Jim Henson
1936–1990 · Creator of the Muppets and Kermit the Frog
Henson's family settled in University Park, bordering College Park, in the late 1940s, and he enrolled at the University of Maryland. As a UMD student he created the TV program 'Sam and Friends' (1955) and built the puppet that became Kermit; he graduated in 1960. A statue of Henson and Kermit stands outside the campus student union.
Connection to College Park: Created his first Muppets and the proto-Kermit as a UMD College Park student.