37 Notable alumni of University of Antioquia
Updated: May 13, 2026 EliteDegrees
University of Antioquia is ranked #721 in the world and #3 in Colombia by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 37 notable alumni from University of Antioquia sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff. Many individuals affiliated with University of Antioquia won Nobel Prizes for Peace, in Physics, Chemistry, Physiology or Medicine, and Economics.
1. John Paul Ospina
1980-. (aged 46)
singer
songwriter
John Paul Ospina Morales, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, producer, actor and TV host. He is well known for his participation on Latin American Idol (Season 1), aired by Sony Entertainment Television Latin America, and for hosting the Latin version of E! News for E! Entertainment Television Latin America.
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2. Amilkar Acosta Medina
1950-. (aged 76)
politician
economist
Amilkar David Acosta Medina is a Colombian economist, and the 31st Minister of Mines and Energy of Colombia, serving in the administration of President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón. A former member of the Board of Directors of Ecopetrol and of the National Federation of Biofuels, Acosta was a professor of mining law at the Universidad Externado de Colombia, and had...
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3. Leonor Zalabata
1954-. (aged 72)
politician
Leonor Zalabata Torres is a Colombian Arhuaco politician, writer, chronicler and defender of human rights. Zabalata has worked for the vindication and rights of indigenous communities since her leadership role and was part of the Constituent Assembly of Colombia.
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4. Carlos Vieco Ortiz
1900-1979 (aged 79)
composer
Carlos Vieco Ortiz was a musician and composer from Medellín, Colombia. The open air theater on Nutibara Hill in Medellín is named after him.
5. Cecilia María Vélez
1952-. (aged 74)
economist
businessperson
politician
Cecilia María Vélez White is a Colombian economist, politician and business executive. She served as Colombia's Secretary of Education (from 1998) and Minister of Education from 2002 to 2010. Since 2011, she has been President of Jorge Tadeo Lozano University. In April 2021, she was appointed an independent board member of the Colombian petroleum company Ecopetrol.
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6. Iván Velásquez Gómez
1955-. (aged 71)
lawyer
Iván Velásquez Gómez is a Colombian lawyer, jurist, academic, politician and diplomat who has served as Ambassador of Colombia to the Holy See and the Order of Malta since 2025. He served as Minister of national defence and head of the international commission against impunity in Guatemala.
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7. Víctor Gaviria
1955-. (aged 71)
film director
screenwriter
Víctor Manuel Gaviria González is a Colombian film director, writer and poet. His four feature-length films are acclaimed and have won many international awards. He is the first Colombian filmmaker to be featured at the Cannes Film Festival.
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8. Andrés Cadavid
1985-. (aged 41)
association football player
Andrés Felipe Cadavid Cardona, known as Andrés Cadavid, is a Colombian footballer who plays for Envigado Fútbol Club.
9. Fidel Cano Gutiérrez
1854-1919 (aged 65)
journalist
politician
Fidel Cano Gutiérrez was a Colombian journalist, founder of El Espectador, Colombia's oldest newspaper.
10. Fernando González
1895-1964 (aged 69)
philosopher
judge
writer
Fernando González Ochoa, was a Colombian writer and existentialist philosopher known as "el filósofo de Otraparte" (The Philosopher from Elsewhere). He wrote about sociology, history, art, morality, economics, epistemology and theology in a humorous, and creative style, in various genres of literature. González is considered one of the most original writers of Colombia during the 20th century. His ideas were...
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11. Fernando Pérez
1944-. (aged 82)
film director
screenwriter
Fernando Pérez is a Colombian physicist, software developer, and free software advocate. He is best known as the creator of the IPython programming environment, for which he received the 2012 Free Software Award from the Free Software Foundation and for his work on Project Jupyter for which he received the 2017 ACM Software System Award. He is a fellow of...
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12. Jesús Abad Colorado
1967-. (aged 59)
photojournalist
Jesús Abad Colorado is a Colombian photojournalist. His work focuses on human rights and armed conflict.
13. Fabio Valencia Cossio
1948-. (aged 78)
diplomat
lawyer
politician
Fabio Valencia Cossio is a Colombian lawyer and politician. A Conservative party leader and politician, Valencia was first elected to Congress in 1982 as Representative for the department of Antioquia, continuing to be re-elected until 1991 when he successfully ran for Senate, where he rose to national prominence and was elected President of the Senate in 1998. In 2001, President...
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14. Teresita Gómez
1943-. (aged 83)
pianist
María Teresa Gómez Arteaga, also known as Teresa Gómez and Teresita Gómez, is a Colombian pianist and music educator.
15. Iván Marulanda
1946-. (aged 80)
politician
economist
Luis Iván Marulanda Gómez is a Colombian politician and economist. He was elected senator for the Colombian Green Party for the 2018–2022 term. He was previously a member of Colombian Liberal Party, where he was elected senator for four years (1986–1990). Liberals nominated him for Vice President of Colombia in the 2006 presidential election.
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16. Isabel Zuleta
1982-. (aged 44)
animal rights advocate
environmentalist
human rights defender
sociologist
women's rights activist
Isabel Cristina Zuleta López is a Colombian activist, environmental advocate, and politician. An outspoken defender of environmental, women's, and human rights, she is recognized for her leadership in grassroots movements resisting extractivist megaprojects and defending the rights of marginalized communities.
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17. Liborio Mejía
1792-1816 (aged 24)
politician
Liborio Mejía Gutiérrez was a Colombian colonel and politician during the struggle for Independence from Spain, and in 1816 Liborio Mejía became president of the United Provinces of the New Granada making him the youngest person to ever hold the presidency of Colombia at the age of 24. He was executed three months later during the Reconquista led by the...
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18. Francisco Maturana
1949-. (aged 77)
association football player
association football coach
Francisco Antonio Maturana García, also known as Pacho Maturana is a Colombian ex-football player and football manager. Under his management, Atletico Nacional was the first team of the nation to win the Copa Libertadores in 1989, and the Colombia national football team to win Colombia's first ever International title: the Copa America in 2001.
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19. Tomás Carrasquilla
1871-1936 (aged 65)
writer
Tomás Carrasquilla Naranjo was a Colombian writer who lived in the Antioquia region. He dedicated himself to very simple jobs: tailor, secretary of a judge, storekeeper in a mine, and worker at the Ministry of Public Works. He was an avid reader, and one of the most original Colombian literary writers, greatly influencing the younger generation of his time and...
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20. Mariano Ospina Pérez
1891-1976 (aged 85)
mining engineer
civil engineer
politician
Luis Mariano Ospina Pérez, commonly known as Mariano Ospina Pérez, was a Colombian politician and a member of the Colombian Conservative Party. He served as the 18th President of Colombia between 1946 and 1950.
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21. Julieth Restrepo
1986-. (aged 40)
model
television actor
film director
actor
Julieth Restrepo is a Colombian model and actress.
22. Gustavo Quintero
1939-2016 (aged 77)
singer-songwriter
musician
Gustavo de Jesus Quintero Morales, better known as "El Loko", was a Colombian singer-songwriter. He is considered one of the great representatives of the Colombian tropical music.
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23. Daniel Quintero
1980-. (aged 46)
politician
businessperson
electronic engineer
Daniel Quintero Calle is a Colombian politician who served as the mayor of Medellín between 2020 and 2023. Quintero was controversially suspended from 10 May to 21 June 2022 by inspector general Margarita Cabello Blanco for allegedly attempting to interfere in the 2022 presidential election. The youngest individual to hold that office thus far, Quintero was previously the Deputy Minister...
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24. Mariano Ospina Rodríguez
1805-1885 (aged 80)
lawyer
politician
journalist
Mariano Ospina Rodríguez was a Colombian politician, journalist and lawyer, founder of the Colombian Conservative Party and later President of Colombia between 1857 and 1861 during the Granadine Confederation.
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25. Pedro Nel Ospina Vázquez
1858-1927 (aged 69)
mining engineer
engineer
politician
Pedro Nel Ignacio Tomás de Villanueva Ospina Vásquez was a Colombian general and political figure. He served as president of Colombia between 1922 and 1926.
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26. Gonzalo Arango
1931-1976 (aged 45)
librarian
poet
journalist
philosopher
Gonzalo Arango Arias was a Colombian writer, poet, and journalist. In 1958 he led a modern literary and cultural movement known as Nadaism (Nothing-ism), inspired by surrealism, French existentialism, beat generation, dadaism, and influenced by the Colombian writer and philosopher Fernando González Ochoa.
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27. Ilia Calderón
1972-. (aged 54)
journalist
television presenter
Ilia Calderón Chamat is a Colombian journalist. Born in Chocó, Calderón currently works as the news anchor for Univision's national evening newscast Noticiero N+ Univision. She is also the presenter of the Univision weekly newsmagazine Aquí y Ahora.
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28. Carlos Gaviria Díaz
1937-2015 (aged 78)
lawyer
judge
university teacher
politician
Carlos Gaviria Díaz was a Colombian lawyer, professor and politician. He served as the 5th Chief Magistrate of the Constitutional Court of Colombia, where he served as a Magistrate from 1993 to 2001. After retiring from the Court he went into politics, becoming a Senator of Colombia in 2002, and running for President as an Alternative Democratic Pole candidate in...
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29. Karol G
1991-. (aged 35)
singer-songwriter
Carolina Giraldo Navarro, known professionally as Karol G, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Considered as one of the most influential reggaeton and urban pop artists, she has received awards including a Grammy, eight Latin Grammy Awards (including Album of the Year and Song of the Year) and five Billboard Music Awards. She was recognized as Woman of the Year...
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30. Álvaro Uribe Vélez
1952-. (aged 74)
lawyer
writer
politician
Álvaro Uribe Vélez CYC is a Colombian politician who served as the 32nd President of Colombia from the 7th of August, 2002 to the 7th of August, 2010. He is member and leader of the right-wing political party Democratic Center.
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31. Carolina Ramírez
1983-. (aged 43)
ballet dancer
actor
Carolina Ramírez is a Colombian actress. She is best known for her roles in television as La hija del mariachi, and her portrayal of revolutionary Policarpa Salavarrieta in La Pola.
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32. Feid
1992-. (aged 34)
songwriter
rapper
singer
record producer
Salomón Villada Hoyos, better known by his stage names Feid and Ferxxo, is a Colombian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Born in Medellín, Colombia, he has worked with several well-known singers including Bad Bunny, J Balvin, Sebastián Yatra, Manuel Turizo, Maluma, and Karol G.
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33. Julián Román
1977-. (aged 49)
television presenter
actor
television actor
Julián Edgardo Román Rey is a Colombian actor, has been involved in theater, film and television.
34. Rafael Uribe Uribe
1859-1914 (aged 55)
military personnel
politician
lawyer
diplomat
journalist
Rafael Victor Zenón Uribe Uribe was a Colombian lawyer, journalist, and general in the liberal party rebel army.
35. Enrique Gil Botero
1953-. (aged 73)
lawyer
politician
Enrique de Jesús Gil Botero is a Colombian politician and lawyer, who was a Magistrate of the State Council, rapporteur of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and a specialist in Administrative and Constitutional Law.
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36. León de Greiff
1895-1976 (aged 81)
musicologist
poet
journalist
diplomat
Francisco de Asís León Bogislao de Greiff Haeusler, was a Colombian poet known for his stylistic innovations and deliberately eclectic use of obscure lexicon. Best known simply as León de Greiff, he often used different pen names. The most popular were Leo le Gris and Gaspar Von Der Nacht. De Greiff was one of the founders of Los Panidas, a...
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37. Sergio Fajardo
1956-. (aged 70)
university teacher
politician
environmentalist
journalist
mathematician
Sergio Fajardo Valderrama is a Colombian politician and mathematician. He first entered politics in 2003 when he was elected Mayor of Medellín, the second largest city in Colombia and the capital of Antioquia. He was the mayor of Medellín from 2003 to 2007 and was recognized for transforming the city from a violent and impoverished place to a model of...
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