San José State University

San José State University, commonly shortened to San Jose State and SJSU, is the oldest university in what became the California State University system. The urban campus has an enrollment of about 30,000 students, and claims to have more graduates working in Silicon Valley than any other college or university.

Noted alumni

• Tariq Abdul-Wahad -- NBA player (played at SJSU as Olivier Saint-Jean)
• Bettina Aptheker -- Author, Professor, Political Activist
• Bernd Behr -- artist
• Lee P. Brown -- former Mayor of Houston, former Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Lindsey Buckingham -- musician best known for Fleetwood Mac
• Ben Nighthorse Campbell -- U.S. Senator from Colorado
• Christopher Darden -- prosecutor in the O. J. Simpson trial
• Robert V. Dees -- President of the Coast Community College District
• Dian Fossey -- ethologist and gorilla expert
• Jeff Garcia -- Quarterback, Calgary Stampeders, San Francisco 49ers, Cleveland Browns
• Krazy George Henderson -- professional cheerleader, inventor of the audience wave
• Mike Honda -- U.S. Representative from California
• Jayne Ann Krentz -- author
• Brian "Brain" Mantia -- drummer, Primus, Guns N' Roses
• Jessica McClintock -- fashion designer
• Gordon Moore -- co-founder of Intel (who spent 2 years at SJSC and then graduated from Cal)
• Joe Nedney, National Football League kicker
• Gaylord Nelson -- U.S. Senator and Governor of Wisconsin
• Stevie Nicks -- musician best known for Fleetwood Mac
• Ernie Reyes Sr. -- Martial artist
• Kurtwood Smith -- actor
• Tommie Smith -- 1968 Olympic gold medalist, best known for "Black Power" salute with fellow SJSC student and medalist John Carlos
• The Smothers Brothers, Tom and Dick Smothers -- comedians
• Amy Tan - novelist
• Peter Ueberroth -- head of 1984 Summer Olympics, Time 1984 Man of the Year and commissioner (1984-1989) of Major League Baseball
• Dick Vermeil -- American football coach
• Bill Walsh -- American football coach
• Michael Whelan -- artist
• David Willman -- reporter, winner of the 2001 Pulitzer Prize
• Hamza Yusuf -- Islamic scholar