Please nominate a living CUAA alumni who has excelled in the field of Art, Architecture, Engineering or Public Service. Individuals nominated before October 31, 2023 will be considered for the awards that are presented during the Founder’s Day Celebration in 2024.
If you want to check to see if the alum you are considering nominating has already won an award, you can do so here.
The Augustus Saint-Gaudens Award for professional achievement in art is presented annually to a graduate (or graduates) of the School of Art. Established in 1962, the award is named in honor of one of our most distinguished alumni of the school. He was admitted to The Cooper Union in 1861 at the age of 13 and was a friend of Peter Cooper’s.
The John Q. Hejduk Award, established in 2003, is given to a graduate of the Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture who has made an outstanding contribution to the theory, teaching and/or practice of architecture. The recipient reflects the passion and commitment that John Hejduk, Cooper Union faculty member from 1964-2000 and Dean of the School of Architecture from 1975-2000, had for architecture. Prior to 2003, architecture alumni were among those honored with the Augustus Saint-Gaudens Award.
The Gano Dunn Award for professional achievement in engineering, industry, science or finance is presented annually to a graduate of The Albert Nerken School of Engineering. Established in 1955, the award is named for Gano Dunn, who devoted a quarter century of service to The Cooper Union as a Trustee, as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and 15 years as President of The Cooper Union. He was an Electrical Engineer who received one of the first degrees in electrical engineering granted in the United States (he received that degree from Columbia University in 1889). He served as President of J.G. White Engineering Corporation. He directed construction projects around the world including the US Oil Base at Pearl Harbor and the rebuilding of Haiti following a massive earthquake. He is the recipient of both the Edison Medal and the Hoover Medal for his achievements in Engineering.
The Peter Cooper Public Service Award is presented annually to a graduate of The Cooper Union who best exemplifies Peter Cooper’s life of service to the public. This award was established in 2014.
Policies and Procedures
The Annual Founder’s Day Awards are awarded to living alumni of The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art. For those who are not aware of the policies and procedures of the award committees, please note: Committee members closely and carefully review the body of work, credentials, and contributions that each nominee has made to their profession and to the public, and base their decision on the merit of the nominee’s work. After careful review and consideration, each award committee deliberates and decides on a deserving recipient. Each committee works without outside influence, pressure or persuasion to arrive at a decision. If you know of an alumnus/a who is deserving of any of the alumni awards, we encourage you to nominate them; the committee members will do due diligence from that point forward. For purposes of fairness, we appreciate your not contacting any of the committee members to ask for their vote for any of the nominees. Thank you.