KU School of the Arts | People | Distinguished Alumni

School of the Arts People header image

Distinguished Alumni

Mary Anne Jordan Mark Amin

Economics '72

Mark Amin has earned credit in over 50 feature films ranging from low budget independents to television films and major studio productions as vice chairman of Lionsgate Entertainment and CEO of Sobini Films. He founded what became Trimark which later merged with Lionsgate Entertainment. Under Amin's leadership, Trimark Holdings, Inc. developed into one of the entertainment industry's leading publicly traded, independent production and distribution companies. His film credits as executive producer included Eve's Bayou and he spearheaded the acquisition and distribution of Swimming with Sharks, starring Kevin Spacey and Frank Whaley. In 2002, Mark executive produced Frida with Miramax Films, which has garnered six Academy Award nominations. Sobini Films has produced independent films including The Prince and Me (2004), starring Julia Stiles and Peaceful Warrior (2006), starring Nick Nolte. Current films in production include Hemingway and Fuentes (2010). He established the Mark Amin Scholarship in Film for Iranian students within KU's Film and Media Studies Department. Amin earned his undergraduate degree in economics from KU in 1972 and an MBA from UCLA.


Ann Hamilton Ann Hamilton

Textile design '79

Video Profile

Ann Hamilton is a visual artist internationally recognized for the sensory surrounds of her large-scale multimedia installations. Noted for a dense accumulation of materials, her environments create immersive experiences that respond to the architectural presence and social history of their sites. Born in Lima, Ohio, in 1956, Hamilton received a bachelor's in textile design from KU in 1979 and an master's in sculpture from Yale University in 1985. Among her many honors, she has been a recipient of the Heinz Award, MacArthur Fellowship, Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship, NEA Visual Arts Fellowship and United States Artists Fellowship, and she was chosen to represent the United States at the 48th Venice Biennale. In 1992, she established her home and practice in Columbus, Ohio. She is a professor of art at Ohio State University.


The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability, status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University’s programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, IOA@ku.edu, 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785)864-6414, 711 TTY.