At the start of each academic year, we introduce a few of the newly arriving students. Meet Rachel Lee, Zekaiya Whittington, and Eileen Ahmadpour as they share a little about their backgrounds, what brought them to Cooper, and what they’re most looking forward to as they embark on their courses of study.
 

Rachel Lee
Brooklyn, New York
Engineering

I think my interest in engineering has been part of a natural evolution. I have always enjoyed my math and science classes the most, so from a young age I envisioned a future in these fields. However, it was only in high school, through my extracurriculars, classes, and conversations with my teachers about their experiences, that I realized I wanted to study engineering in college. I was a part of my school’s Science Olympiad and Robotics teams, where I first experienced and grew really interested in the process of designing and building mechanical systems from the ground up. I spoke with my teachers about their college experiences, which helped me better understand what studying engineering in college entails. Now, I am excited to learn more about engineering and gain hands-on experience at The Cooper Union!

Being a New York City resident my entire life, I was already aware of The Cooper Union’s reputation for high-quality education and its generous mission. I looked into the college more and was absolutely thrilled at what I found out. The small class sizes, tight-knit community, and focus on hands-on, experiential learning really appealed to me. I feel so fortunate to have gotten into The Cooper Union and cannot wait to see what the future holds.

Most of all, I am looking forward to working and collaborating with other students and faculty members on real-world projects. When I was looking into The Cooper Union, I read articles about the various research projects being conducted by students. Reading about their projects’ impact on the larger community and even the world really inspired me to aim to do the same!  

This summer, I’ve been exploring the city and spending time with friends. After work, we try to visit a new hot spot or cultural center in the city we’ve never been to before. So far, we’ve visited several museums, cathedrals, and famous cemeteries!
 

Zekaiya Whittington
Queens, New York
Architecture

I have a fascination with everything to do with theme parks. I love everything about it, from the history to the scenic design. I have always wanted to be a part of a team that brings immersive experiences to life. I didn’t want to limit myself though. I thought that a focus on engineering or art was the only way I could get to be a part of the world of themed entertainment. I took different art and engineering courses throughout high school and found that I love the creativity in art and the problem-solving in engineering. I then found architectural design, which combined my favorite aspects of art and engineering respectively in so many different ways. With this major, my options in themed entertainment felt limitless in terms of what I could create. I discovered that architecture is not just buildings. It’s spaces that have the power to immerse people—whether it’s a theme park, a set design, an office building, or even a waiting room. 

My aunt attended The Saturday Program in the 90s and always talked about her experience at the school. My sister also attended The Saturday Program and encouraged me to apply. I was a little apprehensive about it because I thought engineering was my path. After discovering how much I liked the creative pockets I found in engineering, I decided to apply for the sculpture course that The Saturday Program had in 11th grade. I loved the environment, the creative freedom, the people, and pretty much everything about Cooper. I ended up going for my senior year, too. I was lucky enough to coincidentally have the same instructor, Kit, for both years in the program and she was one of the main reasons I felt confident in my home test. I met so many talented, like-minded people, some of whom I am entering Cooper alongside! The Saturday Program gave me a glimpse into what going to Cooper full-time would look like and it drew me into applying.

I am mainly looking forward to the intimacy of classes at Cooper. I’ve been in schools that have been on the smaller side all my life, and I like those smaller classes, but it’s never been tailored to what I’m interested in. I never really wanted to have an intimate group discussion about the mitochondria being the powerhouse of the cell. At Cooper, I am excited to be able to have classes that talk about something I’m passionate about, without feeling like just another audience member in a lecture hall.

Over the summer, I’ve been working at Casey’s Rubber Stamps. It’s the last stamp store in Manhattan. It’s about a 5-minute walk to Cooper so it’s been fun being able to walk around and get to know the neighborhood. I’ve been learning the art of making stamps from start to finish and I’ve probably made over 400 stamps while there. It’s a super niche and eccentric job, but I feel like it fits my personality pretty well!
 

Eileen Ahmadpour
Tehran, Iran
Art

Art represents my story.  I create images to express concepts that need to be seen or told. I chose art because it creates unity, embraces flaws, and celebrates talents. I see it as a therapeutic matter while also an empowering tool to impact the world. The process of exploring the unknown as a problem-solving mind is the factor that brings me to my purpose and sense of meaning. As an artist, rather than telling something new, I will challenge what already exists by my way of approaching it. I have been experimenting with art from a young age and I want to continue pursuing it in college.

I was talking to a friend of mine when I heard about Cooper. I found out that Milton Glaser was a student there and it made me curious to search more about the program. The more I found out, the more I was interested. I applied for the program and was thrilled to be admitted. I cannot wait to begin my journey at The Cooper Union. 

I’m excited by the program. The best part is the flexibility, which makes the Cooper experience unique. I can’t wait to take printmaking and graphic design courses and expand my perspective.

During the summer, I was mostly involved in the process of preparing for college. I am excited to be participating in an indie film project about adolescence and self-image that is still in production. Additionally, I tried different printmaking techniques like silkscreen and cyanotype, and I’m still learning about them.