What does a billionaire entrepreneur, a famous actor, creator of Wikipedia, and bestselling authors have in common? Well it’s that they all attended Indiana University. Indiana University is full of surprises, especially when it comes to our alumni. You might not even know it but some celebrities you know once attended Indiana University. Some of these celebrities include Mark Cuban, Suzanne Collins, Meg Cabot, Jonathan Banks, and Jimmy Whales.Â
Mark Cuban
We all know Mark Cuban from the iconic TV show Shark Tank, where he’s known for his bold investments and sharp business instincts. But what else do we really know about him? Well you’re about to find out. Mark Cuban is a 1981 graduate from IU’s very own Kelley School of business making it his alma mater with donations totaling to around $14 million. Recently he donated roughly $5 million to establish our Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. In addition he has significantly funded the Rugby Team to about $6 million and provided substantial NIL funding to support football recruitment in 2024-2025. He truly believes that his success had started at IU and is so incredibly grateful that he would give anything he could to IU. Fun Fact he has openly expressed his enthusiasm towards Curt Cignanetti’s approach to team-building contributing to IU’s wins in college football.Â
Suzanne CollinsÂ
More famously known for her work on The Hunger Games, what else do we really know about Suzanne Collins? Suzanne Collins graduated from IU in 1985 with a Bachelor of Arts degrees in telecommunications and theatre and drama. She was famous around campus for constantly being on the campus radio, TV, and theatre buildings during her time at IU. This is where she recently developed her skills in storytelling and media that would later help her shape her career as a best selling author.Â
Meg CabotÂ
You may not recognize her as immediately as Suzanna Collins or Mark Cuban, but she’s also a bestselling author of The Princess Diaries. She graduated from IU in 1991 with a Bachelors of Arts in Fine Arts. During her time she lived in the Collins Living Learning Center. As we know Collins is known for its sustainability, the arts, and humanities majors who have shown excellent leadership. During that time she took writing workshops that later helped her get a jumpstart into her career. While also attending she worked at Viewpoint, a book and card store in College Mall like many other students balancing school with work.Â
Jonathan BanksÂ
More famously known for his acting roles in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, where he portrays the character Mike Ehrmantraut, Jonathan Banks also has a strong connection to Indiana University. Banks attended Indiana University in the mid-1960s before launching his acting career. During his time on campus, he studied theatre and developed performance skills that would later help him succeed in Hollywood. Although Banks did not graduate from IU, the university recognized his accomplishments by awarding him an honorary degree in 2016. His time at IU helped set him on the path that eventually led him to Los Angeles and into the entertainment industry. Banks has often credited his experiences studying acting at Indiana University as an important foundation for his long and successful career. Even after leaving IU, Banks has remained connected to the campus. He has returned multiple times to speak at the IU Cinema, visit classes, and engage with students interested in acting and film. One of his most notable roles at the university was serving as a Bicentennial Visiting Professor, further strengthening his ties to IU. Interestingly, Banks also has strong familial ties to the university, making Indiana University an important part of his personal story.
Jimmy WalesÂ
Who is this guy? What is he known for? Well what if I told you he’s the co-founder of one the most widely used websites in the world. Jimmy Whales is the co-founder of Wikipedia who attended IU in the late 1980s and early 1990s, where he entered the PhD program in finance at Kelley School of Business. During his time at IU, he studied finance and even taught classes while completing his graduate studies. Although he left the doctoral dissertation, his time at IU helped shape his interest in technology and the internet. In 2001, Wales launched Wikipedia making it one of the most widely used sources of information around the world. This platform now allows people to contribute and share knowledge, transforming how information is accessible online making a meaningful contribution to the world.Â
ConclusionÂ
Indiana University shaped a variety of paths of influential and creative individuals across a wide range of fields. From business leaders like Mark Cuban, best selling authors such as Suzanne Collins and Meg Cabot, to accomplished actors like Johnathan Banks, and tech entrepreneurs like Jimmy Whale, IU has played a huge role in helping individuals such as them gather the skills needed to get a head start in their careers. Although their careers and professions differ they all had a common starting point which was Indiana University. Their stories highlight not only how IU gave them opportunities, education, and experiences to inspire them at their current professions but how to also make meaningful contributions to the world. If you’re a current student at IU just know you’re walking on the same campus as some of these remarkable alumni.