Notable alumni
Academia
Ismar Schorsch (Class of 1957): Chancellor emeritus of The Jewish Theological Seminary (JTS) and the Rabbi Herman Abramovitz Professor of Jewish history. Jeff Trinkle (Class of 1979): professor and Chair of Computer Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; known for work in robotic manipulation, multibody dynamics, and automated manufacturing Robert Yerkes (Class of 1897): psychologist, ethologist and primatologist, worked in intelligence testing and field of comparative psychology; co-developer of Yerkes-Dodson law relating arousal to performance H. Craig Heller (Class of 1964): professor and chair of Biology at Stanford University; known for work in sleep, circadian rhythms, and thermoregulation
Arts
Larry Crabb (Class of 1965): author and psychologist; founder and director of New Way Ministries Jacob G. Francis (Class of 1891): author, historian, Church of the Brethren pastor, founder of Elizabethtown College Sam Keen (Class of 1953): author, professor of philosophy and religion, and former contributing editor of Psychology Today J.D. Salinger (attended 1937-38): author, most known for The Catcher in the Rye, Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction, Franny and Zooey and Nine Stories, a collection of short stories Linda Grace Hoyer Updike, (Class of 1923), author, mother of John Updike Wesley Updike, (Class of 1923) teacher, father of John Updike Lewis R. Linet, Jr. (Class of 1966): Founder of The Agency Of Ursinus College - Concert Production, Producer of The Philadelphia Folk Festival, Original Manager of Rock Group, KISS.
Athletics
Reds Bassman: football player
Steve Donahue (Class of 1984): men's head basketball coach at The University of Pennsylvania Tom Gormley (Class of 1917): player in American Professional Football League (which became the NFL in 1922) with Canton Bulldogs, Cleveland Tigers, Washington Senators and New York Brickley Giants Paul Guenther (Class of 1993): defensive coordinator for NFL's Oakland Raiders Jing Johnson (Class of 1916): pitched in Major League Baseball for Philadelphia Athletics Erma Keyes (1926–1999), All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player Dan Mullen (Class of 1994): Currently an analyst for ESPN; former head coach for University of Florida and Mississippi State University football teams. Debbie Ryan (Class of 1975): former head coach for women's basketball team at University of Virginia; member of Women's Basketball Hall of Fame Bob Shoudt (Class of 1988): professional competitive eater, aka Notorious B.O.B. Dean Steward (Class of 1938): professional football player, member of "Steagles", team that resulted from temporary merger between Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers due to league-wide manning shortages in 1943 brought on by World War II
Business
Joseph DeSimone (Class of 1986): chemical engineer, CEO of Carbon; 2008 recipient of Lemelson–MIT Prize, 2016 recipient of National Medal of Technology and Innovation Cynthia Fisher (Class of 1983): biotechnology entrepreneur
Government and Public Service
Alfred Alspach (Class of 1933): founder of Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster, Pennsylvania John R. Brooke, Union general of American Civil War and Spanish–American War Barrie Ciliberti (Class of 1957): Maryland House of Delegates legislator and Reagan administration appointee Ryan Costello (Class of 1999): former U.S. Representative for Pennsylvania's 6th congressional district (2015 to 2019) J. William Ditter Jr. (Class of 1943): Judge of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania Hermann Eilts (Class of 1943): former United States Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Egypt who assisted Henry Kissinger's Mideast shuttle diplomacy effort, worked with Egyptian President Anwar el-Sadat throughout the Camp David Accords, and dodged a Libyan hit team John Fichter (Class of 1975): Republican member of Pennsylvania House of Representatives George Geist (Class of 1977): Republican Party politician, who served in New Jersey State Senate Kim Guadagno (Class of 1980), former Lieutenant Governor of New Jersey Joseph Melrose (Class of 1966): former United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone Alan Novak (Class of 1971): attorney and former chairman of Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania William Preston Snyder, former president pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate and Pennsylvania Auditor General Linda M. Springer (Class of 1977): Director of United States Office of Personnel Management Lloyd H. Wood: 20th Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania from 1951 to 1955