University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni

University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni
Name	University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni
Established	1869
Location	Lincoln, Nebraska
Notable alumni	Warren Buffett, Malcolm X, Peggy Whitson, Johnny Goodman

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University of Nebraska–Lincoln alumni are graduates and former students associated with the public research university located in Lincoln, Nebraska. Alumni have influenced fields including American politics, astronautics, journalism, literature, professional sports, and corporate leadership, producing leaders such as Warren Buffett, Peggy Whitson, and civil rights figures like Malcolm X. The alumni network connects professionals across organizations including U.S. Senate, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, The New York Times Company, Major League Baseball, and multinational corporations.

Notable alumni by field

Alumni prominence spans domains represented by figures such as Warren Buffett (finance, Berkshire Hathaway), Peggy Whitson (astronautics, NASA), Malcolm X (civil rights, Nation of Islam), Johnny Carson (television, The Tonight Show), Fred Astaire (dance, Hollywood), Vince Gill (music, Country Music Hall of Fame), Tom Osborne (college football, Nebraska Cornhuskers), Bret Baier (broadcast journalism, Fox News), Susan Phillips (architecture, American Institute of Architects), W.W. Keeler (business, Phillips Petroleum Company), and Peggy Fleming (figure skating, Olympic Games). Lesser-known but influential alumni include Eldon Schafer (state politics, Nebraska Legislature), Kathryn Sikkink (international law, United Nations), Scott Frost (coaching, National Collegiate Athletic Association), Mary Higgins Clark (fiction, Mystery Writers of America), and John Neihardt (poetry, Nebraska State Poet).

Graduates have served in roles in the U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate, state governorships, and municipal leadership: alumni such as Charles Thone (governor), Edward Zorinsky (U.S. Senate), Phil Hart (state office), Karen Hughes (White House staff, George W. Bush), Bob Kerrey (U.S. Senate, Democratic Party), Ben Sasse (U.S. Senate, Republican Party), and Chuck Hagel (U.S. Senate, Department of Defense). Internationally connected alumni have worked with United Nations agencies, European Union delegations, and human rights organizations tied to alumni like Kathryn Sikkink and Malcolm X. Alumni have influenced public policy via appointments in administrations such as Franklin D. Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, George H. W. Bush, and Barack Obama.

Scientists and scholars among alumni include Peggy Whitson (biology, NASA chief scientist roles), John Vincent Atanasoff (computing, Atanasoff–Berry Computer precursor), Edward Steinhaus (entomology, American Society of Microbiology collaborations), William H. Danforth (medicine, Washington University in St. Louis administration), and William Ashbrook Kellerman (botany, Smithsonian Institution exchanges). Alumni have held faculty and leadership posts at institutions like Harvard University, Stanford University, University of Chicago, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Iowa State University, and have contributed to projects with National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, and European Molecular Biology Laboratory partnerships.

Business leaders from the campus include Warren Buffett (investment, Berkshire Hathaway), W.W. Keeler (energy, Phillips Petroleum Company), Dale Robertson (media executive, CBS), James L. Ackerman (manufacturing), and executives who led corporations listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Fortune 500. Alumni have founded startups that partnered with Silicon Valley firms, engaged in mergers with General Electric, Procter & Gamble, and IBM, and served on boards of Federal Reserve-connected institutions. Entrepreneurial alumni have participated in accelerators associated with Harvard Business School, Kauffman Foundation, and regional development agencies.

The university produced entertainers and journalists including Johnny Carson (television, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson), Fred Astaire (film, Academy Awards), Mary Higgins Clark (novels, Bestseller lists), Bret Baier (broadcasting, Fox News Channel), Vince Gill (music, Grammy Awards), Dee Wallace (film, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial), Peggy Fleming (performance, Olympic gold medal), William H. Macy (stage, Academy Award nominations), and Harvey Dunn (visual arts, Art Institute of Chicago exhibitions). Alumni have written for The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, produced series for NBC, ABC, and worked in Hollywood with studios such as Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and Universal Pictures.

Athletic alumni have excelled in collegiate and professional sports with figures like Tom Osborne (football coach, College Football Hall of Fame), Boyd Epley (strength conditioning, NFL programs), Johnny Goodman (golf, U.S. Open winner), Vince Biegel (NFL linebacker, Green Bay Packers), Ndamukong Suh (NFL defensive tackle, Detroit Lions), Ahman Green (NFL running back, Green Bay Packers), and Brooks Landgraf (coaching, Big Ten Conference). Alumni have participated in the Olympic Games, NCAA Division I championships, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and international competitions organized by FIBA and World Athletics.

Honors associated with alumni include inductions into the Nebraska Sports Hall of Fame, College Football Hall of Fame, Country Music Hall of Fame, Grammy Awards, Pulitzer Prize nominations among journalists, National Medal of Science-level recognitions for researchers, and Congressional Gold Medal-type acknowledgments for public servants. Legacy programs such as named chairs, endowed scholarships, alumni mentorship networks, and partnerships with organizations like National Science Foundation, Smithsonian Institution, American Red Cross, and United Way perpetuate alumni impact across sectors.

Category:University of Nebraska–Lincoln people