Major Gift to Support Computer Science

Dear Cooper Union Community,

We are delighted to share some extraordinary news. The Albert Nerken School of Engineering has received a $4.97 million gift from Ira EE’76 and Joanne Chayut to support our new computer science program, which welcomed its first class of students this fall. The Chayut’s generosity represents one of the largest single donations in Cooper’s history and will sustain the growth of this new department for the next decade—funding faculty, student research, and the resources that make Cooper’s distinctive, hands-on model of learning possible.

Computer science (CS) is the school of engineering’s first new academic department in nearly a century. From the start, we designed this program to reflect the signature strengths of Cooper: small classes, project-based learning, close collaboration among students and faculty, and a critical engagement with the ethical and social dimensions of technology.

In recognition of the Chayuts’ gift, I am pleased to announce that students who entered the program this Fall 2025 semester through the entering class of Fall 2031 will be named Ira EE’76 and Joanne Chayut Scholars. The Chayuts’ generosity strengthens The Cooper Union’s position at the forefront of innovation at a time when software and computing have become integral to every field of engineering, and I would like to thank the Chayuts for their commitment to the impact that a Cooper education can have in the world. Their support will help ensure that our CS curriculum prepares graduates to enter their careers as innovators, collaborators, and industry leaders with a deep understanding of emerging technologies. It is an exciting step forward that not only advances our academic priorities within the school of engineering but also bolsters the potential for greater collaboration between CS and other disciplines across Cooper.

This major gift will also support Cooper’s long-term financial goals, allowing us to continue growing the CS program while remaining budget-neutral as we progress in our Plan to Return to Full-Tuition Scholarships.

On behalf of our entire community, we extend our gratitude to Ira and Joanne Chayut for their remarkable vision and commitment to The Cooper Union and to the future of engineering education.

Sincerely,
Steven W. McLaughlin                Barry L. Shoop
President, The Cooper Union      Dean, Albert Nerken School of Engineering
 

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.