Top 10 Stanford University Notable Alumni You Need to Know

Accrediting Talent| Since 1885. 

Founded in 1885, Stanford University has etched its name among the most prestigious universities in the world. As an educational institute, Stanford is well-known for its engineering and STEM courses, but Stanford University’s law, drama, and medical courses are equally competitive. Today, Stanford University has over 200,000 notable alumni, 28 of whom are billionaires. That’s the highest number from a non-Ivy League school, and some of the Stanford University notable alumni include the likes of Sundar Pichai, and Vinton Cief. There are many other Stanford University famous alumni, and this article will gloss over the best of the Stanford University notable alumni, so let’s get started.

Larry Page

  Larry Page, co-founder of Google LLC, is a Stanford University notable alumni, whose time at the university was extremely critical to founding Google. While at Stanford University, Larry Page pursued his Ph.D. in computer science along with Sergey Brin. 

 Legend has it that Sergey and Larry didn’t get along, but their passion for solving problems using technology was what brought them together. As a part of his Ph.D. research project, Larry Page designed an algorithm that analyzed backlinks pointing to a webpage. 

 This project was called “Project Backrub” and laid the foundation of Google. 

Peter Thiel

 Peter Thiel is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist who graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. in philosophy in 1989. Later, he went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Stanford Law School in 1992. 

  Even among Stanford University alumni, Peter Thiel could be considered extraordinary. Because he was the one who founded Stanford Review magazine. After his graduation, Peter went on to become the co-founder of well-known companies such as PayPal and Palantir Technologies. 

Peter Theil was the first major stakeholder in Facebook; he sold his stock for a whopping $1 billion USD. 

Sundar Pichai

  Sundar Pichai, the man who replaced Larry Page as CEO of Google LLC, is also a Stanford University famous alumni much like Larry Page himself. Sundar Pichai earned his M.Sc. in materials science from Stanford University in 1995 and then joined Google in 2004. 

   Sundar Pichai was a key figure in designing the Google toolbar, the Chrome browser, and the Android operating system. Under Sundar Pichai’s leadership, Google has continued to grow by leaps and bounds. 

Rishi Sunak

  Rishi Sunak is someone who became chancellor of the exchequer in 2020 while the United Kingdom was taking the full brunt of the pandemic. Later, he went on to become the first-ever UK prime minister of Indian origin. 

  Although not much is known from his Stanford University days, he is nevertheless a Stanford University notable alumni. Rishi Sunak joined Stanford University as a Fulbright scholar and went on to earn his MBA degree in 2006. 

 Before entering politics, Rishi Sunak worked in investment banking and was a partner at a hedge fund. 

Vinton Cerf

Vinton Cerf is an American computer scientist and internet pioneer who is fondly referred to as the “father of the internet” for his role in developing TCP/IP protocol systems. Vinton Cerf earned his B.Sc. in mathematics from Stanford University in 1965. 

 While pursuing his mathematics degree, he was exposed to computer science and programming. This played an influential role in shaping Vinton Cerf into what he’s known as today.

 Vinton Cerf is a Stanford University notable alumni who is frequently invited as a guest speaker and presenter. 

Mukesh Ambani

It must be surprising to know that one of the biggest names in India, Mukesh Ambani, also studied at Stanford University. 

  He joined Stanford University after completing his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in Mumbai and pursuing a Master of Business Administration at Stanford. 

 Mukesh Ambani is a Stanford university notable Indian alumni who has donated millions of dollars to financially support deserving students at Stanford University. 

Evan Spiegel

Evan Spiegel is an American entrepreneur, best known as the co-founder of Snapchat. His success as a young entrepreneur has earned him recognition, he was the youngest billionaire on the Forbes 400 list in 2015. 

Evan studied product design and earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Stanford University. He met Bobby Murphy and Reggie Brown at Stanford, who later became his co-founders while creating Snapchat. 

Reid Hoffman

Reid Hoffman is an entrepreneur and the founder of LinkedIn, the biggest professional networking platform.  Reid Hoffman graduated from Stanford with a bachelor’s degree in symbiotic systems in 1990.

 Reid went on to pursue philosophy at the Oxford School, and after returning to the US, he worked with Apple and Fujitsu. Before starting his own business, a.k.a. LinkedIn. 

 Reid Hoffman currently serves on the boards of various enterprises, such as Microsoft, Airbnb, Apollo Fusion, etc. 

Marissa Mayer

Marissa Mayer is one of the most powerful and influential women in technology. She was among the first 20 employees and the first female engineer at Google.

Later on, Mayor held the position of CEO of Yahoo from 2012-2017, and helped Yahoo stabilize and position itself for future growth. 

Marissa Mayer attended Stanford University from 1997-2005. She graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Symbolic Systems. She continued her studies at Stanford, by pursuing a Master of Science in Computer Science (majoring in artificial intelligence).

Andre Braugher

Andre Braugher is one of the most talented actors and producers, known for his notable performances in films and series. He played a wide range of roles throughout his career, best known for his outstanding work in the NBC crime drama series Homicide and Broohlyn Nine-Nine.

  Braugher pursued his higher education at Stanford University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in theater in 1984. He has become a respected figure and an inspiration for budding actors due to his success in the entertainment industry.

Key takeaways

• Even though it isn’t as old as Harvard or Yale, Stanford University is ranked #3 in the world. 
• It was founded by Jane and Leland Stanford in memory of their only child. 
• Although it is the third best university in the world, Stanford University isn’t considered part of the Ivy League.  

So, that was our list of the best Stanford University alumni. If you want to know more about Stanford University and the courses offered there, click here to get started.

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FAQs

Q1: What are the specialty courses at Stanford University? 

Ans: Stanford offers a variety of courses, but its specialization is engineering and STEM. 

Q2: Does Stanford University accept Indian students? 

Ans: Yes, Stanford University does accept Indian students, and roughly 500 Indian students are pursuing graduation courses at Stanford. 

Q3: What’s so special about the Stanford University Alumni Association? 

Ans: Stanford University is nicknamed the “Billionaire Factory” for producing the most billionaires. Many of these billionaires are still in touch with the university through the Stanford University Alumni Association.