Maureen Cogan earned her master's degree at the Columbia University School of Social Work in 1977. For almost two decades, she has provided outstanding service to the School of Social Work and to the University at large.

In 1981, she joined the School of Social Work's Advisory Council, a group of distinguished and diverse alumni/ae and leaders from New York and throughout the nation committed to advancing the School of Social Work and social welfare. As a member of the Council's Development Committee, she put her expertise in child advocacy and her philanthropic skills to excellent use, serving her alma mater with distinction. Firm in her belief that "to address many of our social problems is to address ourselves to child development and to the familial structures which contribute to it," in 1982, she established the Maureen A. Cogan Fellowship for students concentrating in the field of family and children's services. In 1983, she joined the National Committee of the Campaign for Columbia.

From 1984 to 1998, Ms. Cogan was chair of Art and Auction magazine. During that time, she received an invitation to join CUSSW's Development Council for the Center for the Study of Social Work Practice, a joint program of the School and the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services. By bringing together the nation's oldest school of social work and the nation's largest voluntary mental health social service organization, the Center bridges the gap between research and practice. It facilitates research in various aspects of social work practice, promotes research training and education, and disseminates research findings through conferences and publications.

In 1994, Ms. Cogan was elected a Columbia University Trustee. She currently serves on the committees on Educational Policy, the State of the University, and the Committee on Health Sciences, a joint Barnard-Columbia Trustee committee. She chairs the Subcommittee on Honors and Prizes and is vice chair of the Committee on Community Affairs. In addition, she is a member of the Executive Committee's subcommittee that meets each semester with the Senate Executive Committee to review issues of concern to the community.

Also in 1994, Ms. Cogan began her tenure as co-chair of CUSSW's Centennial Honorary Committee with fellow alumni/ae trustees (and Alumni Medalists) Marylin B. Levitt '73 '82DSW and the late Maurice V. Russell '50. The Committee's primary concern was the fund-raising program to be run in conjunction with the School's Centennial Celebration. Ms. Cogan was active as well in planning events and identifying speakers, topics, and alumni/ae awards suitable to mark the 100th anniversary of both the School and the profession.

The Honorary Committee's work began in 1995 and culminated in the School of Social Work's Centennial Celebration, June 11-13, 1998, at Low Memorial Library and the Crowne Plaza Manhattan Hotel. This event was attended by almost 900 alumni/ae and distinguished leaders from social work and allied fields. Ms. Cogan chaired the plenary session, "Visioning the 21st Century: Where Do We Go From Here?" with panelists Joseph T. Coyle of Harvard Medical School, Paul Goldberger of The New Yorker magazine, and Rebecca Rimel of Pew Charitable Trusts. At the Centennial Awards luncheon, she and co-chair Marylin B. Levitt spoke on behalf of Marian Wright Edelman, covering children's issues and the work of the Children's Defense Fund, on whose board Ms. Cogan serves as vice chair.