Jerry Brody A'50

Dr. Jacob Jerome Brody passed away on May 5, 2024. After he earned a certification in Fine Arts at Cooper, he continued his studies at the University of New Mexico, where he met his wife, Jean. He eventually became Professor Emeritus of Art History and authored 16 books on art history and anthropology. A renowned scholar, Jerry was a pioneer in his field and an early advocate for the sovereignty of Indigenous artifacts and knowledge systems. Read his full obituary here.

  • 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.