Judy Woodruff to Give 2026 Commencement Address

Woman in red jacket with her arms crossed

The PBS NewsHour Senior Correspondent is a recipient of the Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in Television News.

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Students Look to the Ordinary in Copenhagen

Students with Acting Associate Dean Mersiha Veledar AR'03

Cooper architecture students traveled to Copenhagen for a collaborative workshop with peers from the Royal Danish Academy.

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Prof. Fred Fontaine Retires After Four Decades

Fred Fontaine

An electrical engineering professor, Fontaine served as chairman of the department, academic director for RPIE, and thesis advisor to dozens of students.

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Steven W. McLaughlin's Inauguration

Man receives medal from woman both in regalia

Steven W. McLaughlin was inaugurated as the 14th president of The Cooper Union on Friday, March 27, 2026 in the Great Hall. 

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Academy of Arts and Letters Awards Faculty and Alumni

Artist standing by paintings and a boat in a gallery

Three of the nine arts awardees honored by the American Academy of Arts and Letters for 2026 have connections to The Cooper Union's School of Art.

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Office of Admissions Mailing List

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Please join our mailing list to learn about our programs, community, and upcoming events.

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  • 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.