Cooper Union facts for kids
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The Cooper Union's Foundation Building at Cooper Square and Astor Place in 2019
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| Type | Private college |
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| Established | 1859 |
| Accreditation | MSCHE |
| Endowment | $920 million (2021) |
| President | Laura Sparks |
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Academic staff
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57 (full time) (2017/2018) |
| Students | 800–900 |
| Location |
Manhattan, New York City
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New York
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United States
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| Campus | Urban |
| Colors | Maroon and Gold |
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The Cooper Union
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| Location | Cooper Square Manhattan, New York City |
| Built | 1858–59 |
| Architect | F.A. Peterson |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000540 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
| Designated NHL | July 4, 1961 |
Cooper Union, officially known as Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, is a special private college in New York City. It is located in Lower Manhattan on Cooper Square. Peter Cooper started this school in 1859. He wanted to create a place where anyone could get a great education.
Peter Cooper believed that top-notch learning should be available to everyone. It didn't matter their race, religion, gender, or how much money they had. He wanted it to be "open and free to all."
Today, Cooper Union has three main schools. These are the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture, the School of Art, and the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. The college offers programs in architecture, fine arts, and engineering.
For many years, Cooper Union gave a full scholarship to every student who got in. This meant they didn't have to pay tuition. In 2014, this changed, and now students receive a scholarship that covers half of their tuition. It's still a very hard school to get into, with only about 12% of applicants being accepted.
Contents
Discovering Cooper Union's History
How Cooper Union Began
The Cooper Union was started in 1859 by Peter Cooper. He was a very rich businessman in the United States. Peter Cooper grew up with little schooling himself. He became successful by inventing America's first steam railroad engine. He also made money from a glue factory and an iron foundry.
Cooper dreamed of giving talented young people a chance he never had: a good education. He wanted this education to be "open and free to all." To make this happen, he used most of his wealth to create The Cooper Union. In the early days, it was rare for people without much money to get advanced education. Cooper Union made sure that discrimination based on background was not allowed.
Growing and Changing Over Time
The Cooper Union first offered night classes for adults. These classes taught subjects like applied sciences and architectural drawing. There were also day classes, mainly for women, in photography and typing. The school also had a free reading room, which was the first of its kind in New York City.
Later, a four-year engineering college was added for men and some women. In 1902, a daytime engineering college opened with help from Andrew Carnegie. Many famous people studied here early on, including Thomas Alva Edison.
Over the years, the free classes at Cooper Union grew into three main schools. These are the School of Art, the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture, and the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. Since 1859, many artists, architects, and engineers have graduated from Cooper Union. Many of them became leaders in their fields.
The Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum was founded in 1897. It was started by Peter Cooper's granddaughters as part of Cooper Union.
Exploring Cooper Union's Buildings
The Historic Foundation Building
The Cooper Union's Foundation Building is a beautiful brownstone building. It was designed by architect Fred A. Petersen. This building was the first in New York City to use strong rolled-iron I-beams for support. Peter Cooper himself invented and made these beams.
The building was also the first in the world to be built with an elevator shaft. Peter Cooper was sure that elevators would be invented soon. He even designed the shaft in a circular shape, expecting cylindrical elevators. This building is now a National Historic Landmark.
The Famous Great Hall
The Great Hall is located in the basement of the Foundation Building. On February 27, 1860, a very important event happened here. Abraham Lincoln gave a historic speech to about 1,500 people on a snowy night. This speech helped him get nominated for president. It is now known as the Cooper Union Address.
Since then, many important people have spoken in the Great Hall. These include American Presidents like Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Barack Obama. Other famous speakers include Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Mark Twain.
The Great Hall is still an important place for art and public events. It hosts lectures and performances by many well-known figures. When it's not being used for big events, students and teachers use it for classes and activities.
Modern Changes: 41 Cooper Square
In 2002, Cooper Union decided to build a new, modern building. This new building, called 41 Cooper Square, replaced an older one. It was designed by Thom Mayne.
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Unlike the old Foundation Building, 41 Cooper Square has a modern, environmentally friendly design. It has nine floors above ground and two basements. The building has unique features like a tall Grand Atrium and many indoor windows. It also has a four-story central staircase and upper-level skyways. These features are meant to inspire students and teachers to interact.
The building's design allows for a lot of natural light. This helps save energy. In 2010, 41 Cooper Square became the first academic building in New York City to meet Platinum-level LEED standards for energy efficiency.
This new building mainly houses the School of Engineering and the School of Art. It has classrooms, labs, art studios, and offices. The top floor is entirely for art studios. The basement levels have machine shops, design labs, and a lecture hall called the Frederick P. Rose Auditorium.
How Cooper Union is Supported
A big part of Cooper Union's money comes from real estate. For example, the land under the famous Chrysler Building is owned by Cooper Union. This provides a lot of money each year to help support the school and its scholarships.
What Students Study at Cooper Union
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The Albert Nerken School of Engineering
The School of Engineering is named after Albert Nerken, a former student. It is the largest of the three schools, with about 550 students. This school offers Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degrees in different engineering fields. Students can also get a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE) degree. They can also study subjects like bioengineering or computer science.
The school has special labs for teaching and research. These include the Maurice Kanbar Center for Biomedical Engineering and the Maker Space Lab. This lab is used by engineering, art, and architecture students.
Master's in Engineering
The School of Engineering also offers master's degrees. Students can get a master's in chemical, civil, electrical, or mechanical engineering. Cooper Union students can even earn both their bachelor's and master's degrees in as little as five years.
The School of Art
The School of Art has about 200 students and 70 teachers. It offers a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degree. Students can also join exchange programs with other art colleges.
The art program at Cooper Union is known for being very open. Students don't pick a specific major in art. Instead, they can choose courses from any of the art departments. The program focuses on helping students develop their creativity and imagination.
Art Galleries
Cooper Union has galleries in public spaces and special rooms. These spaces are used to show art by students, teachers, and guest artists. Popular gallery spots include the Great Hall lobby and the 41 Cooper Gallery. The 41 Cooper Gallery is a tall space for large art pieces.
There are also many smaller exhibition spaces throughout the buildings. Video and digital art are shown in the Great Hall and the Rose Auditorium.
Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture
The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture at Cooper Union offers a five-year program. It was started by John Hejduk. The school believes in freedom of ideas and open discussions. It draws inspiration from famous schools like the Bauhaus school of Architecture.
The teachers here include well-known architects and design managers. Some former teachers include Peter Eisenman and Lebbeus Woods.
Master of Architecture II
A special master's degree program in architecture started in 2009. Students can focus on the history of architecture, urban studies, or new technologies.
Sports at Cooper Union
Cooper Union has a sports program with teams in basketball, volleyball, and soccer.
Famous People Who Studied Here
Many students who graduated from Cooper Union have gone on to achieve great things. They have won many awards, including:
- One Nobel Prize in Physics
- A Pritzker Prize (a top award in architecture)
- Fifteen Rome Prizes
- Many Guggenheim Fellowships and MacArthur Fellowships
- Several Emmy, Tony, and Grammy Awards
Since 2001, 39 students have become Fulbright Scholars. This shows how talented Cooper Union graduates are.
Notable Teachers at Cooper Union
Many famous and talented people have taught at Cooper Union. Some of them include:
- Raimund Abraham, an architect
- Thomas Eakins, a painter
- Peter Eisenman, an architect
- Hans Haacke, an artist
- Jonas Mekas, a filmmaker
- Aldo Rossi, an architect
- Nina Tandon, a biomedical engineer
See also
In Spanish: Cooper Union para niños
- Presidents of Cooper Union
- Association of Independent Technological Universities
