A Message from the Office of the President

Dear Cooper Union,

Beginning today, Michelle Marsh is joining the Office of the President (OOP) as our full-time, interim chief of staff. She will work directly with me to manage high-priority projects and help maximize the effectiveness of the institution and Office of the President, which also includes Melissa Marks-Shih, director of events, and Luisa Cruz, administrative manager. Michelle has held leadership roles as chief of staff and operations manager in nonprofit organizations and law firms for several years. As she joins The Cooper Union, she brings valuable experience in guiding teams through transitions, leading inter-organizational initiatives and strategic efforts, and developing policies and procedures.

Charlotte Wessell, also a member of the OOP team, has shifted to a part-time schedule and will continue to serve in the critical role as secretary of the Board of Trustees and the point of contact for all Board-related matters.

Please join me in welcoming Michelle as the newest member of the OOP team. We look forward to the team’s collective contributions across the many facets of The Cooper Union.

Malcolm King

  • 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.