List of Vassar College people

This is a partial list of notable faculty and alumni of Vassar College.

Notable alumni

Selected Vassar Alumni
(chronologically)

Chemist, first woman to graduate from MIT, Ellen Henrietta Swallow, Picture from Class of 1870

Academy Award-winning actress, Meryl Streep, class of 1971

Actress, Lisa Kudrow, class of 1985

Academics

• Heloise Hersey, class of 1876 - professor of literature
• Emily Jordan Folger, class of 1879 - Co-founder of the Folger Shakespeare Library
• Edith Clarke, class of 1908 - America's first female professor of electrical engineering
• Mildred H. McAfee, class of 1920 - President of Wellesley College and first director of WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service)
• Caroline F. Ware, class of 1920 - Professor of history at American University and a New Deal activist.
• Mary Bunting, class of 1931 - Microbiologist and president of Radcliffe College
• Winifred Asprey, class of 1938 - Pioneering mathematician and computer scientist
• Nancy Nichols Barker, class of 1946 - Professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin
• Barbara W. Newell, class of 1951 - First female Chancellor of the State University System of Florida, president of Wellesley College
• Margaret Dauler Wilson, class of 1960 - Professor of philosophy at Princeton University
• Marcia P. Sward, class of 1961 - Executive Director of the Mathematical Association of America
• Ellen Rosand, class of 1961 - musicologist, historian, and opera critic
• Sau Lan Wu, class of 1963 - Particle physicist and the Enrico Fermi Distinguished Professor of Physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
• Susan W. Coates, MA 1968 - Psychologist, Columbia University
• M. R. C. Greenwood, class of 1968 - health scientist, president of the University of Hawaii
• Nancy Dye, class of 1969 - President, Oberlin College
• Jo Ann Gora, class of 1969 - President, Ball State University
• Vera Schwarz, class of 1969 - Freeman Professor of East Asian Studies at Wesleyan University
• Eugenia Del Pino, class of 1969 - Developmental biologist at the Pontificia Universidad Catolica del Ecuador (Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador), first Ecuadorian citizen to be elected to the United States National Academy of Sciences (2006)
• Erica Funkhouser, class of 1971 - Poet, professor at MIT
• Christopher W. Morris, class of 1971 - Professor and chair of philosophy at the University of Maryland, where he is also a member of the Faculty of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Matters
• Gloria Cordes Larson, class of 1972 - Politician and president of Bentley University, In 2003, Boston magazine named her number one on their list of "100 Most Powerful Women in Boston."
• Judith Malafronte, class of 1972 - Mezzo-soprano currently on the faculty at Yale University, winner of several top awards in Italy, Spain, Belgium and the US, including the Grand Prize at the International Vocal Competition in Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands
• Michael Kimmel, class of 1972 - Sociologist, Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the Stony Brook University, founder and editor of the academic journal Men and Masculinities, spokesperson of the National Organization for Men Against Sexism (NOMAS)
• Darra Goldstein, class of 1973 - Founding Editor of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture and professor at Williams College
• Anthony Apesos, class of 1975 - Painter and professor of Fine Arts at the Art Institute of Boston at Lesley University
• Francisco Xavier Castellanos, class of 1975 - Director of Research at the NYU Child Study Center.
• Jane Margaret O'Brien, class of 1975 - Professor of chemistry and president emerita of St. Mary's College of Maryland
• Richard L. Huganir, class of 1975 - a Professor and Director of the Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, as well as an Investigator with Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Iris Mack, class of 1975 - Writer, speaker, former MIT professor, and former derivatives quant/trader and investment banker
• Jeffrey Schnapp, class of 1975 - director of the Stanford Humanities Lab from its foundation in 2000 through 2010, faculty director at metaLAB (at) Harvard
• Rochelle Lieber, class of 1976 - Professor of Linguistics at the University of New Hampshire and co-editor in chief of the Language and Linguistics Compass
• Jyotsna Vaid, class of 1976 - Professor of Psychology at Texas A&M University
• Richard Shenkman, class of 1976 - Founder and Editor-in-Chief of History News Network, associate professor of history at George Mason University
• Carole Maso, class of 1977 - Novelist and essayist, professor of literary arts at Brown University, previously held positions as a writer-in-residence at Illinois State Universityin 1991–92 and George Washington University in 1992–93
• Jamshed Bharucha, class of 1978 - President of Cooper Union, cognitive neuroscientist, former dean of Tufts University and Dartmouth College
• Seamus Ross, class of 1979 - Dean and Professor, the iSchool at the University of Toronto. Founding Director of HATII (Humanities Advanced Technology and Information Institute)
• Elisa Stephens, class of 1981 - President of Academy of Art University
• John Carlstrom, class of 1981 - Professor at the University of Chicago, MacArthur Award winning astrophysicist
• Sarah Barringer Gordon, class of 1982 - Arlin M. Adams Professor of Constitutional Law and a Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania
• Heinz Insu Fenkl, class of 1982 - Author, associate professor of English and Asian Studies at SUNY New Paltz
• Eric Feldman, class of 1982 - Professor at the University of Pennsylvania Law School
• Matthew Koss, class of 1983 - Solid state physicist and professor
• Philip Jefferson, class of 1983 - Professor of Economics at Swarthmore College and a former research economist at the Federal Reserve Board
• Peggy Hayes, class of 1983 - Director of Health Sciences Public Relations at Tufts University, Director of Communications – Allston Development Group at Harvard University
• Mark Burstein, class of 1984 - Executive Vice President of Princeton University, president of Lawrence University
• Sherillyn Ifill, class of 1984 - President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc, professor at the University of Maryland School of Law
• Rebecca Reynolds, class of 1984 - Poet, administrator and professor at Rutgers University
• Keith Scribner, class of 1984 - Novelist, short-story writer, screenwriter, essayist and professor at Oregon State University.
• Alison Boden, class of 1984 - Author, Dean of Religious Life and the Dean of the Chapel at Princeton University.
• David B. Allison, class of 1985 - Distinguished Professor, Quetelet Endowed Professor of Public Health, UAB
• Andrea McCarren, class of 1985 - Television journalist and educator, first teacher of broadcast journalism at Harvard University
• Jonathan Bertman, class of 1986 - Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Brown University and the president of South County Family Medicine, Inc.
• Jeff Figelman, class of 1986 - Co-founder of Gotham Writers' Workshop, professor at Vassar College
• Tina Campt, class of 1986 - Professor of Women's studies at Barnard College
• Jennifer Summit, class of 1987- Professor of English, Chair of the Stanford University English Department between 2008 and 2011
• Anne Brodsky, class of 1987 - Professor in Psychology and Gender and Women's Studies at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County
• Seamus Carey, class of 1987 - Incoming president of Transylvania University. Dean of the college of arts and sciences, Sacred Heart University.
• Steven A. Cook, class of 1990 - Hasib J. Saabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle Eastern Studies at the Council on Foreign Relations
• Greg Hrbek, class of 1990 - Author and professor, Writer in-Residence since 2001 at Skidmore College
• Christina Maranci, class of 1990 - Researcher, writer, translator, historian, and Professor at Tufts University
• Maria Fadiman, class of 1991 - Ethnobotanist and Associate Professor of Geosciences at Florida Atlantic University
• Stacey M. Floyd-Thomas, class of 1991 - Associate Professor of Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt Divinity School and the Graduate Department of Religion at Vanderbilt University
• Daniel Alexander Jones, class of 1991 - Award-winning American performance artist, playwright, director, essayist and educator. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Theatre at Fordham University, and heads their playwriting track.
• Sarah Churchwell, class of 1991 - Professor of American Literature and Public Understanding of the Humanities at the University of East Anglia
• Kate Moorehead, class of 1992 - Episcopal priest and the tenth Dean of St. John's Cathedral and the Diocese of Florida
• Peter Decherney, class of 1993 - Professor of Cinema Studies and English and Director of the Cinema Studies Program at the University of Pennsylvania
• Adrian Burgos, class of 1993 - Author, Director of Graduate Studies, professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
• Matt Donovan, class of 1995 - Poet, winner of a Whiting Award, chair of the creative writing department at Santa Fe University of Art and Design
• Emily Berquist, class of 1997 - Assistant Professor of History at California State University, Long Beach, writer, and historian.
• Ross Benjamin, class of 2003 - Translator of German literature.
• John Figdor, class of 2006 - Humanist Chaplain at Stanford University

Activists and philanthropists

• Mary Boyce Temple, class of 1877 - Preservationist and philanthropist
• Marion Cothren, class of 1900 - Suffrage and peace activist, children's author
• Eleanor Fitchen, class of 1934 - Landmarks and environment in New York State
• Sylvia McLaughlin, class of 1939 - Environmental pioneer
• Patsy Bullitt Collins, class of 1942 - Prolific donor and philanthropist
• June Jackson Christmas, class of 1945 - Founder of a community psychiatric program in Harlem – Harlem Rehabilitation Center
• Anne Hendricks Bass, class of 1963 - Philanthropist, art collector, documentary filmmaker
• Phyllis Lambert, class of 1947 - Philanthropist and member of the Bronfman family
• Elizabeth Cushman Titus Putnam, class of 1955 - Conservationist and winner of the Presidential Citizens Medal
• Susan Wadsworth, class of 1958 - Founder of Young Concert Artists
• Barbara Coombs Lee, class of 1969 - Activist and president of Compassion & Choices
• Jonathan Granoff, class of 1970 - President of the Global Security Institute
• Jessie Gruman, class of 1975 - Author, founder and president of the Washington-based Center for Advancing Health
• Urvashi Vaid, class of 1979 - Political activist
• Simon Greer, class of 1990 - President and CEO of Nathan Cummings Foundation, President and CEO of the Jewish Funds for Justice
• Ilyse Hogue, class of 1991 - President of NARAL Pro-Choice America
• Ronit Avni, class of 2000 - Award-winning filmmaker, founder and executive director of Just Vision
• Emily Kunstler, class of 2000 - Activist and a documentary filmmaker
• Alexandra Sicotte-Levesque, class of 2000 - Founder of Journalists for Human Rights (JHR)

Adventurers and Athletes

• Alice Huyler Ramsey, class of 1907 - First woman to cross the continent driving a car
• Karen Petersen, class of 1976 - combat photojournalist and foreign correspondent
• Ethan Zohn, class of 1996 - Survivor: Africa winner and philanthropist
• Valerie Griffeth, class of 2004 - Women's rugby player

Artists and architects

• Elizabeth Bauer Mock, class of 1932 - Influential advocate for modern architecture in the United States
• Linda Nochlin, class of 1951 - Pioneer in the field of feminist art theory
• Nancy Graves, class of 1961 - First woman to solo at the Whitney Museum of American Art
• Adam Kalkin, class of 1984 - Designer of the Kalkin House
• Michael Portnoy, class of 1993 - Multimedia artist, choreographer, musician, actor and curator. He calls himself a "Director of Behavior."
• Mary Ping, class of 2000 - New York based fashion designer
• Clancy Philbrick, class of 2008 - Contemporary artist whose work includes painting, photography, sculpture, street art, and literature.
• Alexa Meade, class of 2009 - Uses the human body as a canvas

Business

• Mary F. Hoyt, class of 1880 - the first woman to receive a position in the United States federal civil service.
• Louise Seaman Bechtel, class of 1915 - Head of the first children's book department in an American publishing house (Macmillan Co.)
• Martha Firestone Ford, class of 1946 - Billionaire, Chairman of majority owner of the Detroit Lions, boardmember Henry Ford Health System
• Martha Rivers Ingram, class of 1957- Chairman of Ingram Industries, multi-billionaire
• Anne M. Tatlock, class of 1961 - CEO of Fiduciary Trust Company International
• Nina Zagat, class of 1963 - co-founder of Zagat Survey
• Geraldine Laybourne, class of 1969 - Creator of Nickelodeon and Nick at Nite, CEO of Oxygen Media
• Paula Madison, class of 1974 -President of KNBC
• Ken Kaess, class of 1976 - CEO of DDB Worldwide
• Anthony Friscia class of 1978 - founder of AMR Research
• Robert Friedman, class of 1978 - President of Classic Media, president of New Line TV, president of AOL, Interactive Marketing & TV
• LoriGranger, class of 1979 - co-founder of Levenger Company
• Karen Kessler, class of 1978, founding member and president of public relations firm Evergreen Partners, Inc.
• Mark S. Ordan, class of 1979 - CEO and president of The Mills Corporation, CEO of Sunrise Senior Living
• Phil Griffin, class of 1979 - President of MSNBC
• Lurita Doan, class of 1979 - founder of New Technology Management, Inc.
• James B. Rosenwald, class of 1980 - Co-founder and managing partner of Dalton Investments LLC
• Pamela Mars Wright, class of 1982 - Trustee of Vassar College, heir to the Mars fortune
• Mitch Feierstein, class of 1983 - Investor, banker and writer
• Yannis Vardinoyannis, class of 1984 - Billionaire, Founding member of the Greek Super League and was elected President in 2007, Executive Vice Chairman of the independent oil refinery Motor Oil Hellas
• Peter Ian Cummings, class of 1985 - Founder of XY Magazine
• Ron Shapiro, class of 1986 - President of Atlantic Records
• Henry P Johnson, class of 1988- President and CEO of Fiduciary Trust Company International
• Ken Levine, class of 1988 - Founder of Irrational Games and creator of Bioshock
• Jeanne Greenberg-Rohatyn, class of 1989 - owner of Salon 94
• Kenneth Barnett, class of 1990 - President of Singer Asset Finance Company, L.L.C.
• Ian Gerard, class of 1990 - Co-founder and CEO of Gen Art
• Caterina Fake, class of 1991 - founder of Flickr
• Mitch Truwit, class of 1991 - CEO of Apax Partners
• Carolina Herrera, class of 1991 - Perfume creator and collaborator with mother, Carolina Herrera, Fashion icon
• Darys Estrella, class of 1992 - CEO of the Dominican Republic Stock Market
• Stefan Gerard, class of 1992 - Co-founder of Gen Art
• Chris Fry, class of 1992 - Senior vice president for technology, Twitter
• Elisabeth Murdoch, class of 1992 - CEO of Shine Limited, daughter of Rupert Murdoch
• Ben Mangan, class of 1992 - CEO and Co-Founder of Earned Assets Resource Network, lecturer at UC Berkeley
• Chris Fry, class of 1993 - Senior Vice President for Technology at Twitter
• Kristina Salen, class of 1993 - CFO of Etsy
• Jon Fisher, class of 1994 - Entrepreneur
• Carter Adamson, class of 1994 - Founder and COO of Rdio
• Lee Zalben, class of 1995 - Founder of Peanut Butter & Co.
• Elisa Strauss, class of 1998 - Proprietor of Confetti Cakes, a top New York City-based bakery specializing in custom designed cakes
• Scott Kauffman, notable CEO
• Brian Tormey, class of 2002 - Executive Vice President of TitleVest
• Katia Beauchamp, class of 2005 - Founder and Co-CEO of Birchbox
• Ian lynch Smith - Founder and president of Freeverse

Drama, film, and television

• Frances Sternhagen, class of 1951 - Tony Award-winning actress
• Toni Grant, class of 1964 - Psychologist and radio host
• Rebecca Eaton, class of 1969 - Award-winning executive producer of Masterpiece (TV series) on PBS; Time Magazine 100 Most Influential People in the World (2011)
• Margaret Lazarus, class of 1969 - Academy Award-winning documentary filmmaker
• Ann Northrop, class of 1970 - journalist and activist, and the current co-host of TV news program Gay USA.
• Meryl Streep, class of 1971 - Academy Award-winning actress
• Mary Nissenson, class of 1974 - Peabody award winning TV news reporter
• Eben Fiske Ostby, class of 1977 - animator, Vice President of Software at Pixar
• Chip Reid, class of 1977 - CBS Chief White House Correspondent
• Phil Griffin, class of 1979 - president of MSNBC
• Lloyd Braun, class of 1980 - Media Executive, President of ABC (2002–2004)
• Marion Lipschutz, class of 1980 - Film director and co-founder of Incite Pictures
• Elizabeth Kaledin, class of 1984 - Anchor for NY1
• Peter Elkoff, class of 1984 - Writer and producer of films and TV shows including The Education of Charlie Banks, Deception, and Dirty Sexy Money
• Hung Huang, class of 1984 - fashion figure, publisher; Time Magazine 100 Most Influential People in the World (2011)
• Jon Tenney, class of 1984 - actor
• Sakina Jaffrey, class of 1984 - actress
• Yvonne Welbon, class of 1984 - documentary filmmaker
• Andrew Zimmern, class of 1984 - chef and TV personality
• Lisa Kudrow, class of 1985 - Emmy Award-winning actress
• Jonathan Littman, class of 1985 - Multiple Emmy winning producer, president of Jerry Bruckheimer Television
• Hope Davis, class of 1986 - actress
• Dan Bucatinsky, class of 1987 - actor/writer/producer
• Jane Lipsitz, class of 1987 - Director, Katy Perry:Part of Me
• Paul Zehrer, class of 1987 - film and television director, writer, producer, and editor
• Saar Klein, class of 1989 - Academy Award nominated film editor
• Tanya Wright, class of 1989 - Actress
• Carlos Jacott, class of 1989 - Actor and writer
• John Gatins, class of 1990 - Academy Award-nominated screenwriter, Real Steel and Flight
• Jonathan Karl, class of 1990 - ABC News Senior Political Correspondent
• Robert Green, class of 1990 - Senior Vice President, Conde Nast, film producer
• Erika Amato, class of 1991 - singer, actress
• Noah Baumbach, class of 1991 - Academy Award nominated writer, director
• Benjamin Busch, class of 1991 - Actor, author, Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Marine Corp
• Stacy London, class of 1991 - Television host, author, and magazine editor
• Jason Blum, class of 1991 - Producer of films, including Academy Award-winning Whiplash
• Eddie Schmidt, class of 1992 -Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker
• Catherine Kellner, class of 1992 - Actress and producer
• Judd Ehrlich, class of 1993 - Director and producer
• Monica Macer, class of 1993 - Writer and producer
• Carrie Kei Heim, class of 1994 - Child actress, now an attorney
• Erin Daniels, class of 1995 - Actress
• Lecy Goranson, class of 1996 - Actress
• Ethan Zohn, class of 1996 - Survivor: Africa winner and philanthropist
• Jessi Klein, class of 1997 - Comedian
• Angela Goethals, class of 1999 - Actress
• Marguerite Moreau, class of 1999 - Actress
• Jonathan Togo, class of 1999 - Actor
• Matthew Newton, class of 1999 - Actor
• Hannah Bos and Paul Thureen, class of 2000 - Two thirds of the devised theatre company The Debate Society
• Justin Long, class of 2000 - Actor, Apple Computer spokesperson
• Bradford Louryk, class of 2000 - Broadway artist and actor
• Penny Lane, class of 2001 - Documentary director and producer, Our Nixon. Assistant professor at Colgate University.
• Alexa Alemanni, class of 2002 - Actress
• Julia Weldon, class of 2005 - Actress
• Jonás Cuarón, class of 2005 - Co-writer of Gravity
• Grace Gummer, class of 2008 - Actress
• Jeff Davis, Writer and creator of police procedural drama Criminal Minds and MTV's Teen Wolf
• Aviva Drescher, Season 5 cast member on The Real Housewives of New York City
• Kerri Green, Actress, director
• Lisa Lassek, Film producer and editor
• Jay Severin, Commentator and talk radio host
• Sandy Stern, Film producer, known for his work on the films Pump Up the Volume, Being John Malkovich, and Saved!
• Lisa Zane, Actress
• Roger Wolfson, Screenwriter, most notable for writing for the TV series Fairly Legal, Saving Grace, The Closer, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Century City
• Thomas Dean Donnelly, Screenwriter of films such as Sahara and an upcoming adaption of the Uncharted video games
• Robert Schajer, Visual effects producer on films including World War Z and Life of Pi
• Mark Elijah Rosenberg, Founder and artistic director of Rooftop Films
• Dan Nuxoll, Program Director of Rooftop Films
• Tom Gorai, Film producer

Espionage

• Elizabeth Bentley, class of 1930 - American spy for the Soviet Union
• Pedro Sepúlveda, Jr., class of 2014 - Mexican spy for the United States

Music

• Elizabeth Bristol Greenleaf, class of 1917 - Collector of folk songs
• Jane O'Leary, class of 1968 - musician and composer
• Patricia Ann Neely, class of 1975 - early-bowed strings specialist, viola da gamba, vielle, violone, with Sequentia, Smithsonian Chamber Players, Washington Bach Consort, Rheinischen Kantorei Köln.
• Karen Petersen, class of 1976 - one of the first women recording engineers and record producers, Chappell Music Executive
• Jamie Broumas, class of 1981, Jazz singer, vocal instructor and arts administrator
• Drew Zingg, class of 1981 - Guitarist for Steely Dan
• Joseph Bertolozzi, class of 1981 - Composer and musician with works ranging from full symphony orchestra to solo gongs
• Dominique Eade, class of 1981 - Jazz singer and composer
• Amy Powers, class of 1982 - Emmy-nominated lyricist, songwriter and producer
• Alan Licht, class of 1990 - Guitarist, composer, writer and, journalist
• Erika Amato, class of 1991 - Singer (Velvet Chain)
• Linda Lister, class of 1991 - Soprano, soloist, professor at the University of Evansville
• Howard Fishman, class of 1992 - singer, guitarist, bandleader and composer
• Rachael Yamagata, class of 1996 - singer-songwriter
• Jamie Christopherson, class of 1997 - musician known for scoring movies and video games
• Amanda Forsythe, class of 1998 - Award winning soprano; particularly admired for her interpretations of baroque music and the works of Rossini.
• Sam Endicott, class of 1999 - singer (The Bravery) and John Conway, keyboardist in The Bravery
• Brian Grosz, class of 1999 - Alt-folk musician, member of Skabba the Hut
• Hayley Taylor, class of 1999 - singer-songwriter and actress whose songs have been featured on many popular television shows, including How I Met Your Mother, Royal Pains, and Pretty Little Liars.
• The Hazzards, ukulele-based band, best known for their cult hit single, "Gay Boyfriend"
• Victoria Legrand, class of 2003 - singer (Beach House)
• Genghis Tron, classes of 2005 and 2006 - band composed of Vassar graduates
• Jake Friedman, class of 2007 - Member of Glitter Pals, co-founder and owner of Lovepump United
• MS MR, class of 2010 - Pop duo composed of Max Hershenow and Lizzy Plapinger

Politics and Law

• Harriot Eaton Stanton Blatch, class of 1878 - Suffragette and daughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• Crystal Eastman, class of 1903 - Coauthor of the Equal Rights Amendment
• Inez Milholland, class of 1909 - suffragist, Known as the martyr of the Women's Suffrage movement
• Catherine Bauer Wurster, class of 1926 - Urban housing reformer
• Katherine Elkus White, class of 1928 - Democratic Party politician and diplomat, who served as Mayor of Red Bank, New Jersey from 1951 to 1956, chairwoman of the New Jersey Highway Authority (1955-1964), and United States Ambassador to Denmark (1964-1968)
• Lydia Stevens, class of 1939 - Connecticut House of Representatives in 1988 and 1990 as a Republican, President of the Greenwich Broadcasting Company
• Emily W. Sunstein, class of 1944 - Campaigner, political activist and biographer
• Patricia M. Byrne, class of 1946 - US Ambassador to Burma
• Frances Farenthold, class of 1946 - Texas State Legislator and human rights activist
• Julie Finley, United States ambassador
• Pauline Newman, class of 1947 - Circuit Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
• Anne Armstrong, class of 1949 - First female Counselor to the President; Ambassador to the United Kingdom (1976-1977); recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom
• Selwa Roosevelt, class of 1950 - Chief of Protocol of the United States for almost seven years from 1982-1989—longer than anyone has ever served in that position.
• Sylvia Bacon, class of 1952 - judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, considered by both Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan as a potential nominee to the Supreme Court of the United States, at a time when no women had yet been appointed to the Court.
• Sarah Goddard Power, class of 1957 - Democratic Party activist and University of Michigan Regent
• Patricia Fleming, class of 1957 - First director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, (ONAP)
• Pamela Ann Rymer, class of 1961 - Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
• Julia Donovan Darlow, class of 1963 - attorney and member of the University of Michigan Board of Regents
• Colette Lafuente, class of 1963 - Mayor of Poughkeepsie
• Diana Gribbon Motz, class of 1965 - Associate Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
• Margaret Milner Richardson, class of 1965 - IRS commissioner (1993–97)
• Bobbie Kilberg, class of 1965 - Republican operative who has worked for Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, George H.W. Bush, and George W. Bush, President and CEO of the Northern Virginia Technology Council.
• Susan Combs, class of 1966 - Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
• Linda Fairstein, class of 1969 - Prosecutor in the infamous "Preppie Murder" trial of Robert Chambers and author.
• Catherine Abate, class of 1969 - New York State senator, President/CEO of the Community Healthcare Network
• Margarita Penón Góngora, class of 1970- First Lady of Costa Rica, 1986-1990. Advocate and promoter of the principal Gender Equality Law approved by Congress in 1989.
• Betsy McCaughey, class of 197 - 72nd Lieutenant Governor of New York (1995–1998), influential critic of Bill Clinton's healthcare proposal
• Elinor Morgenthau, class of 1913 - Democratic party activist and spouse of Henry Morgenthau, Jr.
• Linda R. Greenstein, class of 1971 - legislator and politician, New Jersey State Senate, 14th district.
• Robert H. Edmunds, Jr., Associate Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court
• Vicki Miles-LaGrange, class of 1974 - first African-American female to become a United States Attorney
• Richard W. Roberts, class of 1974 - Judge, United States District Court for the District of Columbia
• Nancy Killefer, class of 1975 - government consultant
• Jeffrey Goldstein, class of 1977- Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance (2010–2011), managing director of the World Bank
• Alison Renee Lee, class of 1979 - South Carolina Circuit Judge in the Fifth Judicial Circuit and is a nominee for United States District Judge of the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina.
• Rick Lazio, class of 1980 - Congressman (Long Island), Executive Vice President (JPMorgan Chase)
• Leslie Longenbaugh, class of 1980 - Federal magistrate judge for the United States District Court for the District of Alaska
• Bala Garba Jahumpa, class of 1980 - Gambian politician and diplomat
• Lee A. Feinstein, class of 1981- US Ambassador to Poland (2009-2012).
• Benson Whitney, class of 1982 - US Ambassador to Norway
• Cheryl Kagan, class of 1983 - Maryland House of Delegates from 1995 to 2003
• Marc Thiessen, class of 1989 - White House speechwriter (2004–09)
• Alfonso H. Lopez, Class of 1992 - Virginia State Delegate
• Deborah L. Wince-Smith, President of the Council on Competitiveness
• Laura E. Kennedy - U.S. ambassador to Turkmenistan

Science and medicine

• Christine Ladd-Franklin, class of 1869 - Psychologist
• Ellen Swallow Richards, class of 1870 - Chemist
• Ellen Churchill Semple, class of 1882 - Geographer
• Margaret Floy Washburn, class of 1891 - Psychologist
• Ruth Benedict, class of 1909 - Anthropologist
• Mary Calderone, class of 1925 - Physician
• Grace Hopper, class of 1928 - Computer scientist
• Marian Koshland, class of 1942, - Immunologist who discovered that the differences in amino acid composition of antibodies explains the efficiency and effectiveness with which they combat a huge range of foreign invaders
• Vera Rubin, class of 1948 - Astronomer
• Beatrix Ann (McCleary) Hamburg (first African American admitted to Vassar), class of 1944 - psychiatrist, medical researcher.
• Heather Lechtman, class of 1956 - American materials scientist and archaeologist, and Director, Center for Materials Research in Archaeology and Ethnology (CMRAE) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Macarthur Award winner
• Olga F. Linares, class of 1958, Anthropologist and senior researcher at STRI
• Patricia Goldman Rakic, class of 1959 - Neuroscientist
• Bernadine P. Healy, class of 1965 - Cardiologist; Director, National Institutes of Health (NIH) (1991-1993), Dean, Ohio State University Medical School, President of the American Red Cross (1999–2001)
• Ellen Kovner Silbergeld, class of 1967 - Engineer
• Anne B. Young, class of 1969 - Neuroscientist
• Jeffrey Brenner, class of 1990 - Founder and Executive Director of Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, 2013 MacArthur Award ("Genius Grant") winner
• Maria Fadiman, class of 1991 - Ethnobotanist
• Thane E. Benson, class of 1974 - Neuroscientist/Attorney

Writers

• Patricia Buckley Bozell - author and publisher
• Elizabeth Williams Champney, class of 1869 - Author of Three Vassar Girls series
• Mary Harriott Norris, class of 1870 - author and Dean of Women
• Eva March Tappan, class of 1875 - author
• Jean Webster, class of 1901 - author of Daddy Long Legs
• Agnes de Lima, class of 1908 - author of Our Enemy the Child
• Elizabeth Page, class of 1912 - author of The Tree of Liberty (1939)
• Edna St. Vincent Millay, class of 1917 - Pulitzer Prize–winning poet
• Nora Benjamin Kubie, class of 1920 - children's writer
• Lois Long, class of 1922 - writer for The New Yorker
• Angelica Gibbs, class of 1930 - short story writer for The New Yorker and novelist
• Marie Rodell, class of 1932 - Literary agent and author who managed the publications of much of environmentalist Rachel Carson's writings, as well as the first book by Martin Luther King, Jr
• Mary McCarthy, class of 1933 - novelist, critic
• Anne-Marie O'Connor, 1976-1978 - Journalist, award-winning author of "The Lady in Gold, the Extraordinary Tale of Gustav Klimt's Masterpiece, Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer"
• Elizabeth Bishop, class of 1934 - Poet Laureate of the United States from 1949 to 1950
• Ruth Stiles Gannet, class of 1944 - Author of the My Father's Dragon series
• Shana Alexander, class of 1945- First woman staff writer and columnist for Life magazine
• Sue Kaufman, class of 1947 - author best known for the novel Diary of a Mad Housewife
• Charlotte Curtis, class of 1950 - New York Times editor
• Alexandra Ripley, class of 1955 - Writer best known as the author of Scarlett (1991), the sequel to Gone with the Wind
• Jane Kramer, class of 1959 - Journalist for The New Yorker
• Mary Oliver, class of 1959 - Poet who has won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize
• Gloria Guardia, class of 1962, Novelist and critic
• Barbara McMartin, class of 1964 - Mathematician who became an environmentalist and author of books on the Adirondack Mountains
• Penelope Casas, class of 1965 - food writer, cookbook author and expert on the cuisine of Spain
• Reggie Nadelson class of 1966 - Mystery novelist and biographer
• Lucinda Franks, class of 1968 – Pulitzer Prize winner, writer for the New York Times and The New Yorker
• Sally Gibson, class of 1968 - Author, archivist and heritage consultant
• Alice K. Lanckton
• Mindy Aloff, class of 1969 - Editor, journalist, essayist, and dance critic
• Jane Smiley, class of 1971 - Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist
• Meredith Spencer Ellsworth (pseud. M. S. Spencer), class of 1972 - Multipublished author of romantic suspense & murder mystery
• Esther Friesner, class of 1972 - Prolific science fiction and fantasy author
• Paula Volsky, class of 1972 - Fantasy Author
• Marian Thurm, class of 1974 - Author of short stories and novels, has taught Creative Writing at Yale and Columbia
• Elizabeth Spires, class of 1974 - award-winning poet and children's book writer
• Paco Underhill, class of 1975 - environmental psychologist and business writer
• Judith Regan, class of 1975 - Controversial publisher
• Michael Gross, class of 1975 - Writer and editor.
• Karen Petersen, class of 1976 - poet
• Avery Cardoza, class of 1977 - writer, gambler and publisher
• Lucette Lagnado, class of 1977 - Journalist and novelist
• Diana Maychick, class of 1977 - Award-winning journalist, movie critic, author and essayist
• Janet McDonald, class of 1977 - Writer of young adult fiction
• Michael Specter, class of 1977 - Award-winning journalist for The New Yorker and The New York Times
• Leonard Steinhorn, class of 1977 - Author of The Greater Generation: In Defense of the Baby Boom Legacy, political analyst
• Victoria Strauss, class of 1977 - Fantasy and science fiction author
• Elizabeth Sporkin, class of 1978 - Executive Editor of People Magazine
• Josip Novakovich, class of 1978 - Writer and professor
• Yona Zeldis McDonough, class of 1979 - Fiction editor at Lilith, award-winning author
• Matthew Brelis, class of 1980 – Pulitzer Prize and Nieman Fellowship winning journalist
• Avery Chenoweth, class of 1980, Award-winning journalist, novelist, and short-story writer
• Eric Marcus, class of 1980 - Non-fiction writer
• Melissa Holbrook Pierson, class of 1980 - writer and essayist of non-fiction
• Peter Spiegelman, class of 1980 - Crime fiction author and former Wall Street executive
• Ned Balbo, class of 1981 - Award-winning poet
• Heinz Insu Fenkl, class of 1982, Award-winning writer, editor and translator
• Kimberly Quinn, class of 1982 - Journalist, commentator and magazine publisher and writer
• Matthew Kauffman, class of 1983- Hartford Courant journalist and Pullitzer Prize finalist
• A. V. Christie, class of 1985 - Award-winning poet
• David Oliver Relin, class of 1985 - journalist and co-author of the controversial New York Times bestselling book, Three Cups of Tea
• Scott Westerfeld, class of 1985 - Author of Uglies series, among other novels
• Thomas Beller, class of 1987 - Author
• Evan Wright, class of 1987 - Author, best known for writing Generation Kill
• Mariah Fredericks, class of 1988 - Author
• Adam Langer, class of 1988 - Author
• Elizabeth Gaffney, class of 1988 - Novelist and editor
• Sydney Pokorny, class of 1988 - Writer, editor, columnist and activist
• Taegan Goddard, class of 1988 - Founder and publisher of Political Wire
• Rebecca Stead, class of 1989- Award winning author of children's literature
• Andy Towle, class of 1980 - Blogger and media commentator, editor-in-chief of Genre magazine
• Richard Miniter, class of 1990 - Investigative journalist and bestselling author
• Jen Van Meter, class of 1990 - Comic book writer best known for her Oni Press series Hopeless Savages as well as for series at Marvel and DC Comics
• Gregor Ehrlich, class of 1990 - Consultant, writer and graphic artist. Animator for MTV, Oxygen and Showtime, has published three graphic novels.
• Nunzio DeFilippis, class of 1991, and Christina Weir, class of 1992 - Husband and wife comic book writing team
• Greg Rucka, class of 1991 - Comic book writer
• David Gallagher, class of 1991 - Deputy Technology Editor at The New York Times
• Daphne Kalotay, class of 1992 - Novelist, short story writer, and professor
• Meghan Daum, class of 1992 - Author, essayist, and journalist
• Sarah Gray Miller, class of 1993 - Editor in chief of lifestyle and decorating magazine Country Living
• Megan Crane, class of 1994 - Novelist
• Katherine Center, class of 1994 - Author
• Andrew J. Porter, class of 1994 - Short story writer, Associate Professor of English at Trinity University
• Joe Hill, class of 1995 - Novelist, Heart-Shaped Box (novel), son of Stephen King
• Jeremy Jackson, class of 1995 - Author who has written several novels and cookbooks
• Ryan Singel, class of 1995 - Blogger, co-founder of Contextly and Threat Level
• Carolyn Mackler, class of 1995 - Author
• Rachel Simmons, class of 1996 - Author
• Taije Silverman, class of 1996, Poet
• Owen King, class of 1999 - Author, son of Stephen King
• Melissa Walker, class of 1999 - Author
• Stephen Motika, class of 1999 - Poet, editor, and publisher
• Jesse Ball, class of 2000 - Poet and author
• Shaenon K. Garrity, class of 2000 - Webcomics writer and artist
• Aimee Friedman, class of 2001- Writer of young adult fiction
• Alexandra Berzon, class of 2001- Pulitzer Prize–winning writer
• Will Tracy, class of 2005 - Editor-in-chief of The Onion
• Katherine Goldstein, class of 2006 - Green Editor and Blog Editor at The Huffington Post, Innovations Editor at Slate
• Shelby Bach, class of 2008 - Author
• M.J. Alexander
• Augusta Clawson
• Geri Doran, award-winning poet
• Michael Scharf - poet and critic
• Jane Mead, writer
• Delia Sherman, fantasy writer and editor

Attended, but did not graduate

• Anthony Bourdain (graduated from The Culinary Institute of America), chef, writer
• Janet Cooke, journalist (claimed to have had a degree but did not)
• Mike D (Michael Diamond), rapper (Beastie Boys)
• Jane Fonda (graduated from The Actors Studio), actress
• Katharine Graham (graduated from the University of Chicago), publisher of The Washington Post
• Anne Hathaway (graduated from New York University), actress
• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (graduated from George Washington University), First Lady
• Mark Ronson DJ
• Curtis Sittenfeld (graduated from Stanford University), author
• Anne-Marie O'Connor, (graduated from University of California at Berkeley) award-winning journalist and nonfiction author
• Neil Strauss (graduated from Columbia College), author and journalist
• Rachael Yamagata (graduated from Northwestern University), singer

Fictional

As a famous and historically important college, Vassar has attracted much attention in fictional works. A partial list of cultural references to Vassar can be found here: Vassar College in Fiction

Faculty

English Department

• Michael Joyce
• Eamon Grennan
• Donald Foster
• Kiese Laymon
• Thomas Mallon
• Gabriela Mistral

Music Department

• Gustav Dannreuther
• Karen Holvik
• Ernst Krenek
• Annea Lockwood
• Harold Meltzer
• Quincy Porter
• John Solum
• Richard Wilson

Philosophy Department

• Giovanna Borradori
• David Kelley
• Mitchell Miller
• Uma Narayan

Theater Department

• Jean Arthur
• Hallie Flanagan

Other departments

• Liza Donnelly, New Yorker staff cartoonist; American Culture and Women's Studies
• Grace Hopper, Mathematics
• Abby Leach, Greek
• Maud Worcester Makemson, Astronomy
• Margaret Mead, Visiting lecturer, Anthropology
• Maria Mitchell, Physics and Astronomy
• Richie Moller, Coach of the Soccer team
• Joseph Nevins, Geography
• Linda Nochlin, Art History
• Lucy Maynard Salmon, History
• Colin Turnbull, Visiting lecturer, Anthropology
• Margaret Floy Washburn, Psychology
• Diana M. Zuckerman
• Larry Atlas

References

• Eva March Tappan at Vassar College Libraries Archives & Special Collections Accessed December 10, 2008