Announcing the 2019 CUAA Alumnus of the Year
Each year, the CUAA recognizes alumni who have provided exemplary service to The Cooper Union and to the CUAA. This year’s recipient of the Alumnus of the Year, Robert Tan AR’81, epitomizes that spirit. In more than two decades of service, he has worked with three Cooper Union presidents, four Alumni Directors, and countless trustees, alumni, and students.
2019 CUAA
Alumnus of the Year
Robert Tan AR ’81
Robert Tan AR’81 is a Partner at Gerrard + Tan Architects and a fixture at The Cooper Union. He served as an Alumni Trustee on the Cooper Union Board of Trustees from 2014 to 2018 and, before that, in numerous roles as part of the CUAA Council, including the Annual Fund, Events, Communications, Constitution, and John Q. Hejduk Award Committees.
Robert has been an ambassador for the Cooper community on and off campus—he and his wife have hosted several celebrations for Cooper Union staff and students in their home. Robert also served on the Presidential Search Committee that selected Laura Sparks.
Robert has been integral in efforts towards a Return to Free. He chaired the Cooper Union Gural Borkowsky Working Group, which was given only four months to study the School’s finances and come up with an alternative to charging tuition. Robert next chaired the Cooper Union Free Education Committee (FEC), which, in conjunction with Board, developed the plan for returning the school to full tuition scholarships within 10 years.