The Cooper Union: 147th Commencement Tuesday, May 23rd, 2006 The Cooper Union's 147th commencement on May 23rd included William Jefferson Clinton and Anna Deavere Smith as speakers, and honored Lee H. Skolnick (AR'79), Wangechi Mutu (A'97) and Albert Burstein (ME'59) with Presidential Citations and 2006 graduates Ryan Joseph Garrett, Daniel Meridor and Marissa Miracolo with top honors in their respective schools. Commencement address: Anna Deavere Smith Keynote address: William Jefferson Clinton President George Campbell Jr. presided over the 2006 commencement ceremony. Keynote speaker President William Jefferson Clinton offered advice to the graduates, citing Abraham Lincoln's 1860 Cooper Union address for inspiration. Chairman of the Board Ron Drucker (CE'62) introduced Swami Adiswarananda, the invocation speaker. Playwright, actress and performance artist Anna Deavere Smith gave an animated commencement address, urging the students to take responsibility for their world. Swami Adiswarananda gave the invocation. From left to right, Shekar Krishnan gave the student address; Daniel Meridor, Ryan Joseph Garrett and Marissa Miracolo received the top prizes in architecture, art and engineering, respectively. Trustee Robert A. Bernhard, Chairman Emeritus, with Presidential Citation in art recipient Wangechi Mutu (A'97). Trustee François deMenil with Presidential Citation in architecture recipient Lee H. Skolnick (AR'79). Trustee Stanley N. Lapidus with Presidential Citation in engineering recipient Albert H. Burstein (ME'59). A celebration in Peter Cooper Park was held after the ceremony.