As the bicentennial year approaches, it is worth noting that Michigan comprises far more than just the largest and most modern assemblages of academic bricks and mortar under roof in the country, if not the world. Michigan also embraces one of the largest alumni groups in the country, if not the world.
While the athletic cohort of the alumni body represented in the pages of Wikipedia constitutes only 13% of all Michigan alumni pages, that cohort seems at times to be the primary face of the alumni profile presented to the public. While it is also true that there are some notable athletes in the alumni body the attainments of Michigan’s alumni are not so easily summarized. That alumni group is very accomplished and numbers among its members: the only alumni club on the moon, hundreds of Congressmen and United States Senators as well numerous artists. That group’s accomplishments are also represented by the dozens of Pulitzer prizes and fellowships (MacArthur, Guggenheim, Sloan) won by the members of that group.
The accomplishments of the alumni, in part because of the university’s size and despite its comparative youth as an institution, have a “market share” on Wikipedia which is rivaled by only 3 Ivy League schools. The aggregation of alumni is well over 6,000 pages…on a par with Yale and Columbia.
Whether you are a graduate, a current student, or an aspiring student, you might care to become acquainted with some of those alums:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:University_of_Michigan_alumni
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Michigan_Wolverines_athletes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:University_of_Michigan_Law_School_alumni
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:University_of_Michigan_Medical_School_alumni
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Ross_School_of_Business_alumni
By category, the alumni page count is roughly as follows:
Running Total
Alumni 3,701 3,701
Law School 705 4,406
Ross School 157 4,563
Med School 140 4,703
Football 775 5,478
Hockey 137 5,615
Basketball: men’s 125 5,740
Baseball 108 5,848
Track & Field 80 5,928
Swimmers 53 5,981
Softball 22 6,003
Golf: Men’s 11 6,014
Soccer: Men’s 10 6,024
Basketball: Women’s 9 6,033
Tennis 7 6,040
Wrestlers 6 6,046
Gymastics: Men 5 6,051
Soccer: Women’s 4 6,055
Gymnastics: Woman 2 6,057