her among the finest alumni in UCLA history. 

10. Tiger Woods

The last on the list of UCLA notable alumni is Tiger Woods. Among the most prominent athletes in the 21st century, Tiger Woods attended UCLA for a very short time before he launched himself into a professional golf career. Woods about ruled the college golf world at UCLA, allowing his career on the PGA Tour to develop systematically. 

Woods has amassed 15 major championships, thus making him one of the all-time greats in golf who is a UCLA alumni. Not only did his outstanding achievements on the floor elevate him above the sport and create a global brand as a symbol of excellence, but they inspired millions of people worldwide to take on golf and brought enormous recognition for the game across the planet. 

The well-established careers of popular alumni of UCLA boast education quality, mentoring, and opportunities made available to them. UCLA's notable alumni are not in just certain fields; rather, they are everywhere. This information about UCLA alumni famous for their works or contributions might help current and future students believe that the sky is the limit if hard work, determination, and a true passion for their work inspire them in this lifetime. Wish to study at UCLA? Sign up for free Shiksha Abroad Counselling and request a call from our expert counsellors.