21 Notable alumni of
Norfolk State University
Updated:
Norfolk State University is 1819th in the world, 627th in North America, and 590th in the United States by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 21 notable alumni from Norfolk State University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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J. B. Smoove
- Occupations
- television actoractorwritervoice actorfilm producer
- Biography
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Jerry Angelo Brooks, known professionally as J. B. Smoove, is an American comedian, actor, and writer. After beginning his career in 1995 on Def Comedy Jam, he was a writer and performer on NBC's Saturday Night Live (2003–2006). He is best known for his starring roles on HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm (2007–2024) and the CBS sitcom The Millers (2013–2015). He also portrayed a fictionalized version of himself on the BET improv-comedy reality television parody Real Husbands of Hollywood (2013–2016).
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Tim Reid
- Occupations
- actortelevision actorscreenwriterfilm actorfilm director
- Biography
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Timothy Lee Reid Sr. is an American actor, comedian and film director best known for his roles in prime time American television programs, such as Venus Flytrap on WKRP in Cincinnati (1978–82), Marcel "Downtown" Brown on Simon & Simon (1983–87), Ray Campbell on Sister, Sister (1994–99) and William Barnett on That '70s Show (2004–06).
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Kyle O'Quinn
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Kyle Brandon O'Quinn is an American former professional basketball player. He played college basketball for the Norfolk State Spartans, and led them to a victory over the #2 seed Missouri Tigers in the second round of the 2012 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. He was drafted in the second round of the 2012 NBA draft with the 49th overall pick, by the Orlando Magic.
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Future Man
- Occupations
- composerpercussionistinventorjazz musician
- Biography
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Roy Wilfred Wooten, also known as RoyEl, best known by his stage name Future Man (also written Futureman and known to fans as Futche), is an American musician, inventor and composer.
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Karen Briggs
- Occupations
- violinist
- Biography
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Karen Briggs, also known as the "Lady in Red", is an American violinist. Born in Manhattan to a family of musicians, Briggs started playing the violin at age 12 and committed to playing professionally at age 15. Briggs joined the Virginia Symphony Orchestra while still in college, but grew discontented with performing classical music and left the orchestra after four years. Since then, she has performed predominantly in the jazz and contemporary instrumental genres.
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Elbert Guillory
- Occupations
- lawyerbusinesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Elbert Lee Guillory is an American politician who is a former member of the Louisiana State Senate. A Republican, he represented District 24, including his native Opelousas, and several rural precincts, from May 2, 2009, when he won a special election, until January 11, 2016, when his full term to which he was elected in 2011 ended. Guillory previously served from 2006 to 2009 as state representative for District 40. Guillory was a candidate in Louisiana's 6th congressional district in the 2024 election.
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Randall Robinson
- Occupations
- human rights defenderlawyerwriter
- Biography
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Randall Robinson was an American lawyer, author and activist, noted as the founder of TransAfrica. He was known particularly for his impassioned opposition to apartheid, and for his advocacy on behalf of Haitian immigrants and Haitian president Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Due to his frustration with American society, Robinson emigrated to Saint Kitts in 2001.
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Jawn Murray
- Occupations
- radio personalitywriterjournalist
- Biography
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Jawn Murray is a Washington, DC–based American TV host, commentator, executive producer, pop culture expert, media personality and social media influencer best known for hosting TV shows for Travel Channel, EPIX and NFL Network, as well as appearing on cable news channels like CNN, HLN and MSNBC. Ebony magazine named him as one of the "30 on the Rise" to watch in the industry, and the NAACP recognized him as one of "40 Power Players Under 40."
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Gordon Banks
- Years
- 1955-2023 (aged 68)
- Occupations
- record producersongwriterguitarist
- Biography
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Gordon Banks was an American guitarist, producer, writer and musical director. He was voted one of the top 100 guitarists in America by Rolling Stone magazine in 1985.
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Lamont Bagby
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Lamont Bagby is an American politician of the Democratic Party. On November 3, 2015, he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 74th district, which includes Charles City County, parts of Henrico County and the city of Richmond. Bagby serves as the Chair of the Democratic Party of Virginia and Chair of the bicameral Virginia Legislative Black Caucus. He is a former member of the Henrico County School Board.
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Debbie Dunn
- Occupations
- sprinter
- Biography
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Debbie Dunn is an American sprinter, who specializes in the 400 metres. Originally from Jamaica, she attended Fairmont Heights High School in Maryland, then Norfolk State University, and became an American citizen in 2004.
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Brehanna Daniels
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Brehanna Michelle Daniels is a tire changer for NASCAR, the first African American woman in a NASCAR Cup Series pit crew, and part of the first female duo to do pit crew work.
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April Holmes
- Years
- 1973-.. (age 53)
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
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April Holmes is a Paralympic athlete from the USA competing mainly in category T44 (below the knee amputee) sprint events.
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Evelyn J. Fields
- Enrolled in Norfolk State University
- Studied in 1971
- Occupations
- scientist
- Biography
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Evelyn J. Fields is a rear admiral, retired, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps, who served as the director of the Commissioned Officer Corps and director of NOAA's Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, from 1999 until her retirement in 2003. Fields was the first woman, and first African American to head the NOAA Corps.
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Pendarvis Williams
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Pendarvis Lafayette Akim Williams is an American basketball player for the BCH Knights of The League. He played college basketball for Norfolk State University, where in the 2012–13 season he was named an honorable mention All-American.
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Yvonne B. Miller
- Occupations
- teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Yvonne Bond Miller was a Virginia educator and American politician who became the first African-American woman to serve in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly. A Democrat, in 1983 Miller became the first African-American woman elected to the state house, where she served for four years before winning election to the state Senate, where she consistently won re-election until her death in office. Miller taught in the Norfolk Public schools, and later taught early and childhood education at one of her alma maters, which had become Norfolk State University during her lifetime.
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Ted Thomas, Sr
- Occupations
- cleric
- Biography
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Bishop Ted Gera Thomas Sr. was an American cleric with the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) who was consecrated to be the Jurisdictional Prelate of the Historic First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Virginia, one of the largest dioceses/jurisdictions of the COGIC in Virginia.
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Martha Bissah
- Years
- 1997-.. (age 29)
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
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Martha Bissah is a Ghanaian athlete. She won a gold medal in the girls' 800m race at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics in a time of 2:04.90.
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Michael Rochelle
- Years
- 1950-.. (age 76)
- Biography
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Michael D. Rochelle is a retired United States Army lieutenant general, who served as deputy chief of staff, G-1 in the Department of the Army.
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Julian Earls
- Occupations
- engineer
- Biography
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Julian Manly Earls is an American physicist who worked for NASA for over forty years. He has been awarded two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals and was inducted into the Presidential Rank Award of the Senior Executive Service by both Bill Clinton and George Bush.
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Ralph Lee Bowerman
- Years
- 1934-2015 (aged 81)
- Occupations
- songwritersaxophonistcomposer
- Biography
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Master Sergeant Ralph Lee Bowerman, was a composer, songwriter, musician and entertainer. A saxophone player since childhood, Ralph Bowerman is best known for winning the US Army Bicentennial Army hymn competition on June 14, 1975, and for the memorial service at Arlington National Cemetery, during which SFC Ralph Lee Bowerman's composition "Mighty Is Our Army," the winning selection from over 1,200 entries in the Army Chaplains' Bicentennial Army Hymn Composers Competition, was presented. Ralph has also performed in a honky tonk band with country singer Loretta Lynn during the early 60's.
