PBS NewsHour Senior Correspondent Judy Woodruff will give the keynote address at The Cooper Union's 166th commencement on Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. The ceremony, which will also be livestreamed for public viewing at www.youtube.com/cooperunion, will take place in Cooper’s historic Great Hall. 

“Judy Woodruff is one of the most trusted voices in American journalism. Throughout her distinguished career, she has elevated civic dialogue by bringing clarity and compassion to the complex issues and breaking headlines of our time,” said Steven W. McLaughlin, President of The Cooper Union. “At a moment when truth, trust, and thoughtful discourse are more essential than ever, her insights will challenge and inspire our graduates to engage the world with integrity, curiosity, and purpose.” 

McLaughlin added, “Judy’s presence at commencement feels especially fitting for The Cooper Union. Cooper’s 10th president, John Jay Iselin, played a pivotal role in shaping public media during his time as president of WNET where he originated “’The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour.’” 

“I am thrilled and honored to be joining the Class of 2026 for its commencement. In this year when the country observes its 250th birthday, and in this place where we’ve long celebrated Abraham Lincoln, Cooper Union represents the values that have helped make the United States the special place that it is; especially its founder’s determination that a good education would be accessible to all. I look forward to being with these graduates who will go on to create, innovate and build the America and the world that will be our future,” said Woodruff. 

A recipient of the Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in Television News, Woodruff’s career has spanned five decades, covering politics and 12 presidential elections at NBC, CNN, and PBS. She, along with the late Gwen Ifill, were named the first two women to co-anchor a national news broadcast, the “PBS NewsHour,” in 2013. It was a position she held for 12 years. In 2023, she took on the role of PBS News’ senior correspondent launching “America at a Crossroads,” a series that examines the country’s political divide. The series debuted with Woodruff's interview with President Biden and has continued with reports from nearly 30 states. The recipient of numerous awards, including the Peabody Journalistic Integrity Award, the Poynter Medal, and the Radcliffe Medal, Woodruff is a founding co-chair of the International Women's Media Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting and encouraging women in communication industries worldwide. She has served as a visiting professor at Duke University's Terry Sanford Institute of Public Policy and as a visiting fellow at Harvard University's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.