Discover the notable alumni of University Of Minnesota. The list includes people like Bob Dylan, Ric Flair, Jessica Lange, Henry Fonda & Walter Mondale. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as sportspersons, scientists, leaders, intellectuals & academics and film & theater personalities etc.

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 1 

Bob Dylan

(One of the Greatest Songwriters of All Time)

Birthdate: May 24, 1941

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Duluth, Minnesota, United States

Singer-songwriter and author, Bob Dylan, is widely regarded as one of the greatest songwriters of all time. Active in the music industry for almost six decades, he is a major pop culture icon who introduced a range of political, social, and literary influences to pop music. He is a Nobel laureate and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

 2 

Ric Flair

(Regarded as the Greatest Professional Wrestler of All Time)

Birthdate: February 25, 1949

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Memphis, Tennessee, United States

Ric Flair, or The Nature Boy, is a 16-time wrestling world champion and has competed in NWA, WWF, and WCW. He became the first two-time WWE Hall of Fame inductee and the first to compete in WCW's Triple Crown. He has been Wrestling Observer’s Wrestler of the Year eight times.

Birthdate: April 20, 1949

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Cloquet, Minnesota, United States

Jessica Lange is a prominent actress with over four decades of experience in Hollywood. She is one of the few female performers to achieve the “Triple Crown of Acting,” having won an Academy Award, Emmy Award, and Tony Award. She has appeared in many critically acclaimed films. Also a photographer, she has published four books.

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 4 

Henry Fonda

(American Actor Who Cultivated an Everyman Screen Image in Several Films Considered to be Classics)

Birthdate: May 16, 1905

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Grand Island, Nebraska, United States

Died: August 12, 1982

Hollywood legend Henry Fonda, father of Peter and Jane Fonda, is best remembered for his Academy Award-winning role as Norman Thayer Jr. in On Golden Pond. He began his career with Broadway plays and then appeared in classics such as The Grapes of Wrath and 12 Angry Men. 

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Birthdate: April 13, 1950

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Washington Heights, New York, United States

Ron Perlman went on to become a successful actor and voice actor despite suffering from low self-image during his formative years. Apart from being active as an actor, Ron Perlman is also actively involved in the political affairs of the United States. His criticisms directed towards President Donald Trump have inspired a series of internet memes.

 6 

Ernie Hudson

(Actor)

Birthdate: December 17, 1945

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

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 7 

Kevin Sorbo

(Actor)

Birthdate: September 24, 1958

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Mound, Minnesota, USA

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

 8 

Kevin McHale

(Basketball player Power Forward)

Birthdate: December 19, 1957

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Hibbing, Minnesota, United States

Height: 6'10" (208 cm)

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 9 

James Hong

(Actor)

Birthdate: February 22, 1929

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Birthdate: November 8, 1922

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Beaufort West, South Africa

Died: September 2, 2001

Born to a preacher father of modest means, Christiaan Barnard completed his medical school on scholarships. In December 1967, he revolutionized medical science by performing the first human heart transplant by transplanting 25-year-old accident victim Denise Darvall’s heart into 53-year-old chronic heart patient grocer Louis Washkansky.

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 11 

Tony Dungy

(American Former Football Safety & Coach Who Served as a Head Coach for 'Tampa Bay Buccaneers' and 'Indianapolis Colts')

Birthdate: October 6, 1955

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Jackson, Michigan, United States

Former American football player and coach, Tony Dungy, currently works as an advisor for the professional football team, The Houston Texans. An evangelical Christian, Dungy has been an integral part of several community service organizations over the years. Also a writer, Dungy claims that his memoir Quiet Strength has touched the lives of many.

 12 

Gable Steveson

(American Professional Wrestler and Retired Freestyle and Folkstyle Wrestler)

Birthdate: May 31, 2000

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Apple Valley, Minnesota, United States

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

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 13 

Peter Graves

(Best Known for His Role as ‘Jim Phelps’ in the TV Series ‘Mission: Impossible’)

Birthdate: March 18, 1926

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Died: March 14, 2010

Peter Graves won a Golden Globe for playing Jim Phelps in the series Mission: Impossible and its revival. Fans also loved him as Captain Clarence Oveur in the movie Airplane! and its sequel. He won an Emmy for hosting the show Biography and also narrated the interactive video-game film Darkstar.

 14 

Dave Winfield

(Baseball player)

Birthdate: October 3, 1951

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA

Height: 6'6" (198 cm)

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 15 

T. R. Knight

(Actor)

Birthdate: March 26, 1973

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Minneapolis Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

 16 

David Soul

(Actor)

Birthdate: August 28, 1943

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

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Birthdate: May 27, 1911

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Wallace, South Dakota, United States

Died: January 13, 1978

The 38th vice president of the USA, Hubert Humphrey was an early skeptic of the Vietnam War; however, he had no choice but to support the war effort as President Lyndon B. Johnson wanted the war to go on. Thanks to his popularity, several buildings have been named after Humphrey. He has also been portrayed by actors like Bradley Whitford.

 18 

Aya Cash

(Best Known for Her Role as ‘Gretchen Cutler’ in the TV Series ‘You're the Worst’)

Birthdate: July 13, 1982

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

From working as a full-time waitress to becoming a prominent actress in Hollywood, Aya Cash's journey has been quite incredible and inspiring. As someone with humble beginnings, Aya Cash knows the importance of giving back to society, hence she works closely with a non-profit organization called INARA, which helps war-wounded refugee children receive medical help.

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 19 

Paul Molitor

(Baseball Player)

Birthdate: August 22, 1956

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States

 20 

Eric Decker

(American football player)

Birthdate: March 15, 1987

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Cold Spring, Minnesota, United States

Height: 6'3" (190 cm)

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 21 

Verne Gagne

(American Amateur and Professional Wrestler)

Birthdate: February 26, 1926

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Corcoran, Minnesota, United States

Died: April 27, 2015

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

 22 

Mychal Thompson

(Bahamian-American Former Basketball Player Who Played at the Center Position)

Birthdate: January 30, 1955

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Nassau, The Bahamas

Mychal Thompson is a Bahamian former basketball player. He played the center position for many National Basketball Association (NBA) teams, including Portland Trail Blazers, San Antonio Spurs, and Los Angeles Lakers. He had a standout collegiate career at the University of Minnesota, following which he started playing professionally. Currently, he is the Lakers radio color commentator.

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 23 

Norman Borlaug

(American Agronomist and Winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1970)

Birthdate: March 25, 1914

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Cresco, Iowa, United States

Died: September 12, 2009

Norman Borlaug was an American agronomist who played a key role in the Green Revolution, a set of research technology transfer initiatives that increased agricultural production, for which he won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970. Nicknamed the Father of the Green Revolution, Borlaug was also honored with the Congressional Gold Medal and Presidential Medal of Freedom for his work.

 24 

Alan Page

(Jurist)

Birthdate: August 7, 1945

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Canton, Ohio, United States

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

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Birthdate: November 3, 1908

Sun Sign: Scorpio

Birthplace: Rainy River, Canada

Died: January 7, 1990

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

 26 

Shelton Benjamin

(American Professional Wrestler)

Birthdate: July 9, 1975

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Orangeburg, South Carolina, United States

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

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 27 

Kevin McHale

(Actor)

Birthdate: June 14, 1988

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Plano, Texas, United States

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

 28 

Sean Duffy

(Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 7th District (2011 - 2019))

Birthdate: October 3, 1971

Sun Sign: Libra

Birthplace: Hayward, Wisconsin, United States

Politician, prosecutor, and former sports commentator Sean Duffy is currently a Fox News contributor. He earned a J.D. degree from William Mitchell College of Law and practiced law for several years before entering public life. He has been both a competitor and commentator on ESPN's Great Outdoor Games. As a politician, he is a member of the Republican Party. 

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 29 

Erick Rowan

(American Professional Wrestler)

Birthdate: November 28, 1981

Sun Sign: Sagittarius

Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Height: 6'8" (203 cm)

 30 

Walter Mondale

(42nd Vice President of the United States (1977–1981))

Birthdate: January 5, 1928

Sun Sign: Capricorn

Birthplace: Ceylon, Minnesota, United States

Died: April 19, 2021

The 42nd vice president of the US, Walter Mondale is a lawyer by profession. Walter Mondale's interesting political career and his involvement in the infamous Apollo 1 accident, which occurred on 27 January 1967, have inspired several works of art, including the 1998 miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, where Mondale was played by John Slattery.

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 31 

Kimberly Elise

(Actress)

Birthdate: April 17, 1967

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

Birthdate: April 14, 1970

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Oak Park, Illinois, United States

Died: April 21, 2016

True-crime writer, Michelle McNamara, is remembered for coining the name "Golden State Killer" for the serial killer later identified as Joseph James DeAngelo. Sadly, the author died before his identification and arrest. Fascinated by true crime from a young age, she launched her website TrueCrimeDiary in 2006 and dedicated her life to researching and writing about true crime.

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 33 

Deke Slayton

(Astronaut)

Birthdate: March 1, 1924

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Sparta, Wisconsin, United States

Died: June 13, 1993

Birthdate: September 17, 1907

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Saint Paul, Minnesota

Died: June 25, 1995

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 35 

Arlene Dahl

(Actress)

Birthdate: August 11, 1925

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

Birthdate: August 7, 1942

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Anoka, Minnesota

Height: 6'4" (193 cm)

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Birthdate: August 8, 1901

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Canton, South Dakota, United States

Died: August 27, 1958

 38 

Antoine Winfield Jr.

(American Football player)

Birthdate: August 16, 1998

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Columbus, Ohio, United States

Height: 5'9" (175 cm)

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Birthdate: June 18, 1914

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Owatonna, Minnesota, United States

Died: August 24, 1998

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

 40 

Kevin McCarthy

(Actor)

Birthdate: February 15, 1914

Sun Sign: Aquarius

Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, United States

Died: September 11, 2010

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 41 

Bud Grant

(Former American Football Forward and Former Head Coach)

Birthdate: May 20, 1927

Sun Sign: Taurus

Birthplace: Superior, Wisconsin, United States

Bud Grant is known for his 18-year stint as the Minnesota Vikings head coach. He has 168 NFL wins, making him one of the most successful NFL coaches. He is also 4-time Grey Cup champion. Post-retirement, he focused on bringing about environmental reforms, such as the conservation of wetlands.

 42 

Flip Saunders

(Basketball player)

Birthdate: February 23, 1955

Sun Sign: Pisces

Birthplace: Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Died: October 25, 2015

Height: 5'11" (180 cm)

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 43 

Marion Barber III

(American football player)

Birthdate: June 10, 1983

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Plymouth, Minnesota, United States

 44 

Maria Bamford

(Stand-up comedian)

Birthdate: September 3, 1970

Sun Sign: Virgo

Birthplace: Port Hueneme, California, USA

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

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 45 

Kristen Pfaff

(Bassist)

Birthdate: May 26, 1967

Sun Sign: Gemini

Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, United States

Died: June 16, 1994

Birthdate: June 28, 1961

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Mankato, Minnesota, United States

Mike Lindell is an American entrepreneur, businessman, and conspiracy theorist. He is credited with founding a pillow, slipper, and bedding manufacturing company named My Pillow, Inc. for which he also serves as the CEO. A well-known philanthropist, Mike Lindell is also credited with founding a non-profit organization named Lindell Foundation which aims at helping drug addicts.

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Birthdate: March 29, 1916

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Watkins

Died: December 10, 2005

 48 

AnnMaria De Mars

(The First American to Win a Gold Medal at the World Judo Championships)

Birthdate: August 15, 1958

Sun Sign: Leo

Birthplace: Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, United States

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Birthdate: April 9, 1936

Sun Sign: Aries

Birthplace: Ventnor City, New Jersey, United States

Died: April 25, 1988

Birthdate: July 21, 1982

Sun Sign: Cancer

Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

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The University of Minnesota is popularly known as the ‘U of M’ or just a simple ‘U’ that specializes in research in Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota. This reputed institution is the sixth largest educational campus in the United States. The university had about 51,147 students in the 2013-2014 which is proof enough of the kind of popularity of the institution. With 19 colleges and schools affiliated to this institution and 6 major sister institution, University of Minnesota is out-rightly one of the best institutions to pass out from. The ‘Minnesota Golden Gophers,’ are the most talked about sports team in the world; till 2015 they had 20 National Championship awards to their credit. The ‘University of Minnesota’ is among the top 25 research institution in the ‘Center for Measuring University Performance’ in Arizona. Some of the notable alumni of the University of Minnesota are famous celebrities like, the songwriter, Bob Dylan, the famous wrestler, Brock Lesnar or the basketball player, Kris Humphries. These people have made it big in nearly all walks of life and have carved a niche for themselves. They are out to make this world a better place and uphold the reputation of the famous institution; they all have passed out from. The University of Minnesota makes sure that with severe perseverance and tough educational deadlines, the best of the lot are churned out. All the Alumni are carving a niche for themselves in whichever field they are in, be it technology, entertainment or sports, they are the best at whatever they do. This list of notable University Of Minnesota alumni is based on the individual’s achievements and fame. We are quite certain that you will be surprised by some of the notable University Of Minnesota alumni who made it to this list.