# The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is an Endowment / Foundation based in New York, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** New York, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 30 Cooper Square, New York, NY, United States
- **Founded:** 1859
- **Assets under management:** 1020 (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** cooper.edu
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/school/the-cooper-union/

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art was founded in 1859 by industrialist Peter Cooper. The college operates as an endowment-supported institution with a primary mission of providing accessible education in architecture, art, and engineering. The endowment holds the land under the Chrysler Building at 405 Lexington Avenue and other Manhattan properties including 41 Cooper Square and 51 Astor Place. Allocations include a 2.35 percent position in private equity alongside public equities and hedge funds. Cambridge Associates has served as investment advisor since 2012. Geographic focus remains New York with limited external exposure. The institution maintains 12 named real estate and collection assets valued in aggregate above $1.5 billion when including the Chrysler land at an estimated $800 million. Additional offices are absent. Laura Sparks serves as president. September 2024 saw termination of the RFR Holding ground lease and assumption of direct tenant collections. Governance centers on a board investment committee chaired by Judy Freyer that oversees external managers and real asset decisions. The structure separates the educational mission from endowment operations through dedicated finance and investment roles.

## Sectors

- Real Estate
- Education

## People

- Laura Sparks — President
- Jamie Levitt — Interim Chair of the Board of Trustees
- Judy Freyer — Chair of the Investment Committee

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art?

Judy Freyer chairs the Investment Committee. The board also includes Aftab Hussain as chair of the Finance Committee. Cambridge Associates provides ongoing advisory services.

### Does The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

The endowment maintains a 2.35 percent allocation to private equity through external vehicles. Direct holdings focus on Manhattan real estate including the Chrysler Building land.

### What is The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art's known posture on co-investments alongside external GPs?

The endowment uses Cambridge Associates for manager selection. No specific co-investment activity with external GPs is documented in available records.

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- [Finnish Industry Investment](https://altss.com/profile/finnish-industry-investment)
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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

Canonical page: https://altss.com/profile/the-cooper-union-for-the-advancement-of-science-and-art

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