In Memoriam

Lucien Smith A'11

The abstract painter Lucien Smith passed away on September 8, 2026 at the age of 37.

Jay Maisel A'52

Jay Maisel passed away at the age of 95 after a long career as an acclaimed photographer. He was most known for his commercial and editorial photogrpahy and his masterful use of color and light, particularly in depictions of everyday life.

Joseph Fischetti ENG'62

Joseph Fischetti passed away at 96 years old in Toms River, NJ. After completing his military service in the United States Marine Corps., Joseph attended Cooper as a night school student for nine years until receiving his degree in 1962.

Marty Winter A'55

Marty Winter passed away at the age of 91 on May 28, 2026. He had a long career in advertising at many firms like Sudler & Hennessy and CBS. In the late 1980s, he co-founded an advertising agency with his friend, Jim Rothenberg, where he worked until retirement.

  • 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.