Portland State University Admitted Student Profiles & Alumni

Steve Prefontaine

Legendary American long-distance runner

N/A

N/A

Kurt Cobain

Iconic American singer-songwriter and guitarist, frontman of Nirvana

N/A

N/A

Kim Gordon

Musician, artist, and founding member of Sonic Youth

N/A

N/A

Carrie Brownstein

Actress, comedian, and guitarist of Sleater-Kinney

N/A

N/A

Gus Van Sant

Acclaimed film director (“Good Will Hunting,” “Milk”)

N/A

N/A

Mark Rothko

Influential abstract expressionist painter

N/A

N/A

Raymond Carver

Renowned short story writer and poet

N/A

N/A

Charles Moose

Former Montgomery County Police Chief, known for Beltway sniper case

MS

1993

Michael G. Williamson

President of the American Bar Association

JD

1984

John Callahan

Cartoonist and humorist known for his dark, satirical work

N/A

N/A

Michael Curry

Tony Award-winning designer and puppeteer for Broadway and Disney

BA

N/A

Walt Curtis

Poet laureate of Portland and author of Mala Noche

N/A

N/A

Tom Spanbauer

Novelist and writing teacher known for minimalist style

N/A

N/A

Scott Burns

Film producer and screenwriter (An Inconvenient Truth)

N/A

N/A

Karen Karbo

Best-selling author and journalist

BA

N/A

Michael Harper

Poet and professor, National Book Award finalist

N/A

N/A

David James Duncan

Author of The River Why and The Brothers K

N/A

N/A

Charles Jordan

Portland’s first African American city commissioner

BA

N/A

Ann Curry

Emmy Award-winning journalist and former NBC News anchor

BA

N/A

Frank Ivancie

Former Mayor of Portland (1981–1985)

BA

N/A

Vera Katz

Longtime Mayor of Portland and Oregon state legislator

BA

N/A

Jeff Merkley

U.S. Senator from Oregon

BA

1979

Marguerite Pappaioanou

CDC epidemiologist and global health leader

MS

1980

Dana Haynes

Novelist and journalist (Crashers, Breaking Point)

BA

N/A

Matt Groening

Creator of The Simpsons and Futurama (attended PSU briefly)

N/A

N/A