Alumni
Leading the Way
University of Chicago alumni shape our world. They're recognized by the way they dive into conversations, tackle challenges, and solve problems—all with a creativity that draws on philosophy as easily as economics. Our alumni are Nobel laureates, CEOs, university presidents, attorneys general, literary giants, and astronauts. They win Oscar and Tony awards. They've won the Pulitzer Prize for journalism and sat on the Supreme Court. They are entrepreneurs and National Medal of Science winners. Civil rights leaders and societal trailblazers. They form a network that touches nearly every corner of the globe—and exemplify the stellar legacy of accomplishment reflected in every UChicago degree.
This is UChicago
UChicago Breakthrough
Janet Rowley, LAB'42, PhB'45, SB'46, MD'48, discovered the first consistent chromosomal abnormalities linked to cancer, demonstrating that cancer is a genetic disease.
View more UChicago discoveries »
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By the
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157,000+ alumni
157,000+ alumni
Our community of alumni represents nearly every field in almost every corner of the globe.
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140+ countries in which alumni live and work
140+ countries in which alumni live and work
Alumni continue to engage in any nation with thought-provoking talks and social gatherings.
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80 alumni clubs worldwide
80 alumni clubs worldwide
Regardless of where they live around the world, alumni bond over their uniquely UChicago experiences.
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11 National Humanities Medal winners
11 National Humanities Medal winners
William McNeill, AB'38, AM'39, received the 2009 National Humanities Medal. President Obama honored McNeill, the Robert A. Millikan Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus in History at the University, for his important contribution to the humanities.
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30+ Nobel laureates
30+ Nobel laureates
Bruce A. Beutler, MD'81, received the 2011 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his co-discoveries that helped lead to treatment and prevention of cancers and infectious illnesses.
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7 MacArthur Fellows
7 MacArthur Fellows
The late Richard Rorty, AB'49, AM'52, received a five-year MacArthur Fellowship in 1981 shortly after the publication of his most famous philosophical work, Philosophy and the Mirror of Nature. One of the most influential American philosophers of the 20th century, Rorty's pragmatic approach to philosophy reached a larger audience beyond academia.
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15 Pulitzer Prize winners
15 Pulitzer Prize winners
Daniel Gilbert, AB'05, won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in public service journalism for a series of stories he wrote on mismanagement of natural-gas royalties.
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6 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
6 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients
Six alumni across the University have received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award.
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15,000+ volunteers in the Alumni Careers Network
15,000+ volunteers in the Alumni Careers Network
The Alumni Careers Network is an online database of alumni from across the University who have volunteered to provide career-related informational interviews to students and other alumni. Many graduates report that their most valuable career advice comes from other alumni.
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8 alumni National Medal of Science recipients
8 alumni National Medal of Science recipients
UChicago alumni have received 8 National Medals of Science, which recognizes outstanding contributions in the physical, biological, mathematical, engineering, or behavioral sciences.