33 Notable alumni of
California State University - Chico
Updated:
California State University - Chico is 1336th in the world, 475th in North America, and 445th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 33 notable alumni from California State University - Chico sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Adnan Khashoggi
- Occupations
- arms traderbusinesspersonentrepreneur
- Biography
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Adnan Khashoggi was a Saudi businessman and arms dealer known for his business dealings, extensive geopolitical influence, and opulent lifestyle, which earned him the moniker "The Great Gatsby of the Middle East." During his peak in the early 1980s, Khashoggi's net worth was estimated at around $4 billion, amassed through his pivotal role as an intermediary between Western defense companies and the Saudi government.
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Blaire White
- Enrolled in California State University - Chico
- Studied computer science
- Occupations
- vloggertelevision producerYouTuberfilm director
- Biography
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Blaire White is an American YouTuber and political commentator. White’s videos have been centered around social issues such as transgender people, feminism, and Black Lives Matter.
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Mark Davis
- Occupations
- entrepreneurbusinessperson
- Biography
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Mark M Davis is an American businessman and sports franchise owner. He is the controlling owner and managing general partner of the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL) and the owner of the Las Vegas Aces of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). His father, Al, was the principal owner of the Raiders from 1972 until his death in 2011. Upon his father's death, Davis and his mother, Carol, inherited ownership of the Raiders, with Davis taking over as operating head of the franchise. As of October 2024, his estimated net worth was $2.3 billion.
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Don Young
- Enrolled in California State University - Chico
- In 1958 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- Occupations
- politicianship captainteacher
- Biography
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Donald Edwin Young was an American politician from Alaska. He is the longest-serving Republican in House history, having been the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district for 49 years, from 1973 until his death in 2022.
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Chris Wondolowski
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Christopher Elliott Wondolowski is an American former professional soccer player who played as a forward. He was MLS's top scorer in the 2010 and 2012 seasons, also being named the 2012 Most Valuable Player, and was one of the top strikers during his time playing in Major League Soccer. With 171 goals in Major League Soccer, he is the highest scorer in the competition's history, as well as the only player in league history to score 150 or more regular-season goals.
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Matthew Axelson
- Occupations
- military personnel
- Biography
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Matthew Gene "Axe" Axelson was an enlisted United States Navy SEAL who was awarded the U.S. Navy's second highest decoration, the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart, for his actions during the War in Afghanistan. Serving as a sniper in the operation, Axelson was killed in action during the firefight phase of Operation Red Wings.
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Mat Kearney
- Occupations
- composersinger-songwritersinger
- Biography
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Mathew William Kearney is an American musician born in Eugene, Oregon, and based in Nashville, Tennessee. So far, he has a total of five top 20 hits on the Adult Top 40 Chart.
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David Brevik
- Occupations
- entrepreneurgame designerprogrammer
- Biography
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David Brevik is an American video game designer, producer and programmer who served as the co-founder and president of Blizzard North. He is best known for the critically acclaimed Diablo franchise. Currently he serves as game designer and founder of his independent studio, Graybeard Games.
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Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi
- Enrolled in California State University - Chico
- Graduated with Bachelor of Science in computer science
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid bin Sultan Al Qasimi is an Emirati politician and member of the ruling family of Sharjah and the niece to Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi. She was previously the Minister of State for Tolerance, Minister of State for International Cooperation, and Minister of Economic and Planning of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). She was the first woman to hold a ministerial post in the UAE.
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Ed Rollins
- Occupations
- political adviser
- Biography
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Edward Rollins is an American political consultant and advisor who has worked on several high-profile Republican political campaigns in the United States. In 1983 and 1984, Rollins was national campaign director for the successful Reagan-Bush 1984 campaign.
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Mike Thompson
- Enrolled in California State University - Chico
- In 1982 graduated with Bachelor of Arts
- In 1996 graduated with Master of Arts
- Occupations
- politicianscreenwriter
- Biography
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Charles Michael Thompson is an American politician serving as the U.S. representative for California's 4th congressional district (known as the 1st congressional district until 2013, and the California's 5th congressional district until 2023) since 1999. The district, in the outer northern portion of the San Francisco Bay Area, includes all of Lake and Napa counties and parts of Contra Costa, Solano, Yolo and Sonoma counties. Thompson chairs the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He is a member of the Democratic Party.
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Carolyn S. Shoemaker
- Occupations
- university teacherastronomer
- Biography
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Carolyn Jean Spellmann Shoemaker was an American astronomer and a co-discoverer of Comet Shoemaker–Levy 9. She discovered 32 comets (then a record for the most by an individual) and more than 500 asteroids.
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Clair Engle
- Enrolled in California State University - Chico
- Studied in 1930
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Clair Engle was an American politician who served as a United States Senator from California from 1959 until his death in 1964. A member of the Democratic Party, he is best remembered for participating in the vote breaking the filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 in the U.S. Senate while partially paralyzed and unable to speak, shortly before his death from a brain tumor. Engle previously served in the California State Senate from January to August 1943 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from August 1943 until January 1959.
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Al Borges
- Occupations
- head coachAmerican football coach
- Biography
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Alan Anthony Borges is an American football coach. Borges is known for quarterback development having mentored Cade McNown and Jason Campbell, both first round NFL draft picks. Borges has been described as "one of the best offensive coordinators I've ever seen," by former Auburn head coach Pat Dye.
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Glynnis Talken Campbell
- Occupations
- novelistactorvoice actor
- Biography
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Glynnis Talken Campbell is an American historical romance author, composer, musician and voice actress, and is married to bass guitarist Richard Campbell. Glynnis Campbell graduated from California State University, Chico with a degree in Vocal Music Performance. Her first novel, My Champion, was nominated for a Romance Writers of America's RITA award for Best First Book and Best Long Historical Romance in 2001. In 2009, her novel Danger's Kiss, received the "Book Buyers Best Award for Historical Romance." She has also written under the pen names Sarah McKerrigan and Kira Morgan.
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Bill Dodd
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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William Harold Dodd is an American politician who served in the California State Senate from 2016 to 2024. He is a member of the Democratic Party who previously represented the 3rd Senate district, which encompasses the northern San Francisco Bay Area and Delta region.
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Bill Wattenburg
- Years
- 1936-2018 (aged 82)
- Occupations
- inventorphysicistradio personality
- Biography
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Willard Harvey Wattenburg was an American inventor, engineer, author, and talk radio show host from California. Advertisements for his show often referred to him as "The Smartest Man in the World."
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Kamshad Kooshan
- Occupations
- film directorfilm produceractorscreenwritertelevision director
- Biography
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Kamshad Kooshan is an Iranian-born American actor, film director, screenwriter, film producer, and educator.
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Rocky Chávez
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Rocky John Chávez is an American politician who served in the California State Assembly. A Republican, he represented the 76th district, encompassing parts of northern coastal San Diego County. He was a candidate for the United States House of Representatives, having run in the 2018 midterm election in California's 49th congressional district to replace Darrell Issa, but he failed to place in the top two during the primary election.
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John Pugh
- Occupations
- painter
- Biography
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John Pugh is an American artist known for creating large trompe-l'œil wall murals giving the illusion of a three-dimensional scene behind the wall. Pugh has been creating his murals since the late 1970s. He attended California State University Chico, receiving his BA in 1983 and the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2003. He has received over 250 public and private commissions in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Barbados, Japan, Taiwan, and New Zealand. He currently lives and works in Ashland, Oregon. His particular style of trompe-l'œil painting has been called "Narrative Illusionism."
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Richard Campbell
- Occupations
- musician
- Biography
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Richard J. Campbell is an American musician best known for his work as a bass guitarist and vocalist for Natalie Cole in the 1980s, and more recently with Three Dog Night, Dave Mason, and America.
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Paul Mark
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Paul W. Mark is an American politician serving as a Democratic member of the Massachusetts Senate. He represents the Berkshire, Hampden, Franklin and Hampshire District, which includes 57 cities and towns throughout Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, and Hampshire counties. Paul Mark previously served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives.
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Michael Polenske
- Born in
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United Kingdom - Occupations
- banker
- Biography
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Michael Polenske is a Malaysian entrepreneur, gallery owner, and vintner. He is the founder of the Bespoke Collection and Blackbird Vineyards. He serves as creative director, chairman and founder of the Bespoke Collection. Polenske has been profiled in Forbes, the San Francisco Chronicle, Food & Wine, the Robb Report, Town & Country and Departures.
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Annette Abbott Adams
- Occupations
- judgepoliticianlawyer
- Biography
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Annette Abbott Adams was an American lawyer and judge. She was the first woman to be the Assistant Attorney General in the United States.
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Kevin Ford
- Years
- 1967-.. (age 58)
- Occupations
- mathematician
- Biography
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Kevin B. Ford is an American mathematician working in analytic number theory.
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Irene Obera
- Years
- 1933-.. (age 92)
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
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Irene Romona Obera is an American track and field athlete, specializing in sprinting events. Over an extended career, she has set numerous world records and has won numerous world championships. She is currently a member of the W70 world record holding 4x100 metres relay team. She also holds the current American record in the W60 and W75 100 metres and the W75 200 metres.
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Dominik Jakubek
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Dominik Jakubek is an American soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper.
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Andre Levingston
- Born in
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United States - Occupations
- teacherbasketball coach
- Biography
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Andre Levingston is an American entrepreneur and basketball coach. He was formerly an auto detailer and schoolteacher. He is a co-founder of the National Basketball League of Canada and most recently served as the owner and president of the Halifax Rainmen. Levingston has experience as the president of the Premier Basketball League (PBL).
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Thom Ross
- Years
- 1952-.. (age 73)
- Occupations
- writerinstallation artistsculptor
- Biography
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Thom Ross is an artist based in Lamy, NM, known for painting, book illustrations, and installation art featuring life-sized cutout figures depicting famous people and historical events.
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Thomas C. Fleming
- Occupations
- editor
- Biography
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Thomas Courtney Fleming, was one of the most influential African American journalists on the West Coast in the 20th century. Starting in 1944, he spent 61 years as an editor, reporter and columnist for the black press in San Francisco. He began his career that year as founding editor of the Reporter – then the city's only black newspaper. In 1948 it merged with the rival Sun to become the Sun-Reporter. Published by Fleming's best friend, civil rights activist and physician Dr. Carlton Goodlett, it remained San Francisco's leading black newspaper throughout Fleming's working life, and is still published weekly.
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Josh Borja
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Joshua Andrew Borja is an American born Guamanian footballer.
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Cyril Adelbert Stebbins
- Occupations
- teacher
- Biography
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Cyril Adelbert Stebbins was an American educator involved with nature and agricultural education. His publications in the early twentieth century were influential in promoting gardening in children's education, and he wrote much of the curriculum for the United States School Garden Army, a federal victory garden project during World War I. He wrote several publications with Ernest Brown Babcock and published several field guides to birds with his son Robert C. Stebbins.
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Alyson Huber
- Occupations
- lawyerpolitician
- Biography
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Alyson Lewis is an American politician who served in the California State Assembly from 2008 to 2012. She is currently a judge of the Superior Court of Sacramento County in California for a term that expires in January 2027. She is a Democrat.
