February 2014 Newsletter
IN THIS ISSUE
CUAA NEWS
THE COOPER UNION ALUMNI COUNCIL MEETING: FEBRUARY 20
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR FOUNDER’S DAY
CU@THURGOOD MARSHALL COURTHOUSE: MARCH 25
SCHOOL NEWS
PHONATHON 2014: MARCH 17 – MARCH 20
CU MOTORSPORTS UPDATE
COOPER COUPLES
FEBRUARY EVENT SUMMARIES
CU@THE MET
2014 MENSCHEL EXHIBIT
HACKCOOPER
2014 WREATH LAYING CEREMONY
CU@MCSORLEY’S
NEO NEW YORK
FLORIDA FOUNDER’S DAY
TEXAS FOUNDER’S DAY
ALUMNI PROFILES
JOE MARVULLO – A RETROSPECTIVE
MARILYN HOFFNER, A ’48 AND AL GREENBERG, A ’48
FEBRUARY CROWDFUNDING CORNER
UPCOMING EVENTS
COOPER UNION ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NEWS
THE COOPER UNION ALUMNI COUNCIL MEETING: FEBRUARY 20, 2014
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| WATCH RECORDED LIVE STREAM HERE |
The Council of The Cooper Union Alumni Association met in the Rose Auditorium on February 20th. Among the action items were:
- Founder’s Day Awardees Announced
- CUAA Constitution and By-Laws are Changing
- Council Nomination Election Slate
- A Question of Independence
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CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR FOUNDER’S DAY
Benefit Committee
Reach out to someone from your personal or professional network to tell them about Founder’s Day and get them to donate to this event.
Reach out to fellow alumni or friends who have businesses that may be interested in sponsoring the event, promoting their products, or donating their services.
Party Planning
Research food trucks, contact them for their schedules and pricing, and see if they would like to participate in our event.
Connect with alumni or parents groups or businesses (via Facebook or personal networks for example), and tell them about the opportunity to have a booth or table at Founder’s Day and see if they would like to set up and sell their products.
Reach out to musical groups or acapella groups, that have Cooper alumni, and see if they would like to perform.
If you have any personal contacts for events supplies and rentals, we are looking to get tents, tables, chairs, and miscellaneous furniture. If you have a big squishy couch or something fun that you can donate or lend to the Street Gallery Art Showcase portion of the event, let us know!
During the Day of the Event
| Registration/Information Desk: collect contacts and emails from interested alumni and the general public. Tell them about Founder’s Day and the opportunity to donate to the next event.We also need people to set up booths, assist with anything during the event, and clean up afterwords.
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EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT
|CU@THURGOOD MARSHALL COURTHOUSE: TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2014
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| The December offering of this event was so successful that it is being given a second time. The evening consists of a seminar and tour of the Thurgood Marshall US Courthouse, home of the Second Circuit of the US Court of Appeals. The courthouse recently underwent a complete infrastructure upgrade that added central AC and replaced all of the other MEP systems in the building. In order to do this, most of the chambers, court rooms, the two story high library and all of the public spaces were upgraded and renovated. It is not open to the public except through events such as this. By attending architects, engineers, and construction industry (AEC) professionals are eligible to receive two hours of continuing education credit.
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SCHOOL NEWS
PHONATHON: MONDAY, MARCH 17 – THURSDAY, MARCH 20
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| Please join fellow alumni, parents and students in volunteering to take part in The Cooper Union Phonathon. This year, calling will take place Monday, March 17th – Thursday, March 20th and we need your help. Register online to mingle with others in our Cooper family over food and beverages as we raise vital funding for our undergraduate students.Phonathon is a direct and impactful way to support Cooper students. As of mid-February, we have already raised $1.7 million through the Annual Fund and are well on our way to exceeding our goal of $2.7 million. Our giving is especially critical this year as every dollar raised above the Annual Fund goal will be solely dedicated to increasing merit and need-based scholarships for the undergraduate class entering in the fall of 2014.You may have already received our letter encouraging you to make your gift before Phonathon. If you have already responded, thank you. If not, you may make your donation online today. Please be as generous as you can. Students are relying on us more than ever. Donations of any amount are fully tax-deductible and critical to our success. |
CU MOTORSPORTS UPDATE
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| The Cooper Motorsports team is in the final stages of assembling our 2014 formula SAE racecar. Design work began last summer and continued into the fall semester. For the first time in several years, we performed rigorous simulations to optimize both suspension and powertrain systems. The new chassis design places the driver in a reclined position. Besides being more comfortable, this results in a lower center of gravity for the vehicle and allows for better handling. The new powertrain features a 3D printed intake manifold for reduced weight and even distribution of airflow to the engine cylinders.This will be the sixth time that our team has competed at the annual Formula SAE competition at Michigan International Speedway. This year we have dedicated ourselves not solely to building a car, but to building a team. We have placed extra emphasis on recruitment, organization, and communication. The results have been remarkable. With over thirty committed members, our team is the largest it has ever been. We have kept to our timeline up to this point and expect to meet our goal of having our first test drive on March 1.Another way we have sought to strengthen our team is through outreach events. During winter break, Cooper Motorsports collaborated with the mechanical engineering honors society, Pi Tau Sigma, to organize an outreach session with the Metropolitan Expeditionary Learning School. Over the course of three days, more than 120 middle schools students visited Cooper Union. We prepared three demo sessions involving energy conservation, the four stroke combustion engine, as well as a tour of our automotive lab. The students were most excited about seeing a real racecar and hearing an engine run! We are grateful to have this opportunity to explore STEM with younger students, hoping that many of them are inspired to pursue these fields in the future.We will be competing this year at the main Formula SAE event in Michigan. The competition is May 14th – 17th at Michigan International Speedway. In addition, we plan to bring our vehicle to local autocross events hosted by the Sports Car Club of America. Usually these events are held at Nassau Coliseum. We welcome alumni at our events.Daniel Bach, E ’15
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COOPER COUPLES
| At Cooper, we’re all about making connections. So, just in time for Valentine’s Day, we added a page to CUAlumni.com showcasing alumni who met that special someone during their time at The Cooper Union. Introducing, Cooper Couples! |
FEBRUARY EVENT SUMMARIES
CU@THE MET: JANUARY 25, 2014
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| We gathered for the first time this year, at the Met, in the room that photographers are allowed to shoot in – the Armor area, located on the first floor level of the Met. Then we proceeded to have refreshments and further sketching and photographing in the American Wing, where the Augustus Saint-Gaudens gilt sculpture of Diana is located.Sketches by Mary Lynch, ChE ’82 and Margaret Matz, AR ’83 |
THE 2014 BENJAMIN MENSCHEL FELLOWSHIP FOR CREATIVE INQUIRY EXHIBITION: FEBRUARY 4 – 13, 2014
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| The Benjamin Menschel Fellowship for Creative Inquiry opened its splendid exhibition February 4th (continued through February 13th). A crowd of several hundred attended the opening, where they had the chance to meet the fellows and discuss the six projects on display. This year they were also beguiled by a live performance of dombra (Kazakhstan’s two-string instrument) playing.
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HACKCOOPER: FEBRUARY 8, 2014
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| Cooper Union’s first student hackathon was a great experience for everyone involved. Over 100 students from across the New York City area joined us for 24 hours of hacking on projects ranging from robots to web apps. Students had access to 3D printers, a laser cutter, and over $1500 of hardware. They were advised by over 20 mentors, and had the chance to listen to a diverse set of tech talks. In the end, 27 high quality hacks were demoed, and $2800 in prizes were awarded by a panel of judges to the best projects.The create@cooper team would like to thank all the students, mentors, and sponsors who made hackCooper possible. We look forward to seeing each of you again!
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THE ANNUAL WREATH LAYING CEREMONY: FEBRUARY 11, 2014
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| At noon on February 11th, during club hours on the day before Peter Cooper’s birthday, the Cooper Union community came together to honor our founder, Peter Cooper. CUAA President John Leeper, AR ’85, Cooper Union President Jamshed Bharucha, and Chairman of the Cooper Union Board of Trustees Richard Lincer spoke to a crowd outside the Foundation Building. After a brief few words in the chilling cold, the Parks Department opened up Peter Cooper park briefly to put up the ceremonial wreath. Attendees accompanied them to the site, held up signs in protest of the recent pronouncements about the school, and left a red flag in front of the statue, a sentinel of the memory of the last few years.
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CU@MCSORLEY’S FOR PETER COOPER’S BIRTHDAY: FEBRUARY 12, 2014
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| On February 12th, Peter Cooper’s 223rd birthday, alumni and faculty convened upon our founder’s old haunt, McSorley’s.
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NEO NEW YORK: A WORKSHOP IN VISUAL THINKING: FEBRUARY 10 – 16, 2014
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| The Neo New York weeklong workshop, symposium and exhibition was organized by Rachel Mendelsohn, A ’14, Troy Kreiner, A ’14, and Sebastian Zimmerhackl. It brought together a cast of 34 students, designers, and artists from all around the world to explore the concept of visual thinking. To make it happen, they applied for fellowship money, crowd-funded the rest, and were able to pay all the workshop leaders, create a small publication on visual thinking and host a symposium. All of this culminated in the final exhibition.
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FLORIDA FOUNDER’S DAY 2014: FEBRUARY 16, 2014
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| On Sunday, February 16th, over 50 alumni, parents and friends of The Cooper Union gathered at the Boca Raton Beach Club for the annual Florida Founder’s Day, celebrating the 223rd anniversary of Peter Cooper’s birth. The celebration featured President Jamshed Bharucha and Dean Teresa Dahlberg who provided updates on everything from the current state of admissions to recent accomplishments of students across the three schools. Ron Drucker, CE ’62, joined President Bharucha as he played “Happy Birthday” on the violin and the group sang while Dean Dahlberg did the honors of blowing out the candles. Sue Eisenberg, CE ’62, spoke about the importance of planned giving and shared her intentions for a planned gift to Cooper. A big thank you also to the event hosts, Lauren, ChE ’80, and Gene Esnes, ME ’80. |
TEXAS FOUNDER’S DAY: FEBRUARY 22 AND 23, 2014
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| The inaugural Texas Founder’s Day took place over the weekend of February 22nd and 23nd at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort with nearly 30 alumni and guests. A committee of volunteers worked on the event for months and crafted a weekend full of activities. The event kicked off Saturday afternoon with a presentation by recent graduate Teddy Kofman, AR ’13, whose award winning thesis, 1 Station 4 Trees, was based in Houston. The evening continued with a reception featuring President Jamshed Bharucha and Dean Teresa Dahlberg. Dean Dahlberg shared the video of the Invention Factory project for the “rapid packing container.” Later in the evening, over classic Texas barbecue, the audience listened to the story of the ties between Rice University and The Cooper Union. Dr. Melissa Keane, Centennial Historian from Rice, shared her in depth research into the founding of the University and, ultimately, that the charter was a near exact duplicate of Cooper’s! The group gathered once again on Sunday morning for a farewell breakfast and is already looking forward to the next Texas Founder’s Day. |
ALUMNI PROFILES
Joe Marvullo – A Retrospective
Joe personally presented “Sax and Stripes.” (left) to former President Clinton and it hung in the alcove to the Oval Office in the White House during the Clinton Administration. The saxophone”Where there is light there is color and where there is color there is Joe Marvullo”
– Arts Editor, Norma Quarles, CNNJoe Marvullo, who attended The Cooper Union from 1965-1967 and left in good standing, was born in the Bronx in 1946, the son of first generation Italian Americans. His love of the arts began at a young age. As a result, he received a children’s art scholarship to the Museum of Modern Art. He went on to attend The High School of Art and Design and The Cooper Union majoring in Fine Art. He greatly appreciated the tutelage of his Cooper Union professors, once describing the faculty under whom he trained as “the Marines of the Art world.” He was awarded an Honorary Master of Science Degree in Professional Photography by the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, California. was Joe’s. He was also an accomplished saxophone player. |
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MARILYN HOFFNER, A ’48 AND AL GREENBERG, A ’48: A COOPER COUPLE FOR THE AGES
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| Marilyn Hoffner, A ’48, worked as a Corporate Art Director at Vision Incorporated and with Printer’s Ink magazine. She was the Director of Development and Alumni Relations at The Cooper Union for twenty-four years, serving the school from 1974 to 1999. She is credited with raising more than $50 million in a Capital Campaign for the school during the 1980s, playing an instrumental role in making the Stuyvesant Fish House part of The Cooper Union in the 1990s, and spearheading numerous exhibitions and projects at The Cooper Union.
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Al Greenberg, A’48
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| Albert Greenberg, A ’48, is an art director, advertising executive, and educator. He has been recognized by the Type Directors Club, AIGA, Graphis, and the Society of Illustrators in addition to receiving gold medal and distinctive merit awards from the Art Directors Club of New York. He was art director of GQ for 13 years and changed the look of the men’s fashion magazine to include exciting visual art. He then became vice president of Wells Rich Greene advertising, where his work included the design of the first New York State lottery ticket and the branding of Chex Party Mix.
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CROWDFUNDING CORNER
THE COZY: NICK WONG, ME ’11
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| Check out Nick Wong’s, ME ’11, project, The Cozy, on Kickstarter:The Cozy, from Radiator Labs, is a smart cover for your radiator that lets you control the temperature in your apartment from your phone.No more opening your windows when it’s freezing cold outside. No more waking up in the middle of the night because you’re sweating. Finally, a high-tech solution for a low-tech problem.The Cozy is a designer radiator cover that’s easy to install and Wi-Fi enabled, so you can use the Radiator Labs app on your smartphone to program times, set temperatures, and even activate vacation settings.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
2/26/14 ALUMNI CAREER SERVICES WORKSHOP: LINKEDIN FOR JOB SEARCHING
2/27/14 ENGINEERING MOCK INTERVIEW NIGHT II
3/17/14 PHONATHON 2014
3/20/14 ALUMNI CAREER SERVICES: INDIVIDUAL COACHING SESSIONS
3/27/14 GENERAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING
MORE INFO SOON
4/2/14 LUBALIN CENTER ARCHIVE EXHIBIT
MORE INFO SOON
4/13/14 FOUNDER’S DAY 2014:
4/13/14 THE PETER COOPER BLOCK PARTY
5/5/14 THE COOPER UNION ALUMNI COUNCIL MEETING
5/30/14 – 6/1/14 REUNION WEEKEND 2014 CLASSES 1964, 1974, 1989, 2004 AND 2009
