The following list includes notable people who were born or have lived in Champaign, Illinois. For a similar list organized alphabetically by last name, see the category page People from Champaign, Illinois.
Business, science, and engineering
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Physicist President of the Rotary Club of Champaign (1963 to 1964); founder of the Urban League of Champaign County Co-author of Mosaic and founder of Netscape Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Electrical engineer and physicist; two time Nobel Prize winner in Physics Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Co-founder of YouTube Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Co-founder of YouTube Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Founder of All Elite Wrestling Born in Champaign Physicist; Nobel Prize winner in Physics Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Jimmy John's owner, founder, & chairman Entomologist Born in Champaign Founder and CEO of Advanced Micro Devices Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Inventor of synthetic cortisone Born in Champaign Laureate of the Nobel prize in economics (1981) Born in Champaign Founder of Wolfram Research, makers of Mathematica Professor at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Crime
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Perpetrator in the Northern Illinois University shooting Attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Convicted criminal; nicknamed the "Enema Bandit" Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign 1996 murder victim
Media and arts
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference FilmmakerBorn in Champaign Music promotionAttended UIUC, started Blytham Ltd with Bob Nutt Country music singer and songwriter Born in Champaign Canadian musician and record producer Born in Champaign Author, voiceover actor, and spokesman Born in Champaign Former American football player and actor, singer, artist, TV host (WCIA Channel 3, WICD Channel 15) and painterLived 19 years in Champaign Author (The Rape of Nanking) Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Author (Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother) Born in Champaign Magazine reporter and Hollywood gossip columnist for The Hollywood Reporter Attended University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign, where he was city editor of the Daily Illini, the independent student-run newspaper, known for his 1937–38 crusade against prostitution in Champaign R&B singer Attended the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Comic book creator and publisher Born in Champaign Journalist and author of The Myth of Heterosexual AIDS Born in Champaign CBS News correspondent and author Born in Champaign Operatic baritone; one of People magazine's 2008 Sexiest Men Alive Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Magazine editor Born in Champaign Bass guitar player (REO Speedwagon) Born in Champaign Bass guitar player Grew up in Champaign (a.k.a. Somi) Singer, songwriter, actor and playwright Born in Champaign Journalist, political commentator, and former corporate defense attorney Born in Champaign Bluegrass singer Grew up in Champaign Ludacris Rapper Born in Champaign Actress Born in Champaign Jazz musician Born in Champaign Children's poet and songwriter Lives in Champaign Author of Infinite Jest Lived in Champaign Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author Born in Champaign Interior designer and television personality (Trading Spaces) Graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana–ChampaignPainter and University of Illinois professorBorn and grew up in Champaign, attended University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Bands
Name ImageFoundedDisbandedMusicAssociationReference The Beauty Shop Alt-country band Formed in Champaign Braid Rock band Formed in Champaign Champaign R&B, soft rock group Formed in Champaign Headlights Indie rock band Formed in Champaign Hostyle Gospel Christian hip hop Formed in Champaign Hum Alternative rock group Formed in Champaign Pacifica Quartet 2008 Grammy-winning string quartet Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Illinois School of Music, 2003–2012 Poster Children Rock group Formed in Champaign REO Speedwagon Rock group Formed in Champaign Starcastle Rock group Formed in Champaign
Politics
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Vice president of the United StatesLived in Champaign United States senatorBorn in Champaign Plaintiff in the landmark 1948 Supreme Court case McCollum v. Board of Education Lived and died in ChampaignSep 5, 1856Dec 7, 1926United States senator, 1912 campaign manager for President William Howard TaftLived in Champaign, attended University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Religion
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference American Methodist Episcopal clergyman and editor Born in Champaign
Sports
Name ImageBirthDeathKnown forAssociationReference Olympic speed skater Born in Champaign Pitcher for six Major League Baseball teams Lived and died in Champaign Speed skater, Olympic gold medalist Grew up in Champaign Apr 13, 2021Former American football player and actor, singer, artist, TV host (WCIA Channel 3, WICD Channel 15) and painter.Lived 19 years in Champaign Infielder for the New York Giants Born in Champaign Indy-car driver Soccer playerBorn in Champaign Football linebacker for the Fighting Illini Attended UIUC First baseman for the Minnesota Twins Born in Champaign Pitcher for eight Major League Baseball teams Born in Champaign Punter for the Cleveland Browns Born in ChampaignRaised in Champaign, graduate of Centennial High School Olympic 400M hurdler Lives in Champaign Wrestler with the WWE Born in Champaign Speed skater and silver medalist in the 2010 Winter Olympics Attending University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign Pole vaulter; Olympic silver medalist Linebacker for Illinois Illini and six NFL teams Born and lives in Champaign Running back for the Detroit Lions Graduated from Centennial High School in Champaign Pitcher for the Montreal Expos Born in Champaign Swimmer, US Olympic team 2012 Born in Champaign Pitcher for the Chicago Cubs, Boston Beaneaters/Doves and Boston Rustlers Born in Champaign Pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals Born in Champaign Short track speed skater, Olympic silver medalist Born in Champaign Starting guard for the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team Born in Champaign Pole vaulter; Olympic gold medalist Linebacker for the Carolina Panthers Born in Champaign Backup catcher in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League Born in Champaign
References