Lou Manzione ChE’75

Running for: Alumni Trustee

Campaign Statement

Like many alumni, I believe that Cooper Union was a transformative experience in my life. I had no feasible path to a college degree until the thick envelope arrived from Cooper Union.  I went on to a doctorate at Princeton, a long career in Bell Labs Research, a dean of engineering role in Connecticut, and president of the Independent College Association of New Jersey.  I want to become an alumni trustee because I want to do all I can to ensure that generations of students to come, regardless of their ability to pay, will have the chance to experience the uniqueness and distinction that is The Cooper Union.  During my career at Bell Labs, I was a regular at mock interview nights.  I also enjoyed presenting seminars to engineering students encouraging them to use their Cooper Union education to reach for the heights of their profession; they will be superbly prepared to excel.  I am committed to President Sparks and the Board’s plan to Return to Free and I hope to use my extensive experience in both the corporate and academic worlds to help us get there on schedule and financially secure. The Cooper Union is a one-of-a-kind gem.  Let’s secure its path forward so many generations can benefit from its unique gifts.

Though not a Cooper Couple, my wife Linda and I both have such great memories of the years at Cooper Union – the fabulous Halloween parties in Wollman Lounge, visits to the Bottom Line and the great coffee shops on Bleecker Street.  We raised three sons (all engineers) and are enjoying our four grandchildren.  My upcoming retirement will allow me to devote the time and energy to make a difference for Cooper Union.  I would welcome your support to become an Alumni Trustee.

Biography

Lou Manzione had a career that spans both corporate research in Bell Labs, academics as a dean of engineering, and most recently as president of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in New Jersey.   In the role with the Independent Colleges, he worked closely with the leadership of the 14 Colleges and Universities that make up the independent sector of higher education in New Jersey.  He also engaged with NJ business leaders through the work of the Independent College Fund of New Jersey.  His previous role was the dean of the College of Engineering, Technology, and Architecture at the University of Hartford in Hartford, CT.   In this role, he had responsibility for accredited engineering and architecture programs.  Enrollment grew more than 50% during his time as dean, and he worked to develop many new business and industry connections.  He always taught at least one course per year to stay connected to his students, share his industry experience, and demonstrate support for the faculty of the college.  He was also the President of the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering.  Most of his career was spent at Bell Labs in Murray Hill, NJ where he worked in the areas of electronics, antennas, and manufacturing.   He was the founding Executive Director of Bell Labs in Ireland and moved to Ireland with his family to launch this major international location of Bell Labs.  He has 18 US patents and a number of these have been commercialized into millions of products in use around the world.   After receiving his B.E. degree in Chemical Engineering from Cooper Union in 1975, he went on to earn his PhD in Chemical Engineering from Princeton University in 1979.