Famous Boarding and Military School Alumni

Senator David Kelley was an Army and Navy Academy alumni.

Why Boarding and Military Schools Produce Influential Leaders

It may come as no surprise that many of the world’s most influential and prominent figures share a common educational foundation; they attended a boarding school or military school in the U.S. or one of the highly selective military service academies.

These institutions are more than just academic environments; they are top-notch learning laboratories designed to develop future leaders who lead with strong values, resilience, and a sense of commitment.

In this blog, we cite the notable and famous alumni who attended boarding schools in the U.S., along with military boarding schools for secondary education and the service academies for college. These notable alumni are trailblazers who often credit their educational experiences in military schools, boarding schools or the military service academies for their success.

Key Takeaways

• Leadership Development: Boarding and military schools put a high priority on character development and leadership training, preparing students for challenging roles. While some high school graduates enter the elite military service academies like West Point or Annapolis, others choose to attend Ivy League, as well as other top public and private colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad.
• Global Influence: Famous alumni from these U.S. boarding schools, military schools, and service academies span every industry, including business, government, professional sports, and the arts. Notable achievements by graduates are a testament to the self-discipline these students acquired in military or boarding high schools or at one of the five military service academies.
• The Academy Advantage: Private military boarding schools for boys, like Army and Navy Academy in California, offer a specialized college prep environment for boys in grades 7-12. Their approach is based on research and findings from brain science about how boys learn best and thrive. By incorporating JROTC leadership training and opportunities for dual enrollment and career preparation, boys move toward manhood, poised to enter high-demand fields of interest where they can make an impact. If they choose to do so, they can also gain an edge to enter the highly selective military service academies or receive scholarships to ROTC universities.

Why Boarding and Military Schools Produce Influential Leaders

Unlike most traditional public and private schools, boarding schools integrate critical life skills into every hour of the day. This 24/7 immersive experience cultivates grit, tenacity, and resilience. Students learn time management, accountability, and establish a moral compass that will guide them throughout their lifetime.

In addition, military schools in the U.S, in particular, emphasize developing the strategic thinking and character development necessary to maintain good mental health as they navigate complex challenges.

This unique blend of rigorous college-prep academics and a structured living environment cultivates the type of resilience highly sought after by college admissions and the professional world. Values like honor, integrity, respect, responsibility, gratitude, and compassion echo through the halls of these private military boarding schools.

Famous Alumni – Military Academies

Notable and famous alumni from military academies like the Army and Navy Academy (ANA), U.S. Military Academy (USMA), and the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) include: presidents, military leaders, athletes, astronauts, diplomats, business leaders, journalists, authors, actors, and other notable figures.

Below, you will find a sampling of famous military school alumni from each of these institutions for secondary education. As noted, these are college prep military schools that offer stellar JROTC leadership training, something that clearly differentiates these students on their college applications. Graduates matriculate to top colleges and universities, both public and private, as well as ROTC universities and the five highly selective military services academies: USMA, USNA, USCGA, USMMA, USAFA.

SPOTLIGHT:

Army and Navy Academy (CA):

• • Robert Beach (‘48): Judge and champion-level master swimmer.
  • Oliver Bell (’22): Child actor with significant roles on major network and cable series, particularly Salem and Westworld.

• Richard Boone (‘34): A prominent mid-20th-century actor, best known for starring roles in classic Western and dramatic television series, including Have Gun – Will Travel.

• • Carlos Bustamante (‘61): Former Mayor of Tijuana, Mexico.
  • William W. Crouch(‘59) Retired United States Army four-star general and former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army
  • Lauren Shuler Donner: Prolific Hollywood producer
  • Oscar Fitzgerald (’61): Served as a U.S. Navy historian, writing portions of the official history of the Vietnam War while at the Naval Historical Center. Later became Director of the Navy Museum in Washington, D.C., and worked extensively in decorative arts history, academia, and publishing, authoring books on furniture history and design.
  • Noah Gragson (‘17): Professional race car driver (NASCAR Cup Series driver), at high levels of motorsport.
  • Matt Hensley (‘89): Skateboarder Hall of Fame and band member of Flogging Molly

• William Katt (‘70): Best known for his starring role in the hit television series The Greatest American Hero, as well as for his work in film, television, and theater. His career made him a recognizable figure in American pop culture during the late 20th century.

• • Senator David Kelley (‘47): California State Senator and highly respected citrus rancher and agricultural leader.
  • William C. Kuebler (‘89): Nationally recognized civil rights attorney best known for his work defending Guantánamo Bay detainees and for landmark litigation involving constitutional rights, due process, and international human rights law.

• Marc McClure (‘75): Known for his roles in major Hollywood productions, including the Superman film franchise

• Victor Villaseñor (‘58): Acclaimed author best known for Rain of Gold, a nationally recognized work that explores family, immigration, heritage, and identity.
• Robert Hudson Walker (‘37): Appeared in several notable films during Hollywood’s studio era, including Alfred Hitchcock’s Strangers on a Train.
• Cody Zoschak (‘09): Senior analyst at ISD-US.

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• • Marine Military Academy (TX): George S. Bowman Jr., Major General in the Marine Corps and later Superintendent of the Academy 1972-1979; Dale Hellestrae: former NFL player; Josh Rushing, journalist (attended a summer program)

• Missouri Military Academy (MO): William Shockley: Nobel Prize-Winning Physicist; Charles Kuralt: Journalist; Robert McNamara: Former U.S. Secretary of Defense

• New Mexico Military Academy (NM): Owen Wilson: Actor; Sam Donaldson: retired reporter and news anchor for ABC News; Bronco Nagurski: NFL Player; Ernie Pyle: Journalist

• New York Military Academy (NY): Donald Trump: U.S. President; Francis Ford Coppola: Film Director; Stephen Sondheim: Composer and Lyricist
• Randolph Macon Academy (VA): General Walter E. Boomer: USMC, Retired; Major General William H. Gill: USA, Retired; Harlan Crow: real estate developer; Joel Shankle: 1956 Summer Olympics Bronze Medalist in the 110 Hurdles; VADM John Stufflebeem: USN, Retired
• St. John’s Northwestern (WI): Brandin Podziemski: NBA Golden State Warriors; Jonathan Woods: Executive Producer of Time Magazine; Daniel Gerber: Founder/President, Gerber Baby Foods
• Valley Forge Military Academy (PA): Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., General, Gulf War Commander; J.D. Vance, Vice-President of the U.S. and author; Michael Flynn, Former National Security Advisor

Service Academies:

• U.S. Naval Academy (USNA – Annapolis): Jimmy Carter: Former U.S. President; Alan Shepard: First American in space (NASA); Sunita Williams: Astronaut with record-holding spaceflight and spacewalks; Montel Williams: Media personality, actor, and activist.
• United States Military Academy (USMA – West Point): Dwight D. Eisenhower: Former U.S. President; H. Norman Schwarzkopf: Army general who led a 35-nation military coalition of nearly a million troops in liberating Kuwait during Operation Desert Storm in 1991; Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin: Air Force fighter pilot and NASA astronaut (1963-72)

Famous Alumni – U.S. Boarding Schools:

Here you will see a small sampling of famous boarding school alumni. Boarding schools are well-known for their rigorous academics and stand-out applications to Ivy League and other top colleges. With over 300 boarding schools in the U.S., there are large concentrations of boarding schools on the East and West Coasts.

• Culver Academy (IN): Hal Holbrook: actor; Admiral James B. Stockdale: Vietnam POW, Medal of Honor; Roy Harris Jr: Journalist, Pulitzer Prize Winner; Robert Baer, retired CIA officer and author

• Northwest School Seattle (WA): Liz Mair: political strategist; Emmett Shear: technologist and entrepreneur, cofounder of Justin.tv and Twitch; Stone Gossard: musician, Pearl Jam

• Phillips Academy Andover (MA): George H.W. Bush: Former President; George W. Bush: Former President; Samuel Morse: inventor; Humphrey Bogart: actor; Jack Lemmon: actor; Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.: Former Supreme Court Justice

• Thacher (CA): Howard Hughes: Aviator/Industrialist/Film Producer; Thornton Wilder: Pulitzer Prize Winning Author and Playwright; Riley Bechtel: Former CEO of Bechtel Corporation

• TMI Episcopal (TX): Cresson Kearny: Inventor; Henry E. Catto Jr.: ambassador; Douglas MacArthur: Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers; Bob Wheeler: member of the Texas House of Representatives

• Webb School (CA): Pete Seeger: Renowned folk singer, songwriter, and environmentalist; Richard Yates: Novelist known for Revolutionary Road; John Garvey: rocket scientist, founder of Garvey Spacecraft

What Army and Navy Academy Offers Your Son

At the Army and Navy Academy, every boy has the potential to be a leader. The approach is tailored specifically to how boys learn best and thrive on all levels. By combining a college-preparatory curriculum with a military-style leadership framework, this is discipline that lasts a lifetime.

ANA understands the male brain differences that affect learning and mental health, ensuring that your son isn’t just another student in a classroom; he is a cadet on a mission. As one of the best military schools in the country, Army Navy Academy in Carlsbad, California, offers a pathway to the world’s top universities and beyond.

Ready to start your son’s journey toward excellence?

Feel free to contact Army Navy Academy, located on a scenic beachfront campus in Carlsbad, California. The Academy offers a distinctive and rigorous college-preparatory experience for boys in grades 7–12. As a top-ranked boarding school for boys, a Gurian Center for Excellence, and a model JROTC school, ANA provides:

• Structured Daily Schedule
• Rigorous College Prep Classes
• Mandatory Study Time and Support
• Strong Counseling Support
• Stellar West Point-Style Leadership training
• Championship Level Athletics Program
• Mentorship and Guidance 24/7
• Dual Enrollment to Gain College Credits
• English Language Learning (ELL)
• Learning Strategies for Mild-to-Moderate learning differences
• Career Prep Programs: Aviation, Robotics, Culinary Arts, and More

Admission Office at 888.762.2338 or directly at 760.729.2385

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