One of the fundamental beliefs of The Putney School is that students “work not for marks, badges, or honors; but to discover truth and to grow in human understanding and knowledge of the universe, to treasure the hard stretching of oneself, to render service.” Many of our accomplished alumni have embodied this philosophy as leaders in their respective fields, contributing their knowledge, skills and talent to make the world a better place.
Sam Amidon ’99
Musician
David Amram ’48
Composer
Tim Asch ’51
Anthropologist, filmmaker
Carlos Buhler ’72
Mountaineer
Tim Caldwell ’72
Olympic cross-country skier, son of John Caldwell
Dave Cole ’96
Sculptor
Carlton Cuse ’77
Television creator/writer/showrunner of LOST
Tim Daly ’74
Actor
Lydia Davis ’65
Writer, Man Booker International Prize recipient
Thulani Davis ’61
Playwright, journalist, librettist, novelist, poet, and screenwriter
Barnaby Dorfman ’86
Inventor, technology products
Mahdi ElMandjra ’50
Moroccan futurist, economist and sociologist
Kai T. Erikson ’49
Sociologist
David Griffiths ’60
Physicist, teacher
William B. Gray ’60
United States Attorney for Vermont
Andrea Gruber ’83
Soprano
William Hinton ’36
Author, agricultural advisor, People’s Republic of China
Joan Hinton ’39
Atomic physicist, dairy farmer in China
Lee Hirsch ’90
Filmmaker
Jeffrey Hollender ’73
CEO Seventh Generation Inc.
Reid Hoffman ’85
Web entrepreneur, co-founder of LinkedIn
Isaiah Jackson ’62
Conductor, music professor
Harper Simon ’90
Singer-songwriter, guitarist, producer, son of Paul Simon
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend ’69
Lieutenant Governor, Maryland
Kerry Kennedy ’77
Lawyer and human rights activist
Bill Koch ’73
Olympic cross-country skiing medalist
Mike Ladd ’88
Hip Hop Artist
Jonathan Lash ’63
Former Hampshire College President
Ellen Hamilton Latzen ’99
Actor
Téa Leoni (Pantaleoni) ’84
Actor
Christopher Lehmann-Haupt, ’52
Journalist, critic, novelist
J. Anthony Lukas ’51
Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author
Darius Marder ’92
Academy award-winning filmmaker
Sally Mann ’69
Fine-art photographer
Joanna Miles ’58
Emmy award-winning actress in The Glass Menagerie
Adrian Morris ’46
Painter
Errol Morris ’65
Filmmaker
Nell Newman ’78
Co-founder/owner, Newman’s Own
Heather Nova ’83
Musician and songwriter
Ted Osius ’79
Former U.S. Ambassador to Vietnam
Ken Olin ’72
Actor, director and TV producer
Bob Perelman ’64
Poet, literary critic and professor
Jonathan Piel ’57
Science journalist, past editor of Scientific American
Tyler Rasch ’06
Television personality
Noel Rockmore ’47
Painter, portraitist
Martha Rockwell ’62
Olympic cross-country ski racer
Jonathan Rosenbaum ’61
Film critic
Christopher Rowland ’80
Journalist
Demetria Royals ’73
Filmmaker
Jonathan Schell ’61
Author
Wallace Shawn ’61
Actor, playwright
Lucy Shelton ’61
Soprano
Alexis Stewart ’83
Television host, daughter of Martha Stewart
Peter Willcox ’72
Greenpeace activist, Arctic Sunrise captain
John Bell Young
American concert pianist
