9 famous people who went to New Hampshire colleges
Numerous famous people have attended colleges in New Hampshire over the years. Here are nine names you might recognize.
One of my favorite feelings is when you have a moment of clarity that makes you realize just how small the world really is—in a good way! Like the feeling you get when you find out that a famous person has a personal connection to the state you live in, either because they grew up in the area or studied at a local college. Being from New England, I’ve been spoiled by that experience on so many occasions that I eventually stopped keeping track.
These nine famous people are mostly newly established additions to my list, as I didn’t know until I started researching this piece that many of them attended college in New Hampshire. The exceptions here being Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley, as I’ve spent countless evenings listening to the two of them calling Bruins games over the years and was already familiar with their respective New England histories.
Honestly, this list probably could have featured 19 or 29 names instead of the nine I selected, as numerous individuals have attended New Hampshire colleges over the decades. I’ve kept this short and sweet, though, and tried to cover some notable names who’ve been working in their various industries (film & television, literature, sports) more recently.
1. Mindy Kaling
Actress, showrunner, comedian, and screenwriter Mindy Kaling grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and attended Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire. She graduated from the school in 2001 and remains an active alumnus. Most recently, Kaling offered financial support for Dartmouth’s revitalization project for the Hopkins Center for the Arts. The school’s new Mindy Kaling Theater Lab will officially open in October 2025.
2. John Irving
Author and screenwriter John Irving grew up in Exeter and attended the University of New Hampshire in Durham. He’s perhaps best known for his novels “A Prayer for Owen Meany” and “The Cider House Rules,” the latter of which was adapted into a movie. Irving wrote the script for the film adaptation and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay during the 72nd Oscars in 2000.
3. Shonda Rhimes
Screenwriter and television producer Shonda Rhimes, best known for creating popular shows like “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Scandal,” and “Private Practice,” received her bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College in 1991. While attending the school, Rhimes directed its Black Underground Theater Association. She formed her own production company, Shondaland, in 2004, and has executively produced other hit series like “Bridgerton” and “How to Get Away With Murder” through this endeavor.
4 & 5. Jack Edwards and Andy Brickley
Broadcaster and reporter Jack Edwards attended the University of New Hampshire and kicked off his career by serving as the play-by-play announcer for UNH’s hockey team while there. During his nearly 20-year career with NESN, Edwards provided commentary for the Boston Bruins, where he was joined by Andy Brickley.
Brick is a native of Melrose, Massachusetts, and played for several NHL teams, including the Bruins, during his professional hockey career. Brickley also attended the University of New Hampshire, where he played for the Wildcats from 1979 until 1982.
6. Connie Britton
Actress Connie Britton has starred in several popular television series throughout her career, including “Friday Night Lights,” “The West Wing,” and “Nashville.” Like some of the other additions on this list, Britton studied at Dartmouth College, where she majored in Asian studies. While attending the school, Britton was the roommate of Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, with whom she studied abroad in China.
7. David Harbour
“Stranger Things” and “Thunderbolts*” star David Harbour also studied at Dartmouth College (there seems to be a pattern here). He majored in Italian and drama, graduating in 1997. During his time at the Hanover school, he was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon. Harbour worked alongside fellow Dartmouth alumna, Rachel Dratch, during a comedic reading series that took place off-Broadway.
8. Rachel Dratch
Speaking of Rachel Dratch, the comedian, actress, and writer grew up in Lexington, Massachusetts, and attended Dartmouth College in the 1980s. She graduated from the school in 1988 with a major in psychology and drama. She was a classmate of Connie Britton and Kirsten Gillibrand (see? small world!) and was part of Said and Done, an improv comedy group on campus.
After graduating, Dratch continued her study of improv comedy in Chicago with the famed Second City enterprise before going on to join “Saturday Night Live” as a cast member from 1999 to 2006.
9. David Benioff
Last, but certainly not least, is screenwriter, novelist, and producer David Benioff. He is perhaps best known for co-creating HBO’s screen adaptation of “Game of Thrones” alongside his frequent collaborator D.B. Weiss. Benioff has written for several films, including “The Kite Runner,” “Troy,” and “City of Thieves,” to name a select few. He attended Dartmouth College and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature in 1992. While attending the school, he was a member of the Sphinx Senior Society and Phi Delta Alpha.
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