Dear Cooper Union Community, 

It is my honor to be writing you today, on the very first day of my time as the 14th president of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to be getting started! 

Truth be told, since being named president in April, I’ve spent several weeks visiting campus, spending time in the office, walking the buildings, stopping to talk with many, including students, and hearing about your work, this community, and what you think. I have already learned so much and I can already tell that I’m in the right place, alongside each of you. 

Back in April, when my selection as president was first announced, I had the pleasure of speaking for a few minutes to a gathering that included various faculty members, staff, and some students. I thought I’d share with you some sentiments I spoke of that day, as they’ve only deepened since then: 

Coming to Cooper Union feels like joining a mission—a calling. A place rooted in Peter Cooper’s radical idea that education should be “as free as air and water.” And where he said, “I look to the time when anyone shall have as good a chance to develop and improve their intellectual and moral nature as someone of wealth.” 

That idea has never felt more relevant—or more urgent. 

Higher education is under enormous pressure—financially, socially, morally. Trust in institutions is declining. Many believe higher ed has broken its promise: access to the highest-quality education at an affordable price. Yet, Cooper Union continues to show what’s possible. Since its founding, Cooper has welcomed students of all backgrounds and held firm to values of equity, excellence, and civic responsibility. Those aren’t just historic ideals—they’re our charge. 

The Cooper Union stands apart because you’ve doubled down on that charge. You’ve done incredibly hard work—work most places can’t or won’t do. Work most don’t have the courage to take on. But you have. Thank you to everyone who’s made sacrifices and shown relentless commitment to our students. 

So, what’s ahead? 

•    Finishing the return to full-tuition scholarships, not as a milestone, but as a lasting commitment. 

•    Deep investment in cross-disciplinary work. Cooper has always been ahead of its time, and we’ll work to further that. 

•    Engaging the world beyond our walls through study abroad, entrepreneurial pursuits, industry and nonprofit partnerships, and new ways of exploring how art and technology shape each other in an increasingly digital world and right here in New York City.

•    Building a campus culture that’s intellectually alive, whole-hearted, and fiercely inclusive. Free education means little if students, faculty, and staff don’t feel included in our Cooper community or don’t feel free to speak, question, stumble, and grow. 

I promise to listen, to learn, and—yes—to stumble. I won’t be perfect. None of us will. But if we lead with kindness, civility, and commitment to one another, we’ll continue building something worthy of the Cooper name. In my family, we have a saying: “Tend to the obvious.” So what’s obvious right now? 

I’m new to Cooper. I didn’t study here, and I haven’t taught here. I know that makes me an outsider, and with that comes healthy skepticism. But here’s what I’ve come to understand: Cooper Union is a place that values action over airs. A place where people roll up their sleeves in service of something bigger. That spirit—the grit, the purpose, the belief that nothing replaces hard work—is what drew me here. And  it’s what made me feel like I could belong. 

I’m an engineer. Some may wonder how I value art, architecture, the humanities, and social sciences. For the past decade, I’ve worked to flip the script—from asking how technology shapes the world to how the world must shape technology. I’ve built programs at the intersection of art, tech, and creativity, and worked to strengthen global competency through cross-cultural education and international research. So while I might geek-speak in systems and equations, I see power in form, story, and social impact—and I can’t wait to make and help build connections across all of Cooper’s schools. 

Transitions are a time to listen. A new president brings new style, new energy—and in my case, an occasional “y’all.” I’m in listening mode as I begin. I’ll spend the summer meeting as many of you as I can—students, faculty, staff, alumni—leading up to the fall semester, and I’ll do more of that once the semester begins. I want to hear your hopes, frustrations, aspirations, and ideas. Cooper Union has always been guided by the plain and simple ideal of “doing good”—through education, creativity, and public purpose. Let’s do good together—through our students, our work, and the way we care and are kind to one another. 

I am so grateful—and fired up—to be here. Thank you to Malcolm King, the Board of Trustees, and everyone who has been so welcoming already. Let’s write Cooper’s next chapter together. 

Steve McLaughlin 
President