24 of the most successful Yale alumni of all time

Lauren Browning,Erin McDowellSep 24, 2020, 21:56 IST

Lupita Nyong'o.Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Yale University is one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country, and some of the nation's greatest minds once attended the school.
Five US presidents have attended Yale: William Howard Taft, George H.W. Bush, and George Bush were undergraduates, while Gerald Ford and Bill Clinton attended Yale Law.
Lupita Nyong'o attended Yale's coveted drama school and, just before her graduation, landed the role of Patsey in the Oscar-winning film "12 Years a Slave."

Founded in 1701, Yale University continues to be one of the top universities not just in the US, but in the world.

And its reputation is only enriched by the famous and successful people who come out of this Ivy League institution.

We've put together a list of the most successful Yale alumni ranging from Revolutionary War patriot Nathan Hale to Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong'o.

William Howard Taft became the first US president to attend Yale when he entered in 1874.

William Howard Taft. Popperfoto/Getty Images

Former President Bill Clinton graduated from Yale Law in 1973 with his then-girlfriend Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Bill Clinton. Getty Images/Samir Hussein

Hillary Rodham Clinton graduated Yale Law in 1973.

Hillary Rodham Clinton. Getty Images/Jemal Countess

After earning his degree from Yale in 2003, Ben Silbermann went on to co-found Pinterest.

Ben Silbermann. Brendan McDermid/Reuters

CNN's Anderson Cooper graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's in political science.

Anderson Cooper. Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

"American Horror Story" and "Black Panther" star Angela Bassett attended Yale on a scholarship.

Angela Bassett. Manny Carabel/WireImage/Getty Images

The father of Morse code — and the telegraph used to "speak" it — Samuel F. B. Morse studied mathematics and philosophy at Yale in the early 1800s.

Samuel F. B. Morse. Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis/Getty Images

Indra Nooyi graduated from the Yale School of Management in 1980 before becoming the CEO and chairperson of PepsiCo.

Indra Nooyi. Getty Images/Joe Raedle

Blackstone Group CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman got his bachelor's in 1969 and was a member of Skull and Bones at the same time as George W. Bush.

Stephen A. Schwarzman. Alex Wong/Getty

US Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor earned her Yale Law degree in 1979.

US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor. Associated Press

Nathan Hale, a Revolutionary War soldier and one of the first known American spies, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Yale in the 1770s.

A statue of Nathan Hale stands at the entrance to the Chicago Tribune Building. George Rose/Getty Images

Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman worked on the Council of Economic Advisers during the Reagan administration.

Paul Krugman. Ricardo Rubio/Europa Press/Getty Images

College friends of Janet Yellen remember her for her sharp intellect and authoritative presence on campus.

Janet Yellen. AP Images

American songwriter and composer Cole Porter attended Yale in the early 1900s.

Cole Porter. Frances McLaughlin-Gill/Condé Nast/Getty Images

Right before her graduation from the School of Drama in 2012, Lupita Nyong'o landed the role of a lifetime in the critically acclaimed movie "12 Years A Slave."

Lupita Nyong'o. Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images

Former President George H. W. Bush earned his bachelor's at Yale in 1948.

George H. W. Bush. Barry Thumma/AP

Former President George W. Bush entered Yale in 1964.

George W. Bush. Alex Wong/Getty Images

In 1975, Meryl Streep graduated from the Yale School of Drama, where she established herself as a star.

Meryl Streep. Xinhua/Li Muzi/Getty Images

Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, graduated from Yale Phi Beta Kappa in 1792.

Eli Whitney. MPI/Getty Images

Former President Gerald Ford turned down multiple offers to play in the NFL after his graduation from the University of Michigan — instead, he became a coach at Yale.

Gerald R. Ford. Don Carl STEFFEN/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images

Former President Gerald Ford turned down multiple offers to play in the NFL after his graduation from the University of Michigan — instead, he became a coach at Yale.

Allison Williams, one of the stars of HBO's "Girls," was very involved in theater while at Yale.

Allison Williams. Angela Weiss / Getty Images

Journalist Bob Woodward, from the class of '65, returned to his alma mater to teach an intensive journalism seminar to aspiring Yale journalists.

Bob Woodward. Michael Kovac/Getty Images

Hollywood legend and philanthropist Paul Newman dropped out of the Yale School of Drama in 1952 before completing his degree.

Paul Newman. Art Zelin/Getty Images

CNN's Fareed Zakaria graduated from Yale with a bachelor's degree in 1986.

Fareed Zakaria. Getty Images/Stephen Lovekin

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24 of the most successful Yale alumni of all time

William Howard Taft became the first US president to attend Yale when he entered in 1874.

Former President Bill Clinton graduated from Yale Law in 1973 with his then-girlfriend Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Hillary Rodham Clinton graduated Yale Law in 1973.

After earning his degree from Yale in 2003, Ben Silbermann went on to co-found Pinterest.

CNN's Anderson Cooper graduated in 1989 with a bachelor's in political science.

"American Horror Story" and "Black Panther" star Angela Bassett attended Yale on a scholarship.

The father of Morse code — and the telegraph used to "speak" it — Samuel F. B. Morse studied mathematics and philosophy at Yale in the early 1800s.

Indra Nooyi graduated from the Yale School of Management in 1980 before becoming the CEO and chairperson of PepsiCo.

Blackstone Group CEO Stephen A. Schwarzman got his bachelor's in 1969 and was a member of Skull and Bones at the same time as George W. Bush.

US Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor earned her Yale Law degree in 1979.

Nathan Hale, a Revolutionary War soldier and one of the first known American spies, earned his bachelor's and master's degrees at Yale in the 1770s.

Nobel Prize winner Paul Krugman worked on the Council of Economic Advisers during the Reagan administration.

College friends of Janet Yellen remember her for her sharp intellect and authoritative presence on campus.

American songwriter and composer Cole Porter attended Yale in the early 1900s.

Right before her graduation from the School of Drama in 2012, Lupita Nyong'o landed the role of a lifetime in the critically acclaimed movie "12 Years A Slave."

Former President George H. W. Bush earned his bachelor's at Yale in 1948.

Former President George W. Bush entered Yale in 1964.

In 1975, Meryl Streep graduated from the Yale School of Drama, where she established herself as a star.

Eli Whitney, the inventor of the cotton gin, graduated from Yale Phi Beta Kappa in 1792.

Former President Gerald Ford turned down multiple offers to play in the NFL after his graduation from the University of Michigan — instead, he became a coach at Yale.

Allison Williams, one of the stars of HBO's "Girls," was very involved in theater while at Yale.

Journalist Bob Woodward, from the class of '65, returned to his alma mater to teach an intensive journalism seminar to aspiring Yale journalists.

Hollywood legend and philanthropist Paul Newman dropped out of the Yale School of Drama in 1952 before completing his degree.

CNN's Fareed Zakaria graduated from Yale with a bachelor's degree in 1986.