Arizona State University (ASU) has graduated a number of notable people in the arts and media, including the fields of architecture; photography; entertainment; journalism; literature; and music. This includes graduates and non-graduate former students who are notable for their achievements within arts and media, sometimes before or after their time at ASU. Other alumni can be found in the list of Arizona State University alumni and its partial lists.
Arts
+ Name Class year Notes Ref. (MFA) Painter and sculptor 2004 Native American fashion designer Navajo designer and textile painter (attended) Iranian multimedia artist 1969 Sculptor 1961 Navajo painter and printmaker Navajo weaver 2004 Author of syndicated comic strip F Minus Artist for role-playing games (attended) 1955 Comics writer and artist of Sam's Strip and Sam and Silo 1974 Mixed media artist Children's book illustrator 1998 (MFA) Native American artist 1972 Photorealist painter (MFA) Drip artist 2007 Australia-based artist (MFA, PhD) Environmental sculptor and video artist; professor of art at ASU Artist and educator 1979 Pascua Yaqui painter Fiber artist Sculptor (MFA) Sculptor and painter 1983 Artist Artist (attended) Sculptor 1996 Jewelry designer 1981 (MFA) Artist 2011 (MFA) Artist Navajo weaver Navajo painter 1980 Printmaker 1968 Painter, printmaker, photographer Navajo weaver 1972 Sculptor and biographer 1962 Sculptor and poet 1981 Contemporary artist 1971 Fiber artist and fashion designer Abstract painter (attended) 1990 Printmaker and professor of printmaking at the University of Colorado Boulder 2014 Native American artist
Architects + Name Class year Notes Ref. Architect First Native American woman to become a licensed architect 1953 Architect Architect (attended) 1995 Designer of the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial 1968 Architect 1981 Architect 1970 Architect 1952 Architect known for work in the San Diego area 1984 Architect known for designing churches
Photographers + Name Class year Notes Ref. 1972 (MFA) Photographer of Chicano culture Street photographer (MFA) Photographer and writer of photography textbooks Photographer (attended) (MEd) Indian photographer Photographer of public figures Photographer of drummers Photographer and professor of photography
Entertainment and media + Name Class year Notes Ref. Television producer 2017 Streamer Writer, comedian, musician (attended) Film director and animator, co-director of The Lion King 2013 Streamer Reality show contestant Radio personality Film producer, writer and director Italian chef and television personality Conservative TV personality Miss World USA (1972), actress, singer, and star of the 1970s TV series Wonder Woman (attended) Actor (attended) TV host and producer 1995 Actress, singer and comedian Actor Actor 2017 Podcaster Actor Professional wrestler 1988 Sports talk show host Acting coach and casting director Actor, baseball player (attended) Actor Actor, comedian, TV host (attended) 1953 Entertainer, co-hosted The Wallace and Ladmo Show (MA) Screenwriter and novelist Filmmaker and film professor Film writer, director and producer 2020 Hong Kong actress 2016 Comedian Game designer 1993 Singaporean actor Actor (attended) 1958 Founder of the Black Theater Troupe Playwright, actress and podcast host Actress and model Actress YouTuber Actor (attended) Race car driver and stuntman Newspaper reporter, film marketer, author 2023 Actor Actress and dancer (attended) Professional wrestler Producer, writer, comedian (attended) Reporter Comedian 2021 Streamer 1986 Comedian and actor Television and film producer Comedian and actor; ASU baseball pitcher 1982 Actor Author, actress and content creator (attended) Filmmaker and writer Actor, filmmaker (attended) Media executive 2019 Actor, YouTuber 2014 Streamer Film and television producer, entrepreneur 2001 Producer and director 2008 Travel blogger and content creator Actor, played Biff Tannen in Back to the Future (attended) Actor and film producer 1996 Standup comedian Creator of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
Journalism + Name Class year Notes Ref. 1985 Founder of PolitiFact 1994 (MMC) Anchor for ITN, CNBC Europe, Bloomberg Television and CNN 2001 Sportscaster for ESPN Publisher of The Seattle Times 2009 (MMC) Anchor for CNN 1991 Executive editor of The Arizona Republic and editor-in-chief of USA Today; executive director, Local Journalism Initiative, ASU Media Enterprise 1980 Journalist, winner of the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting Television news anchor in El Paso, Texas (attended) Anchor for HLN 1987 Television news anchor in Los Angeles 1978 Investigative journalist and political candidate Television news anchor and actress (attended) 1962 Sportscaster 1973 Host of Horizon on KAET, ASU's TV station, 1981–2006 Anchor for HLN 2013 Reporter for NBC News and MSNBC Radio shock jock and host of Imus in the Morning Weather anchor for CNN International 1985 Radio personality Founder of the Phoenix New Times (attended) 2007 London correspondent for CBS News, Peabody Award winner Sports journalist and novelist TV news reporter 1953 Public TV executive at KAET and later KCET in Los Angeles Public radio executive 1966 Sportscaster TV news reporter 1970 TV news reporter TV news and sports anchor Thai TV journalist 2017 (PhD) Radio show host and journalism professor 1979 Sportscaster Meteorologist Journalist Sportscaster for MLB Network 1997 Sportscaster Sportscaster TV news anchor 1992 (MMC) College dean Photojournalist and winner of the Pulitzer Prize Native American multimedia journalist (MMC) Native American reporter
Literature + Name Class year Notes Ref. Poet (MFA) Author of The Amazing Adventures of Nate Banks series; play-by-play announcer and TV sports anchor (MFA) Author 1993 Author of Legally Blonde Novelist (attended) Poet and professor of English 1980 (M.Ed) Professor of English and novelist (MFA) Poet (MFA) Author Novelist Author Self-help author and motivational speaker (MFA) Nonfiction writer and poet Author, publisher of Red Hen Press Author of the novel Emily's Reasons Why Not, adapted into a TV series 1997 (MFA) Writer and book critic 2004 Novelist Novelist Novelist Science fiction and fantasy author 2005 Journalist and author Catholic apologist 2015 (MFA) Author Writer of children's books (MFA) Poet 1992 Author, won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Orphan Master's Son 2000 (MFA) Author, wrote An American Marriage Self-help writer and public speaker 1994 (MFA) Poet and professor of English Author and research librarian Writer of children's books Thai-American food writer and teacher (MM) Author of young adult fiction Science fiction author (MFA) Novelist and short story writer, professor of English at ASU (PhD) Poet 2004 (MFA) Writer Self-help author and Christian counselor (MFA) Short story writer Writer, newspaper reporter Author of crime fiction Author and documentary filmmaker 2017 (JD) Native American poet (MFA) Poet and professor of creative writing (MFA) Children's book author and illustrator Novelist (MFA) Filipina American fiction writer Writer and activist (attended) Winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry Science fiction writer 2019 Poet 1961 Writer, Arizona official state historian Author
Music + Name Class year Notes Ref. (MM) Principal tuba player for the San Francisco Symphony 2012 Member of the Village People, 1995–2017 (PhD) Conductor and violist 2006 Mezzo soprano 1993 Lead singer and songwriter for The Refreshments and Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers 2021 Rapper Concert pianist 1992 (MM) Composer and flautist (DMA) Conductor 1993 Bassist for The Refreshments; novelist Rapper, songwriter, and DJ; member of Odd Future (attended) Singer (attended) Founder and lead guitarist of The Gin Blossoms Kongos Alternative rock band composed of four brothers, all of whom graduated from ASU Singer Christian musician 2019 Singer Pianist Drummer for The Refreshments and Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers (DMA) Choral conductor and music professor Football player at ASU and singer (MM) Concert pianist Cellist and professor of cello; earned a BA in mathematics at 17 1987 (DMA) Composer and conductor Lead singer of The Tubes (attended) Operatic soprano 2005 (DMA) Organist and harpsichordist (DMA) Classical pianist Singer and banjo player (attended)
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