An open and expansive outdoor space on the eight floor of 41 Cooper Square, the Alumni Roof Terrace is an urban oasis with spectacular views of the New York City skyline. The Terrace bears the engraved names of alumni who made generous contributions to help Cooper Union construct our new academic building. Since opening in 2009, thisbreathtaking space hasbecome a populargathering place for students, alumni, parents and friends. The campaign has been enormously successful so far, with nearly 600 alumni raising almost $2.7 million.

Dr. Dorothy Hayes (A’78) is an alumna whose name is inscribed on the Alumni Roof Terrace. Born in 1935 in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Hayes moved to New York in 1957 to pursue a career in art. Dr. Hayes studied at Cooper’s night school while working as a commercial artist. Later, she was invited to join the faculty at the New York City College of Technology, where she taught for nearly 40 years while showing her work and curating major exhibitions. Dr. Hayes explains why she supported the Terrace: “I recognize that without my scholarship to Cooper, it would have taken me longer to achieve my goals in life. It’s important for me to give back to an institution that shaped me as an artist and a thinker.”

The Alumni Roof Terrace Campaign closes on December 31, 2011. There are 90 spaces left for alumni who would like to celebrate their experiences at Cooper with a permanent tribute in stone.To get involved, make a pledge of $2,500 to $20,000. Pledges may be paid in installments by December 31, 2014. Contact Brooke Bryant, Major Gifts Officer, to learn more: 212.353.4171 or bbryant@cooper.edu.