Stanford University is always at the top of the list when we consider the best and most prestigious ivy league schools in the world.
For so many students, it is the college of their dreams.
Many students have been given a platform by this college to pursue the most fulfilling vocations via their zeal and confidence.
Let’s look at 10 Stanford University notable alumni.
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1. Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods tops the list of prominent Stanford University alums. He is now ranked No. 1 worldwide and regarded as one of the most successful golfers.
After turning professional at age 21, he won his first event the following year. He quickly became the best golfer in the world and attained the top spot in the global rankings.
Tiger achieved a Stanford record-tying 11 victories in his two years at Stanford, including an incredible 8 victories in 13 starts in 1996.
He won the NCAA individual title in 1996 and received the Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year award.
2. Mukesh Ambani
One of the wealthiest persons in the world is Indian business mogul Mukesh Ambani, who has served as chairman of “Reliance Industries Limited.”
The fact that his business today commands the highest market price in India serves as evidence of his intellect and achievement.
Ambani applied to Stanford for an MBA but dropped out in 1980 to help his father run Reliance, which, at the time, was still a small but rapidly expanding company.
Mukesh’s father invited him back to India from Stanford to take charge of a project involving the manufacture of yarn for his business because he believed that real-life abilities were developed via experiences rather than by studying in a classroom.
He is one of Stanford University’s well-known noteworthy alumni.
3. Sundar Pichai
Computer engineer Sundar Pichai is the head of Google Inc. at the moment.
Following a corporate restructuring in 2015, Google, which focuses on Internet-related products and services, formed its parent company Alphabet Inc, with President Sergey Brin and CEO Larry Page.
Pichai, the head of products and engineering at Google, was appointed as the next CEO of the largest subsidiary of Alphabet Inc., Google.
Pichai began working for Google in 2004 as a product manager. He oversaw Google’s innovation efforts for several of its products, including the very successful Chrome OS and Google Chrome.
4. Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon is an American actress who has produced films and received academy awards. Witherspoon began acting when she was a teenager and took on several parts.
She was an English literature major at Stanford University but dropped out before finishing her degree to pursue a career in acting.
Witherspoon is one of the few actresses who has effectively balanced critical acclaim and commercial success. Witherspoon has also actively supported the Children’s Defense Fund and advocated for women’s and children’s rights worldwide.
5. Larry Page
Larry Page is an American businessman and scientist who co-founded Google Inc., which develops software and offers a wide range of online goods and services.
Google started as a web search company before expanding into other internet-related industries. Page graduated from Stanford with a degree in applied science.
Page’s passion for computers started early because he is the son of computer specialists. As a young youngster, he showed a strong interest in business, technology, and innovation.
6. Peter Thiel
Entrepreneur and novelist Peter Andreas Thiel hail from the United States. He was a co-founder of PayPal and served as its CEO until eBay bought the company.
Then he started “Clarium Capital” and co-founded firms like the working capital fund “Valar Ventures,” the working capital company “Founders Fund”, and the American private software company “Palantir Technologies.”
He co-founded the student publication “The Stanford Review” as a conservative libertarian and has given money to numerous politicians. Additionally, he established the “Thiel Foundation.”
7. Sally Ride
Being the first American woman in space helped Sally Ride, an American physicist and astronaut, become famous.
Ride spent some time earning degrees and expanding her expertise to be chosen for NASA’s program.
After completing her rigorous training with flying colours, she joined NASA for what would turn out to be a historic mission.
Ride was allowed to take an extended space voyage over four years, an opportunity she eagerly accepted.
The ride went on to have a distinguished career, returning to space multiple times and winning numerous prizes and accolades.
In her later years, she engaged in an extraordinary amount of charitable activity, most focused on ladies and young women.
8. Sergey Brin:
Sergey Brin is recognised all around the world as the co-founder of Google, arguably one of the most powerful tech companies in existence.
Brin’s academic story is closely connected with Stanford University, where he met Larry Page and started the research project which would later morph into Google.
Brin was pursuing his Ph.D. in Computer Science at Stanford around the time the idea of a search engine began to take shape. Like so many entrepreneurial leaders, Brin chose to drop out of the program to focus on the business.
Even though he did not finish his doctorate, he retained a close connection with Stanford.
9. Reed Hastings:
Reed Hastings, the co-founder and former CEO of Netflix, has a meaningful connection with Stanford University.
After graduating with his bachelor’s, Hastings enrolled for a Master’s degree in Computer Science, which he graduated from Stanford in 1988.
This time at the university helped shape Hastings’ technical skills and entrepreneurial mind. Hastings, like several tech entrepreneurs, graduated with a degree, but also used some of the skills he learned during this time to start several early ventures.
Today, his educational background is still evident in the data-driven, tech-forward approach likely to have made Netflix a global streaming giant.
10. Elon Musk
Elon Musk is a prominent businessman popular for his investments in X (formerly Twitter), Tesla, SpaceX, and numerous others. When it comes to his Stanford alumni status, it is essential to understand that he dropped out of his Stanford course.
Musk was selected in the prestigious Ph.D. program in Applied Physics and Material Sciences at the university, but he dropped out after only two days of joining.
He considers his risk to leave this PhD program as a calculated risk and focuses on his entrepreneurial interests.
While Musk may not have graduated from Stanford University, he has returned to the university to deliver different talks. Hence, his connection with the university remains intact.
