The Cooper Fund Leadership Circle

The Cooper Fund Leadership Circle is a society recognizing individuals, families, and organizations giving $10,000 - $100,000 + to Cooper Union annually. Contact us to learn how you can become a member. 

Patrons $10,000 - $24,999

  • Innovator Society benefits and...
  • Assigned Development staff liaison to coordinate your philanthropy and engagement.
  • Listing on the Cooper Fund Leadership Circle donor wall in the lobby of the historic Foundation Building.
  • Invitation to select pre- and post-receptions for Great Hall events.
  • Exclusive access to special events including an annual virtual update with Interim President Malcolm King and other Cooper leadership on the state of Cooper Union.

Partners $25,000 - $99,999

  • The above and...
  • Premier naming space on the Cooper Fund Leadership Circle Wall.
  • Opportunity to name a current use scholarship leaving an impactful legacy on a Cooper student.
  • A private tour of Library archives with Mary Mann, Cooper Union Archivist.
  • Exclusive access to meet Dean’s and students at the End of Year Shows in May.

President's Circle $100,000+

  • The above and...
  • As leaders of our community, you are able to take advantage of a lasting legacy at Cooper Union with naming opportunities across physical spaces on campus and special recognition at events.
  • A special reception/private dinner with Interim President Malcolm King and members of the Board of Trustees (dinner at the Fish House around reunion or another major Cooper event).
  • Invitation to our annual celebration of The Lifetime Giving Awards Event to celebrate our top donors.
  • Private tours of campus upon request including the AACE Lab and archives.


Recognizing gifts to The Cooper Union during the past fiscal year—July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.

PRESIDENT'S CIRCLE 

$100,000+ 

The Estate of Jerome Ablon '60
Booth Ferris Foundation
Anne and Albert Chao
The Estate of Gloria De Gregoriis Crumrine
Vic ’63 and Eleanor DiFranco
Edward Durbin '48 and Joan Morris
The Estate of Charlotte Freeman-Shapiro '46
The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation
Jacques and Natasha Gelman Foundation
The Hearst Foundations
IDC Foundation
Stephanie and Timothy Ingrassia 
Elliott Kanbar
Alex '49 and Ada Katz
Ilan '65 and Barbara Levi
The Estate of Alfred G. Osterlund ’54 and Thelma L. Osterlund
The Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation 
George Reeves '64 and Ross Wisnewski
The Robin Hood Foundation
Carmin '55 and Adrienne Rosato
Walter Schepp
The Estate of William E. Setzler Jr. '50
Robert Sheridan '49
The Sheridan Family
Rochelle and Brian Steinwurtzel
UNTIL ALL ARE FREE
The Estate of George Wallerstein
Anonymous (5)

 

COOPER FUND PARTNERS 

$25,000 - $99,999 

Altman Foundation
Sidney J. Altschuler '57
Howard '70 and Nancy Amols
Daniel Arsham '03
Michael Borkowsky '61
Kevin '72 and Patricia Burke
Charles Cassella ’68 and Judith Cassella ’71
John P. Clarke '66
The Ciafone and Argento Family
Con Edison
William '76 and Sandra Cordiano
Richard and Jean Coyne Family Foundation 
James E. Craig '63
Chris Curro '15
Thomas '77 and Diane Driscoll
The Estate of Carla D. Farrar-Proebstl
Pam Flaherty
Forte Construction Corp.
Alan Fortier '79
Morris '66 and Amanda Gelb
Stephen '67 and Jane Gerard
Arthur '59 and Ruth Gerber
Aftab '97 and Ellen Hussain
Anthony '85 and Claire Ianno
Institute of Museum and Library Services
Jamie Levitt
John '69 and Mary Manuck
Joseph Marasco ’66 and Winifred Marasco ’66
David '74 and Doris May
Paul Millman '74
National Endowment for the Arts 
The New York Community Trust - Henry C. Enders Fund 
New York State Council on the Arts 
The Pinkerton Foundation
Melissa Prober and Dana Hughes 
Jesse Reiser ’81 and Nanako Umemoto ’83
Avery Singer '10
Laura and Andrew Sparks
Robert '65 and Barbara Spindel
Henry Sterne Trust
Joseph Sultan '76
Arthur Thomson '64
The Estate of Joseph Weishar
Stephen Welby '87
Andrew '88 and Mary Wilson
The Estate of Sylvia M. Winkler
Alfred Zacharias '53
Anonymous (1)  

 

COOPER FUND PATRONS 

$10,000 - $24,999 

Robert '54 and Linda Alwitt
Erich Arcement '97 and Nerina Garcia-Arcement
Vicken Arslanian ’95 and Rosette Khorenian ’93
Isaac Ashkenazi '02
Milton and Sally Avery Arts Foundation 
Laurie Balch '95 and Mark Balch '95
A. Robert Birmelin '54 and Blair Tillisch Birmelin
Ivan '62 and Diana Bottlik
James '79 and Natalie Bracken
Kenneth Bridbord '64 and Maryanne Lachat
Lia Vodja Brillhart '60
Eugene '64 and Susan Briskman
Curtis Browne '68
Mariam Cantelmi '95 and Frank Cantelmi '93
Kristine Chin '94 and Ricky Chu '92
John Chirico '86 
Brian Chun '01
The Family of Myron R. '42 and Corinne Coe
Thomas Crimmins ’08 and Christina Crimmins ’10 
Cross Ridge Foundation 
The Charles A. Dana Foundation
David L. Davis 62
Bruce Degen ’66 and Christine Degen ’68
Roberta and Deke Dening
Gautam '94 and Uma Desai
Doris and David Deutsch
Brickson Diamond
Elizabeth Diller '79 and Ricardo Scofidio '55
Carol and Joseph Dobronyi
Henry '92 and Suzanne Domenici
Michael Duffy '97
Jack Eichenbaum '63
Susan Eisenberg '62 and Benjamin Eisenberg '61
Annmarie Eldering '88
The Estate of Charles R. Erler '48
Jose Esteves '82
Judith Freyer
The Estate of Marion M. Fromm
Arun '76 and Kavita Goyal 
Richard G. Graven '52
Toni Howard and David Yarnell
Elise Jaffe + Jeffrey Brown
Malcolm '97 and Danielle King
Jimmy Kwong '80 and Pauline Yep 
Lynn '60 and Anne Lander
Jerry Lasky '69 and Priscilla Kimberly
Stephen '65 and Patricia Levee
Raul Llorente '66
Darrell '89 and Jenny Low
Peter Lung '70
Terence L. Magno ‘06
Susan Kamen Marsicano '61, in memory of Nicholas Marsicano
Kevin '78 and Nancy McQuade
Richard and Ronay Menschel
Carla Murray '00 and John Murray '94
Corinne Musa ’04 and Derek Musa ’03
National Endowment for the Humanities 
Ernest Nussbaum '50 and Patricia Pothier
The Estate of Edward Owen '42
Constantine '00 and Beth Plakas
Amanda Yuan Proctor '13 and Alexander Proctor '13 
Marshall '63 and Jane Rafal
Stephen ’63 and Josephine Rattien
Donald Rotunno '91 and Ann Bruns-Rotunno
Dean Sansone '89
Richard Schwartz '57
Donald '57 and Mary Lou Schwinn
Irma Sityar '83
Sean '85 and Penny Smyth
The John Ben Snow Memorial Trust
Stuart '55 and Etta Spater
William '74 and Louise Symington
James Tellefsen Jr. '77 and Martha Tellefsen
Edward Tirados '87
Joseph '69 and Deborah Trentacosta
Otokar von Bradsky '58
Gerald Wasserman '66
Leslie Wheelock
YC Foundation
Gilly Youner '82 and John Leeper '85
Stephen '68 and Nancy Ann Zavoluk
Martin '77 and Beth Zubatkin
Anonymous (5)

  • 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.