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Why Communication Studies? Famous Communication Studies Graduates Faculty and Staff Profiles and Contact Info Links
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The Communication Studies Program
FAMOUS PEOPLE WITH DEGREES IN COMMUNICATION
It may surprise you to discover exactly who holds a communication degree. There are many famous people who have both studied in the discipline and received degrees in communication. According to Kevin Gillen and Alec Hosterman of Indiana University at South Bend, a fair share of politicians and actors have studied communication, not to mention athletes, and media personalities.
The sixth president of the United States, John Quincy Adams, taught rhetoric at Harvard. Lyndon Johnson taught public speaking at Southwest Texas State University and his wife, Lady Bird Johnson held a communication degree from the University of Texas. Other politicians who have studied communication include: Evan Bayh – this Indiana Senator studied debate and other communication-related courses at Indiana University; Richard Gephardt – the politician, presidential candidate, and debater holds a speech degree from Northwestern University; and Christine Gregoire – Attorney General for the state of Washington earned a BA in speech from University of Washington.
Many successful actors and actresses were formally educated in the communication discipline. Spike Lee holds a communication degree from Indiana University and actress Meg Ryan studied journalism at New York University. Brad Pitt and Matthew McConaughy are both rumored to hold communication degrees but it remains unconfirmed. Renee Zellweger and Denzel Washington both studied communication and David Boreanaz, actor on the T.V. series Angel, holds a communication degree. Also on the list of notables are actor, James Gandolfini, who graduated from Rutgers University and Nicholas Meyer, screenwriter, author and director, who earned a Ph.D. from University of Iowa.
An abundance of star athletes have majored in communication as well. Soccer player, Brandi Chastain, holds a degree from Santa Clara University. Star basketball player, “Magic” Johnson, is an alumnus of Michigan State. Donovan McNabb, quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, holds a communication degree from Syracuse University. World Wrestling Entertainment star, Rod Simmons, better known as “Faarooq”, has a communication degree. St. Louis Rams quarterback, Kurt Warner, is a University of Northern Iowa graduate. The president of the Minnesota Twins, David St. Peter, studied communication at the University of North Dakota.
Not surprising, many successful media personalities and broadcast journalists hold degrees in communication such as network news anchor, Connie Chung, shock-jock radio personality, Howard Stern, and television news host, Bob Costas. Walter Cronkite earned a communication degree at the University of Texas and Nightline host, Ted Koppel, earned a B.A. in speech and M.A. in Mass Communication from Syracuse University. Today Show host, Matt Lauer, holds a B.A. from Ohio University and Late Night host, David Letterman, studied at Ball State University. The list goes on and on. C-SPAN CEO, Brian Lamb’s degree is in communication from Purdue University, network news anchor, Jane Pauley, is an Indiana University alumni, and CBS Evening News anchor, Dan Rather, holds a journalism degree from University of Texas at Austin.
Other interesting people with communication degrees are as follows: William Lane Craig – philosopher / theologian, Wheaton College; John Gray – author, Ph.D. from Columbia Pacific University ; Peter Hart – reporter (FAIR), Rutgers University; Hugh Heffner – publisher, communication degree from University of Illinois; William Inge – playwright, University of Kansas; Gary Larson – The Far Side cartoonist, B.A. from University of Washington; Mark McGrath – lead singer for Sugar Ray, B.A. from University of Southern California; Joyce Mallick – opera star, University of Kansas; Newton Minow – former Federal Communications Commission Chair, Northwestern University; Edmund Muskie – debater at Bates College; Andrea Rich – Director of LACMA, former professor at UCLA; Tennessee Williams – playwright, University of Iowa; and, “Weird Al” Yankovic was involved in the forensics team at Cal Poly.
Provided by Rana Culotta, National Communication Association, National Office Staff * Source: Kevin Gillen and Alec Hosterman, Indiana University South Bend (574) 237-4883, ahosterm@iusb.edu
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