Among actors, journalists, activists and businessmen, IU has had plenty of students who have gone on to become famous alumni. Here’s a list of some that you may not have realized went to IU:
Actor Jonathan Banks is best known for his Mike Ehrmantraut in TV shows “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul,” but what some people might not realize is that he claims IU as his alma mater. Banks left Bloomington before receiving his degree, eventually landing his first job as a stage manager in a touring company of “Hair,” according to an IU Newsroom press release. Banks returned to Bloomington in April 2016 to receive an honorary doctoral degree.
Author Suzanne Collins received a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications and theater and drama from IU in 1985. Collins went on to write the popular “Hunger Games” trilogy.
Former E! News anchor Catt Sadler also attended IU, graduating with a degree in journalism. She went on to host popular E! TV shows, such as E! News, E! News Weekend and the Daily Pop. She made headlines in December 2017 when she left her longtime position at E! after learning of pay disparities between her and another E! anchor, Jason Kennedy.
Journalist Jane Pauley, the current anchor of CBS Sunday Morning, graduated from IU Bloomington in 1972 with a B.A. in political science. She’s well known for her 13 years on NBC’s the TODAY show and 12 years as co-host of DATELINE, according to an IU honors and awards website.
Businessman Mark Cuban donated $5 million in 2015 to IU Athletics to create a video, broadcasting and technology center. The Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology opened in Assembly Hall in 2017. Cuban received a B.S. in management from IU in 1981, according to a Kelley School of Business alumni relations page. Cuban is one of the “sharks” on the TV show “Shark Tank.” He is also the owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks.
After graduating from IU’s then School of Commerce and Finance, E.W. Kelley went on to purchase and grow one of America’s favorite fast food restaurants: Steak ‘n Shake. He continued to return after graduating in 1939 to help fund the School of Business and create numerous scholarships, which IU eventually renamed the school in his honor.
Author Meg Cabot graduated from IU with a degree in fine arts in 1991, according to her website. After moving to New York City, she published “The Princess Diaries,” a book series that eventually led to two Disney films. She also wrote other famous teen books, such as “All American Girl” and “Avalon High.”
While actress and transgender rights activist Laverne Cox did not graduate from IU, she did attend for two years before transferring to Marymount Manhattan College in New York City. She became the first openly transgender person to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award in an acting category for her work on the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black.”
Sportscaster Sage Steele graduated from IU with a B.S. in sports communication. She went on to host popular sports broadcasts, such as “SportsCenter” and ABC’s “NBA Countdown.” She currently works on “SportsCenter On the Road.”
