Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) is a private university with campuses in New Jersey and Vancouver, British Columbia. Founded in 1942, FDU has a long history of producing notable alumni who have made significant contributions to their fields.
Business
- Kenneth C. Griffin (BS, 1989) – Founder and CEO of Citadel LLC, a global hedge fund manager
- Steven A. Cohen (BS, 1978) – Founder and CEO of Point72 Asset Management, a global investment firm
- Joseph A. Ripp (BS, 1970) – Former CEO of Prudential Financial, Inc. and current Chairman of the American Red Cross
- Howard M. Lorber (MBA, 1974) – President and CEO of Vector Group Ltd., a conglomerate with interests in tobacco, real estate, and finance
- Donald J. Trump Jr. (BA, 2005) – Executive Vice President of The Trump Organization and son of former President of the United States Donald Trump
Politics
- Edward J. Kean (BA, 1968) – Former Governor of New Jersey (1982-1990)
- Jim Florio (JD, 1967) – Former Governor of New Jersey (1990-1994)
- Christine Todd Whitman (JD, 1974) – Former Governor of New Jersey (1994-2001)
- Jon S. Corzine (MBA, 1980) – Former Governor of New Jersey (2006-2010)
- Cory A. Booker (JD, 1997) – Senior United States Senator from New Jersey (2013-present)
Entertainment
- Eddie Murphy (Honorary Doctorate, 1989) – Comedian, actor, and singer
- Diane Keaton (Honorary Doctorate, 1990) – Actress and director
- Christopher Meloni (BA, 1983) – Actor, best known for his role as Detective Elliot Stabler on “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit”
- Giancarlo Esposito (BA, 1984) – Actor, best known for his roles as Gus Fring on “Breaking Bad” and Moff Gideon on “The Mandalorian”
- David Schwimmer (BA, 1988) – Actor, best known for his role as Ross Geller on “Friends”
Sports
- Mike Trout (BA, 2010) – Three-time American League MVP and outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels
- Yasiel Puig (BA, 2013) – All-Star outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Ron Carter (BA, 1973) – Two-time Olympic gold medalist in basketball
- Dawn Staley (BA, 1991) – Three-time Olympic gold medalist in basketball and head coach of the South Carolina Gamecocks women’s basketball team
- Natasha Cloud (BA, 2015) – Two-time Olympic gold medalist in basketball and point guard for the Washington Mystics
Academics
- Robert Kelly (PhD, 1975) – Professor of International Relations at the University of Oxford and author of numerous books on world politics
- Anthony W. Knapp (PhD, 1973) – Professor of Mathematics at the State University of New York at Stony Brook and author of several textbooks on number theory
- Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett (PhD, 1991) – Professor of Performance Studies at New York University and author of several books on Jewish culture
- Thaddeus M. Cowan (PhD, 1969) – Professor of Geology at the University of California, Santa Barbara and author of numerous books on paleontology
- D. Scott Garrell (PhD, 1974) – Professor of Economics at the University of California, Berkeley and author of several books on labor economics
Notable Alumni by Field
| Field | Notable Alumni |
|---|---|
| Business | Kenneth C. Griffin, Steven A. Cohen, Joseph A. Ripp, Howard M. Lorber, Donald J. Trump Jr. |
| Politics | Edward J. Kean, Jim Florio, Christine Todd Whitman, Jon S. Corzine, Cory A. Booker |
| Entertainment | Eddie Murphy, Diane Keaton, Christopher Meloni, Giancarlo Esposito, David Schwimmer |
| Sports | Mike Trout, Yasiel Puig, Ron Carter, Dawn Staley, Natasha Cloud |
| Academics | Robert Kelly, Anthony W. Knapp, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett, Thaddeus M. Cowan, D. Scott Garrell |
Conclusion
Fairleigh Dickinson University has a rich history of producing notable alumni who have made significant contributions to their fields. These alumni represent a wide range of professions, including business, politics, entertainment, sports, and academics. Their success is a testament to the quality of education that FDU provides.
