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Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a
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research university A research university or a research-intensive university is a university that is committed to research as a central part of its mission. They are "the key sites of Knowledge production modes, knowledge production", along with "intergenerational ...
in
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1967 by a merger between Western Reserve University and the Case Institute of Technology. Case Western Reserve University comprises eight schools that offer more than 100 undergraduate programs and about 160 graduate and professional options across fields in STEM, medicine, arts, and the humanities. In 2024, the university enrolled 12,475 students (6,528 undergraduate plus 5,947 graduate and professional) from all 50 states and 106 countries and employed more than 1,182 full-time faculty members. The university's athletic teams, Case Western Reserve Spartans, play in
NCAA Division III NCAA Division III (D-III) is the lowest division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States. D-III consists of athletic programs at colleges and universities that do not offer athletic scholarships to student- ...
as a founding member of the
University Athletic Association The University Athletic Association (UAA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Member schools are highly selective universities located in Georgia, Illino ...
. Case Western Reserve University is a member of the
Association of American Universities The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of predominantly American research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Founded in 1900, it consists of 69 public and private ...
and is
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among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". According to the
National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...
, in 2019 the university had
research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in some countries as OKB, experiment and design, is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products. R&D constitutes the first stage ...
(R&D) expenditures of $439 million, ranking it 20th among private institutions and 58th in the nation. Case alumni, scientists, and scholars have played significant roles in many scientific breakthroughs and discoveries. Case professor
Albert A. Michelson Albert Abraham Michelson ( ; December 19, 1852 – May 9, 1931) was an American physicist known for his work on measuring the speed of light and especially for the Michelson–Morley experiment. In 1907, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics, ...
received the
Nobel Prize in Physics The Nobel Prize in Physics () is an annual award given by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences for those who have made the most outstanding contributions to mankind in the field of physics. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the ...
and became the first American to win a Nobel Prize in a science.


History


Western Reserve College (1826–1882) and University (1882–1967)

Western Reserve College, the college of the
Connecticut Western Reserve The Connecticut Western Reserve was a portion of land claimed by the Colony of Connecticut and later by the state of Connecticut in what is now mostly the northeastern region of Ohio. Warren, Ohio was the Historic Capital in Trumbull County. T ...
, was founded in 1826 in
Hudson, Ohio Hudson is a city in northern Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,110 at the 2020 census. It is a suburban community in the Akron metropolitan area. John Brown made his first public vow to destroy slavery here and the ci ...
, as the
Western Reserve College and Preparatory School Case Western Reserve University (CWRU) is a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. It was established in 1967 by a merger between Western Reserve University and the Case Institute of Technology. Case Western Reserve Univ ...
. Western Reserve College, or "Reserve" as it was popularly called, was the first college in northern Ohio. The school was called "Yale of the West"; its campus, now that of the
Western Reserve Academy Western Reserve Academy (WRA), or simply Reserve, is a private, midsized, coeducational boarding and day college preparatory school located in Hudson, Ohio, United States. A boarding school, Western Reserve Academy is largely a residential ...
, imitated that of Yale. It had the same motto, "Lux et Veritas" (Light and Truth), the same entrance standards, and nearly the same curriculum. It was different from Yale in that it was a
manual labor college A manual labor college was a type of school in the United States, primarily between 1825 and 1860, in which work, usually agricultural or mechanical, supplemented academic activity. The manual labor model was intended to make educational opportun ...
, in which students were required to perform manual labor, seen as psychologically beneficial. Western Reserve College's founders sought to instill in students an "evangelical ethos" and train ministers for Ohio, where there was an acute shortage of them. The college was located in Hudson because the town made the largest financial offer to help in its construction. That town, about 30 miles southeast of Cleveland, had been an antislavery center from the beginning: its founder, David Hudson, was against slavery, and founding trustee Owen Brown was a noted
abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...
who secured the location for the college. The abolitionist
John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid on Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...
, who would lead the 1859 raid on Harpers Ferry, grew up in Hudson and was the son of co-founder Owen Brown. Hudson was a major stop on the
Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was an organized network of secret routes and safe houses used by freedom seekers to escape to the abolitionist Northern United States and Eastern Canada. Enslaved Africans and African Americans escaped from slavery ...
. Along with
Presbyterian Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
influences of its founding, the school's origins were strongly though briefly associated with the pre-
Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the political movement to end slavery and liberate enslaved individuals around the world. The first country to fully outlaw slavery was Kingdom of France, France in 1315, but it was later used ...
movement; the abolition of slavery was the dominant topic on campus in 1831. The trustees were unhappy with the situation. The college's chaplain and Bible professor,
Beriah Green Beriah Green Jr. (March 24, 1795May 4, 1874) was an American reformer, abolitionist, temperance advocate, college professor, minister, and head of the Oneida Institute. He was "consumed totally by his abolitionist views". Former student Alexan ...
, gave four sermons on the topic and then resigned, expecting that he would be fired. President
Charles Backus Storrs Rev. Charles Backus Storrs (May 23, 1794 – September 15, 1833) was an American minister, abolitionist, and the first President of Western Reserve College and Preparatory School, now Case Western Reserve University and Western Reserve Acad ...
took a leave of absence for health, and soon died. One of the two remaining professors,
Elizur Wright Elizur Wright III (12 February 1804 – 22 November 1885) was an American mathematician and abolitionist. He is sometimes described in the United States as "the father of life insurance", or "the father of insurance regulation", as he campaigned t ...
, soon left to head the
American Anti-Slavery Society The American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS) was an Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist society in the United States. AASS formed in 1833 in response to the nullification crisis and the failures of existing anti-slavery organizations, ...
. Western Reserve was the first college west of the
Appalachian Mountains The Appalachian Mountains, often called the Appalachians, are a mountain range in eastern to northeastern North America. The term "Appalachian" refers to several different regions associated with the mountain range, and its surrounding terrain ...
to enroll (1832) and graduate (1836) an
African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...
student,
John Sykes Fayette Rev. John Frederick Augustus Sykes Fayette (c. 1810 – February 27, 1876) was an American and Canadian college-educated Presbyterian minister. Fayette attended Western Reserve College, present day Case Western Reserve University, beginning in ...
.
Frederick Douglass Frederick Douglass (born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey, February 14, 1818 – February 20, 1895) was an American social reformer, Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. He was the most impor ...
gave the
commencement speech In the United States, a commencement speech or commencement address is a speech given to graduating students, generally at a university, although the term is also used for secondary education institutions and in similar institutions around the ...
in 1854. In 1838, the
Loomis Observatory Loomis Observatory (also known as the Elias Loomis Observatory) is the second oldest observatory in the United States, located in Hudson, Ohio. Construction was completed in 1838. It is on the campus of Western Reserve Academy, a college prepara ...
was built by astronomer
Elias Loomis Elias Loomis (August 7, 1811 – August 15, 1889) was an American mathematician. He served as a professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Case Western Reserve University, Western Reserve College (now Case Western Reserve University), the ...
, and today remains the second oldest
observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysics, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. Th ...
in the United States, and the oldest still in its original location. In 1852, the
Medical School A medical school is a tertiary educational institution, professional school, or forms a part of such an institution, that teaches medicine, and awards a professional degree for physicians. Such medical degrees include the Bachelor of Medicine, ...
became the second medical? school in the United States to graduate a woman,
Nancy Talbot Clark Nancy Elizabeth Talbot Clark Binney (May 22, 1825July 28, 1901) was the second woman to earn a medical degree in the United States from a recognized (non-sectarian or allopathic) medical institution after Elizabeth Blackwell, graduating in 1852, ...
. Five more women graduated over the next four years, including
Emily Blackwell Emily Blackwell (October 8, 1826 – September 7, 1910) was an American physician and women's rights activist. She was the second woman to earn a Doctor of Medicine, medical degree at what is now Case Western Reserve University, after Nancy Talbo ...
and Marie Zakrzewska, giving Western Reserve the distinction of graduating six of the first eight female physicians in the United States. By 1875, Cleveland had emerged as the dominant population and business center of the region, and the city wanted a prominent higher education institution. In 1882, with funding from
Amasa Stone Amasa Stone, Jr. (April 27, 1818 – May 11, 1883) was an American industrialist who is best remembered for having created a regional railroad empire centered in the U.S. state of Ohio from 1860 to 1883. He gained fame in New England in the 1840 ...
, Western Reserve College moved to Cleveland and changed its name to Adelbert College of Western Reserve University. Adelbert was the name of Stone's son.


Case School of Applied Science (1880–1947) and Institute of Technology (1947–1967)

In 1877, Leonard Case Jr. began laying the groundwork for the Case School of Applied Science by secretly donating valuable pieces of Cleveland real estate to a trust. He asked his confidential advisor, Henry Gilbert Abbey, to administer the trust and to keep it secret until after his death in 1880. On March 29, 1880, articles of incorporation were filed for the founding of the
Case School of Applied Science The Case School of Engineering is the engineering school of Case Western Reserve University, a private research university in Cleveland, Ohio. It traces its roots to the 1880 founding of the Case School of Applied Science. The school was endowed ...
. Classes began on September 15, 1881. The school received its charter by the state of
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
in 1882. For the first four years of the school's existence, it was located in the Case family's home on Rockwell Street in
downtown Cleveland Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The economic and cultural center of the city and the Cleveland metropolitan area, it is Cleveland's oldest district, with its Public Square, Cleveland, Publi ...
. Classes were held in the family house, while the chemistry and physics laboratories were on the second floor of the barn.
Amasa Stone Amasa Stone, Jr. (April 27, 1818 – May 11, 1883) was an American industrialist who is best remembered for having created a regional railroad empire centered in the U.S. state of Ohio from 1860 to 1883. He gained fame in New England in the 1840 ...
's gift to relocate Western Reserve College to Cleveland also included a provision for the purchase of land in the
University Circle University Circle is a district in the neighborhood of University on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is home to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall (home to the Cleveland Orchestra), the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Cleveland ...
area, adjacent to Western Reserve University, for the Case School of Applied Science. The school relocated to
University Circle University Circle is a district in the neighborhood of University on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is home to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall (home to the Cleveland Orchestra), the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Cleveland ...
in 1885. In 1921
Albert Einstein Albert Einstein (14 March 187918 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who is best known for developing the theory of relativity. Einstein also made important contributions to quantum mechanics. His mass–energy equivalence f ...
came to the Case campus during his first visit to the United States, out of respect for the
physics Physics is the scientific study of matter, its Elementary particle, fundamental constituents, its motion and behavior through space and time, and the related entities of energy and force. "Physical science is that department of knowledge whi ...
work performed there. Besides noting the research done in the
Michelson–Morley experiment The Michelson–Morley experiment was an attempt to measure the motion of the Earth relative to the luminiferous aether, a supposed medium permeating space that was thought to be the carrier of light waves. The experiment was performed between ...
, Einstein also met with physics professor
Dayton Miller Dayton Clarence Miller (March 13, 1866 – February 22, 1941) was an American physicist, astronomer, acoustician, and accomplished amateur flautist. An early experimenter of X-rays, Miller was an advocate of aether theory and absolute space ...
to discuss his own research. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, Case School of Applied Science was one of 131 colleges and universities nationally that took part in the
V-12 Navy College Training Program The V-12 Navy College Training Program was designed to supplement the force of commissioned officers in the United States Navy during World War II. Between July 1, 1943, and June 30, 1946, more than 125,000 participants were enrolled in 131 colleg ...
which offered students a path to a Navy commission. Over time, the Case School of Applied Science expanded to encompass broader subjects, adopting the name Case Institute of Technology in 1947 to reflect the institution's growth. Led by polymer expert Eric Baer in 1963, the nation's first stand-alone Polymer Science and Engineering program was founded, to eventually become the Department of Macromolecular Science and Engineering.


Federation of two universities

Although the trustees of Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University did not formally federate their institutions until 1967, the institutions already shared buildings and staff when necessary and worked together often. One such example was seen in 1887, when Case physicist Albert Michelson and Reserve chemist
Edward Morley Edward Williams Morley (January 29, 1838 – February 24, 1923) was an American scientist known for his precise and accurate measurement of the atomic weight of oxygen, and for the Michelson–Morley experiment. Biography Morley was born in New ...
collaborated on the famous
Michelson–Morley experiment The Michelson–Morley experiment was an attempt to measure the motion of the Earth relative to the luminiferous aether, a supposed medium permeating space that was thought to be the carrier of light waves. The experiment was performed between ...
. There had been some discussion of a merger of the two institutions as early as 1890, but those talks dissolved quickly. In the 1920s, the Survey Commission on Higher Education in Cleveland took a strong stand in favor of federation and the community was behind the idea as well, but in the end all that came of the study was a decision by the two institutions to cooperate in founding Cleveland College, a special unit for part-time and adult students in
downtown Cleveland Downtown Cleveland is the central business district of Cleveland, Ohio, United States. The economic and cultural center of the city and the Cleveland metropolitan area, it is Cleveland's oldest district, with its Public Square, Cleveland, Publi ...
. By the 1960s, Reserve President John Schoff Millis and Case President
T. Keith Glennan Thomas Keith Glennan (September 8, 1905 – April 11, 1995) was the first Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, serving from August 19, 1958 to January 20, 1961. Early career Born in Enderlin, North Dakota, the son ...
shared the idea that federation would create a complete university, one better able to attain national distinction. Financed by the
Carnegie Corporation The Carnegie Corporation of New York is a philanthropic fund established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to support education programs across the United States, and later the world. Since its founding, the Carnegie Corporation has endowed or othe ...
,
Cleveland Foundation The Cleveland Foundation, based in Cleveland, Ohio, is the world's first community foundation and one of the largest today, with assets of $2.8 billion and annual grants of more than $100 million. The Cleveland Foundation partners with donors t ...
, Greater Cleveland Associated Foundation, and several local donors, a study commission of national leaders in higher education and public policy was charged with exploring the idea of federation. The Heald Commission, so known for its chair, former Ford Foundation President Henry Townley Heald, Henry T. Heald, predicted in its final report that a federation could create one of the largest private universities in the nation.


Case Western Reserve University (1967–present)

In 1967, Case Institute of Technology, a school with its emphasis on engineering and science, and Western Reserve University, a school with professional programs and liberal arts, came together to form Case Western Reserve University. In 1968, the CWRU Biomedical Engineering, Department of Biomedical Engineering launched as a newly unified collaboration between the Case School of Engineering, School of Engineering and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, School of Medicine as the first in the nation and as one of the first Biomedical Engineering programs in the world. The following year in 1969, the first Biomedical Engineering MD/PhD program in the world began at Case Western Reserve. The first computer engineering degree program in the United States was established in 1971 at Case Western Reserve. On August 18, 2003, the university unveiled a new logo and branding campaign that emphasized the "Case" portion of its name. The decision to put emphasis on the "Case" portion of the name was motivated by issues related to name recognition of the existing CWRU acronym, especially outside of northeast Ohio. In 2006, interim Chancellor (education), university president Gregory Eastwood convened a task group to study reactions to the campaign. The panel's report indicated that it had gone so poorly that, "There appear to be serious concerns now about the university's ability to recruit and maintain high-quality faculty, fund-raising and leadership." Also, the logo was derided among the university's community and alumni and throughout northeastern Ohio; critics said it looked like "...a fat man with a surfboard." On May 9, 2003, the 2003 Case Western Reserve University shooting occurred when Biswanath Halder entered the Peter B. Lewis Building of the Weatherhead School of Management where he killed graduate student Norman Wallace and wounded two professors. Halder took people in the building hostage, and they ran and barricaded themselves and hid during the seven hours that the gunman roamed the building, shooting indiscriminately. He was finally apprehended by a SWAT team. Halder was convicted on multiple felony counts and sentenced to life in prison; he lost a 2008 appeal. In March 2007, the Branding Task Group presented its recommendations; a key recommendation was to return a graphic identity that gave equal weight to both the "Case" and "Western Reserve" names. As part of this, the creation of a new logo and wordmark was also recommended, with an implementation group to work with various stakeholders to develop a replacement logo and wordmark. At a June 2nd meeting, the university's board of trustees approved a shift back to giving equal weight to "Case" and "Western Reserve". In an open letter to the university community, interim president Eastwood admitted that "the university had misplaced its own history and traditions" with the 2003 branding changes. Implementation of the new logo began July 1, 2007. The replacement logo, informally known as the "sunburst", would last until 2023. The "Forward Thinking" campaign was launched in 2011 by President Barbara Snyder and raised $1 billion in 30 months. The board of trustees unanimously agreed to expand the campaign to $1.5 billion, which reached its mark in 2017. The campaign ultimately raised $1.82 billion. A 2020 United States presidential debates, 2020 United States presidential debate, the first of two, was held at the Samson Pavilion of the Health Education Campus (HEC), shared by the Cleveland Clinic. In February 2020, president Barbara Snyder was appointed the president of
Association of American Universities The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of predominantly American research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Founded in 1900, it consists of 69 public and private ...
(AAU). Later that year, former Tulane University president Scott Cowen was appointed interim president. On October 29, 2020, Eric W. Kaler, former University of Minnesota president, was appointed as the new Case Western Reserve University president, effective July 1, 2021. On 2 June 2023, the 16 year old "sunburst" logo was replaced by a new logo which retained the sun element, but presented a more simple design, new fonts and brighter colors. The new logo was met with mixed feelings from students, some praising the font choice and colors. Others disliked the removal of the university's establishment year, 1826, present on the 2007-2023 logo, and the redesign of the sun image. The editorial board of Case Western Reserve's student paper, ''The Observer'', expressed overall dissatisfaction with the new logo, describing it as "bland" and "an embarrassment and stains the reputation of success that built our historic institution." Concerns were also expressed about the frequency of logo changes, as this was the third logo in 23 years. Such frequent changes could harm the university's image and brand consistency and lead to a repeat of the 2003 logo situation reoccurring.


Presidents


Campus

Case Western Reserve University's main campus is approximately 5 miles (8 km) east of Downtown Cleveland in the neighborhood known as
University Circle University Circle is a district in the neighborhood of University on the East Side of Cleveland, Ohio. It is home to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Severance Hall (home to the Cleveland Orchestra), the Cleveland Institute of Art, the Cleveland ...
, an area containing many educational, medical, and cultural institutions.


Case Quad

The Case Quadrangle, known also to students as the Engineering Quad, contains most engineering and science buildings, notably the John D. Rockefeller Physics Building. The Case Quad also houses administration buildings, including Adelbert Hall. The
Michelson–Morley experiment The Michelson–Morley experiment was an attempt to measure the motion of the Earth relative to the luminiferous aether, a supposed medium permeating space that was thought to be the carrier of light waves. The experiment was performed between ...
occurred here, commemorated by a marker and the Michelson-Morley Memorial Fountain. The southernmost edge consists of athletic areas—Case Western Reserve Spartans#Adelbert Gymnasium, Adelbert Gymnasium, Van Horn Field and the Veale Convocation, Recreation and Athletic Center (commonly referred to as the Veale Center). The Veale Center houses the Case Western Reserve Spartans#Horsburgh Gymnasium, Horsburgh Gymnasium and the Veale Natatorium.


Mather Quad

The Flora Stone Mather Quadrangle is located north of Euclid Avenue between East Blvd., East 115th Street, and Juniper Road. The Flora Stone Mather College Historic District is more strictly defined by the area between East Blvd, Bellflower Road, and Ford Road north of Euclid Avenue. Named for the philanthropist wife of prominent industrialist Samuel Mather and sister-in-law of the famous statesman John Hay, the Mather Quad is home to Weatherhead School of Management, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, School of Law, Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, and many departments of the College of Arts and Sciences (Case Western Reserve University), College of Arts and Sciences.


Transportation

On and near campus, CircleLink is a free public shuttle service in University Circle and Little Italy. For city public transit, rail and bus access are managed by the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA). The two Red Line (Cleveland), Red Line rapid train stations are Little Italy–University Circle station, Little Italy–University Circle and Cedar–University station, Cedar–University. Notably, the Red Line connects campus to Cleveland Hopkins Airport and Downtown Cleveland. The bus rapid transit (BRT) HealthLine runs down the center of campus along Euclid Avenue (Cleveland), Euclid Ave. Numerous RTA bus routes run through campus.


Academics

The university in its present form consists of eight schools that offer more than 100 undergraduate programs and about 160 graduate and professional options. * College of Arts and Sciences (Case Western Reserve University), College of Arts and Sciences (1826) * Case School of Dental Medicine (1892) * Case School of Engineering (1880) * Case Western Reserve University School of Law, School of Law (1892) * Weatherhead School of Management (1952) * Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, School of Medicine ** University Program (1843) ** Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine (College Program) (2002) * Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing (1898) * Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (1915) CWRU also supports over 100 interdisciplinary academic and research centers in various fields. Its graduate medical education includes Residency (medicine), residency and Fellowship (medicine), fellowship programs at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center (also known as University Hospitals Case Medical Center) and The MetroHealth System.


Undergraduate profile

The undergraduate student body hails from all 50 states and over 90 countries. The six most popular majors are Case Western Reserve University - Biomedical Engineering, biomedical engineering, biology/biological sciences, nursing, mechanical engineering, and psychology. Since 2016, the top fields for graduating CWRU undergraduate students have been engineering, nursing, research and science, accounting and financial services, and information technology. In 2023, the university received 39,039 applications. It extended offers of admission to 11,193 applicants, or 28.7%. 73% of admitted students were from outside Ohio and 13% from outside the United States. 1,544 accepted students chose to enroll, a yield rate of 13.8%. Of the 43% of incoming students in 2023 who submitted SAT scores, the total interquartile range was 1440–1530; of the 23% of incoming students in 2023 who submitted ACT (test), ACT scores, the interquartile range of composite scores was 32–35. Of all Matriculation, matriculating students, the average high school GPA was 3.8. 71% of admitted students graduated in the top 10% of their high school class.


Rankings

In ''U.S. News & World Report''s 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Ranking, rankings, Case Western Reserve was ranked as tied for 51st among national universities and 160th among global universities. The 2020 edition of ''The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education (WSJ/THE)'' rankings ranked Case Western Reserve as 52nd among US colleges and universities. In 2018, Case Western Reserve was ranked 37th in the category American "national universities" and 146th in the category "global universities" by ''U.S. News & World Report''. In 2019 ''U.S. News'' ranked it tied for 42nd and 152nd, respectively. Case Western Reserve was also ranked 32nd among U.S. universities—and 29th among private institutions—in the inaugural 2016 edition of ''The Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education (WSJ/THE)'' rankings, but ranked tied for 39th among U.S. universities in 2019. Case Western Reserve University's biochemistry program is jointly administered with the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, CWRU School of Medicine, and was ranked 14th nationally in the latest rankings by Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. Case Western Reserve is noted (among other fields) for research in electrochemistry and electrochemical engineering. The Michelson–Morley experiment, Michelson–Morley interferometer experiment was conducted in 1887 in the basement of a campus dormitory by
Albert A. Michelson Albert Abraham Michelson ( ; December 19, 1852 – May 9, 1931) was an American physicist known for his work on measuring the speed of light and especially for the Michelson–Morley experiment. In 1907, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics, ...
of Case School of Applied Science and Edward W. Morley of Western Reserve University. Michelson became the first American to win a Nobel Prize in science. Also in 2018, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' ranked CWRU's Department of Theater Master of Fine Arts program with the Cleveland Play House as 18th in the English-speaking world. In 2019, this ranking improved to 12th. In 2014, ''Washington Monthly'' ranked Case Western Reserve University as the 9th best National University, but in the 2018 rankings, Case Western Reserve was ranked the 118th best National University. In 2013, ''Washington Monthly'' ranked Case Western Reserve as the nation's 4th best National University for contributing to the public good. The publication's ranking was based upon a combination of factors including social mobility, research, and service. In 2009, the school had ranked 15th. Although ''Washington Monthly'' no longer ranks contributions to the public good as such, in its 2018 rankings of National Universities Case Western Reserve was ranked 180th in Social mobility and 118th in Service. In 2013, Case Western Reserve was among the Top 25 LGBT-Friendly Colleges and Universities, according to Campus Pride. The recognition follows Case Western Reserve's first five-star ranking on the Campus Pride Index, a detailed survey of universities' policies, services and institutional support for LGBT individuals. Case Western Reserve ranks 13th among private institutions (26th among all) in federal expenditures for science and engineering research and development, per the
National Science Foundation The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an Independent agencies of the United States government#Examples of independent agencies, independent agency of the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government that su ...
.


Research

Case Western Reserve University is a member of the
Association of American Universities The Association of American Universities (AAU) is an organization of predominantly American research universities devoted to maintaining a strong system of academic research and education. Founded in 1900, it consists of 69 public and private ...
and is
classified Classified may refer to: General *Classified information, material that a government body deems to be sensitive *Classified advertising or "classifieds" Music *Classified (rapper) (born 1977), Canadian rapper * The Classified, a 1980s American ro ...
among "R1: Doctoral Universities – Very high research activity". Following is a partial list of major contributions made by faculty, staff, and students at Case Western Reserve since 1887: * Case Western Reserve was the site of the Michelson–Morley experiment, Michelson-Morley interferometer experiment, conducted in 1887 by
Albert A. Michelson Albert Abraham Michelson ( ; December 19, 1852 – May 9, 1931) was an American physicist known for his work on measuring the speed of light and especially for the Michelson–Morley experiment. In 1907, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics, ...
of Case Institute of Technology and Edward W. Morley of Western Reserve University. This experiment proved the non-existence of the Luminiferous aether, ether, and provided evidence that later substantiated Albert Einstein, Einstein's special relativity, special theory of relativity *
Albert A. Michelson Albert Abraham Michelson ( ; December 19, 1852 – May 9, 1931) was an American physicist known for his work on measuring the speed of light and especially for the Michelson–Morley experiment. In 1907, he received the Nobel Prize in Physics, ...
, who became the first American to win a Nobel Prize in science, taught at Case Institute of Technology. He won the prize in physics in 1907. * Edward W. Morley, in 1895, made the most precise (to that date) determination of the atomic weight of oxygen, the basis for calculating the weights of all other elements. * Dayton C. Miller, in 1896, performed the first full X-ray of the human body—on himself. * George Washington Crile, George W. Crile, in 1905, performed the first modern blood transfusion, using a coupling device to connect blood vessels. * Roger G. Perkins, in 1911, pioneered drinking water chlorination to eradicate typhoid bacilli. * Claude Beck, Claude S. Beck, in 1935, pioneered surgical treatment of coronary artery disease. * Robert Kearns, in 1964, invented the intermittent Windscreen wiper, windshield wiper used in most modern automobiles. * Frederick Reines, in 1965, first detected neutrinos created by cosmic ray collisions with the Earth's atmosphere and developed innovative particle detectors. Case Western Reserve had selected Reines as chair of the physics department based on Reines's work that first detected neutrinos emitted from a Beta decay, nuclear reactor—work for which Reines shared a 1995 Nobel Prize. * Eric Baer, in 1967, pioneered the materials science of polymers and created the first comprehensive polymer science and engineering department at a major U.S. university. * In 1987 the first edition of the ''Encyclopedia of Cleveland History'' was published. * Roger Quinn, in 2001, developed robots such as Whegs that mimic cockroaches and other crawling insects Case Biorobotics Lab * Tshilidzi Marwala, in 2006, began work on Local Loop Unbundling in Africa. He also chaired the Local Loop Unbundling Committee on behalf of the South African Government. Furthermore, Marwala and his collaborators developed an artificial larynx, developed the theory of rational counterfactuals, computer bluffing as well as establishing the relationship between artificial intelligence and the theory of information asymmetry. * In 2007, a team from Case Western Reserve participated in the DARPA Urban Challenge with a robotic car named DEXTER. Team Case placed as one of 36 semi-finalists. * Case Western Reserve University researchers are developing atomically thin drumheads which is tens of trillions times smaller in volume and 100,000 times thinner than the human eardrum. They will be made with the intent to receive and transmit signals across a radio frequency range which will be far greater than what we can hear with the human ear. * Simon Ostrach and Yasuhiro Kamotani led spacelab projects entitled surface tension driven convection experiment (STDCE) aboard the Space Shuttle STS-50 and the re-flight STDCE-2 in USML-2 aboard STS-73 studying oscillatory thermocapillary flows in the absence of gravitational effects. * James T'ien has contributed to the study of numerous microgravity combustion space flight experiments including the Candle Flame In Non-Buoyant Atmospheres aboard the Space Shuttle STS-50 along with the reflight to Mir Orbiting Station in 1995, the Burning and Suppression of Solids (BASS) taking place aboard the International Space Station along with the experiment reflight (BASS-2). He received the NASA Public Service Medal in 2000. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and serves on the Committee of Biological and Physical Sciences in Space. Today, the university operates several facilities off campus for scientific research. One example of this is the Warner and Swasey Observatory at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona.


Electrochemistry

CWRU has contributed to the electrochemical sciences since the 1930s beginning with Frank Hovorka's studies of quinhydrone (quinone) and other electrodes. Subsequently, Ernest Yeager carried out pioneering studies on ultrasound electrodeposition and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), which is directly relevant for H2-O2 fuel cells and batteries that use air electrodes such as zinc-air, iron-air, etc. The Yeager Center for Electrochemical Sciences (YCES), formerly the Case Center for Electrochemical Sciences, has provided annual workshops on electrochemical measurements since the late 1970s. The leadership in the Electrochemical Society have frequently included CWRU professors, and the university is home to six Fellows of the Electrochemical Society. Some notable achievements involve the work on ultrasound electrochemistry, oxygen reduction fundamentals, boron-doped diamond electrodes, in-situ electrochemical spectroscopy, polybenzimidazole (PBI) membranes for high-temperature fuel cells (HT-PEM), methanol fuel cells, iron-based flow batteries, metal deposition studies, dendrite modeling and electrochemical sensors. Noted laboratories at Case include the Electrochemical Engineering and Energy Laboratory (EEEL), the Electrochemical Materials Fabrication Laboratory (EMFL), the Case Electrochemical Capacitor Fabrication Facility and the ENERGY LAB.


Sears think[box]

Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box] is a public-access design and innovation center at Case Western Reserve University that allows students and other users to access Prototype, prototyping equipment and other invention resources. The makerspace is located in the Richey Mixon building, a seven-story, 50,000 sq. ft. facility behind the campus athletic center. Over $35 million has been invested in space including in large part from a funding of $10 million from alumni Larry Sears and his wife Sally Zlotnick Sears. Larry Sears is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at CWRU and the founder of Hexagram, Inc. (now ACLARA Wireless Technologies). Many projects and startup company, startup companies have come out of the makerspace.


Student life

The primary area for restaurants and shopping is the University Circle#Uptown project, Uptown district along Euclid Ave adjacent to campus. Cleveland's Little Italy, Cleveland, Little Italy is within walking distance. A campus shuttle runs to Coventry Village, a shopping district in neighboring Cleveland Heights. Popular with students, Downtown Cleveland, Ohio City, Cleveland, Ohio City, Legacy Village, and Shaker Square are all a short driving distance or accessible by RTA Rapid Transit, RTA.


Music

WRUW-FM (91.1 FM) is the campus radio station of Case Western Reserve University. WRUW broadcasts at a power of 15,000 watts and covers most of Northeast Ohio. Case Western Reserve is also home to 19 performing ensembles. For performances, all students, ensembles, and a cappella groups use Harkness Chapel. The bands and orchestra also perform at Severance Hall (the on-campus home of the Cleveland Orchestra) and Cleveland Institute of Music, CIM's Kulas Hall.


Computing

Case Western Reserve had the first Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, ABET-accredited program in computer engineering. In 1968, the university formed a private company, Chi Corporation, to provide computer time to both it and other customers. Initially this was on a UNIVAC 1108, Univac 1108 (replacing the preceding UNIVAC 1107), 36 bit, Signed number representations, ones' complement machine. The company was sold in 1977 to Robert G. Benson in Beachwood, Ohio becoming Ecocenters Corporation. Project Logos, under ARPA contract, was begun within the department on a DEC System-10 (later converted to TENEX (operating system), TENEX (BBN Technologies, BBN) in conjunction with connection to the ARPANET) to develop a computer-aided computer design system. This system consisted in a distributed, networked, graphics environment, a control and data flow designer and logic (both hardware and software) analyzer. An Imlac PDS-1 with lightpen interrupt was the main design workstation in 1973, communicating with the PDP-10 over a display communications protocol written by Don Huff as a Master Thesis and implemented on the Imlac by Ted Brenneman. Graphics and animation became another departmental focus with the acquisition of an Evans & Sutherland LDS-1 (Line Drawing System-1), which was hosted by the DEC System-10, and later with the acquisition of the stand-alone LDS-2. Case Western Reserve was one of the earliest universities connected to the ARPANET, predecessor to the Internet. ARPANET went online in 1969; Case Western Reserve was connected in January 1971. Case Western Reserve graduate Ken Biba published the Biba Model, Biba Integrity Model in 1977 and served on the ARPA Working Group that developed the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) used on the Internet. It was the first university to have an all-fiber-optic network, in 1989. At the inaugural meeting in October 1996, Case Western Reserve was one of the 34 charter university members of Internet2. The university was ranked No. 1 in Yahoo!, Yahoo Internet Life's 1999 Most Wired College list. There was a perception that this award was obtained through partially false or inaccurate information submitted for the survey, and the university did not appear at all on the 2000 Most Wired College list (which included 100 institutions). The numbers reported were much lower than those submitted by Ray Neff in 1999. The university had previously placed No. 13 in the 1997 poll. In August 2003, Case Western Reserve joined the Internet Streaming Media Alliance, then one of only two university members. In September 2003, Case Western Reserve opened 1,230 public wireless access points on the Case Western Reserve campus and University Circle. Case Western Reserve was one of the founding members of OneCleveland, formed in October 2003. OneCleveland is an "ultra broadband" (gigabit speed) fiber optic network. This network is for the use of organizations in education, research, government, healthcare, arts, culture, and the nonprofit sector in Greater Cleveland. Case Western Reserve's Virtual Worlds gaming computer lab opened in 2005. The lab has a large network of Alienware PCs equipped with game development software such as the Torque Game Engine and Maya (software), Maya 3D modeling software. Additionally, it contains a number of specialized advanced computing rooms including a medical simulation room, a MIDI instrument music room, a 3D projection "immersion room", a virtual reality research room, and console room, which features video game systems such as Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii. This laboratory can be used by any student in the Electrical Engineering and computer science department, and is heavily used for the Game Development (EECS 290) course.


Housing

Freshman, First-year students are grouped into one of four residential colleges that are overseen by first-year coordinators. The Mistletoe, Juniper, and Magnolia residential colleges were established when the "First Year Experience" system was introduced, and Cedar was created in the fall of 2005 to accommodate a large influx of new students. In the fall of 2007, Magnolia was integrated into Mistletoe, however, it was later re-separated in the fall of 2012. The areas of focus for each college are – Cedar: visual and performing arts; Mistletoe: service leadership; Juniper: multiculturalism and Magnolia: sustainability.


Greek life

Nearly one-half of the campus undergraduates are said to be in a fraternities and sororities, fraternity or sorority. There are dozens of Greek organizations on campus.


Safety and security


Office of Emergency Management

The Office of Emergency Management prepares for various levels of emergencies on campus, such as chemical spills, severe weather, infectious diseases, and security threats. RAVE, a multi-platform emergency alerting system, is operated by Emergency Management for issuing emergency alerts and instructions for events on campus. The Office of Emergency Management also performs risk assessment to identify possible safety issues and aims to mitigate these issues. Additionally, Community Emergency Response Team, CERT is managed through Emergency Management, enabling faculty and staff members to engage in emergency preparedness. The Office of Emergency Management works closely with other campus departments, such as Police and Security Services, University Health Services, and Environmental Health and Safety, as well as community resources including city, state, and federal emergency management agencies.


Police and security services

Case operates a police force of sworn officers as well as a security officers. CWRU Police also works closely with RTA transit police, University Circle Police, Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland Police, East Cleveland Police, Cleveland Heights Police, University Hospitals Police Department, and other surrounding emergency services. Police and Security, with conjunction with the Emergency Management Office, conduct tabletop drills and full-scale exercises involving surrounding emergency services.


Emergency Medical Services

Case Western Reserve University Emergency Medical Services (CWRU EMS) is a student-run all volunteer ambulance service and a National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation member. Covering University Circle, CWRU EMS is run solely by undergraduates volunteers, who provides free National Registry Emergency Medical Technician, basic life support level treatment and transport to local hospitals. Crews receive medical direction from University Hospitals.


Traditions

Starting in 1910, the Hudson Relay is an annual relay race event remembering and honoring the university relocation from
Hudson, Ohio Hudson is a city in northern Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 23,110 at the 2020 census. It is a suburban community in the Akron metropolitan area. John Brown made his first public vow to destroy slavery here and the ci ...
to Cleveland. Conceived by then-student, Monroe Curtis, the relay race was run from the old college in Hudson, Ohio to the new university in University Circle. Since the mid-1980s, the race has been run entirely in the University Circle area. The race is a distance of . It is held weekend before spring semester finals. Competing running teams are divided by graduating class. If a class wins the relay all four years, tradition dictates a reward of a champagne and steak dinner with the president of the university be awarded. Only six classes have won all four years—1982, 1990, 1994, 2006, 2011, and 2017. The winning classes of each year is carved on an original boulder located behind Adelbert Hall. Since 1976, the Film Society of Case Western Reserve University has held a CWRU Film Society Science Fiction Marathon, science fiction marathon. The film festival, the oldest of its type, boasts more than 34 hours of non-stop movies, cartoons, trailers, and shorts spanning many decades and subgenres, using both film and digital projection. The Film Society, which is student-run and open to the public, also shows movies on Friday and Saturday evenings throughout the school year.


Athletics

Case Western Reserve competes in 19 varsity sports—10 men's sports and 9 women's sports. All 19 varsity teams wear a commemorative patch on their uniforms honoring Case alumnus, M. Frank Rudy, inventor of the Nike, Inc., Nike air-sole. The Spartans' primary athletic rival is the Carnegie Mellon Tartans. DiSanto Field is home to the Case Western Reserve Spartans football, football, men's soccer, women's soccer, and track and field teams. Case Western Reserve is a founding and current member of the
University Athletic Association The University Athletic Association (UAA) is an intercollegiate athletic conference that competes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III. Member schools are highly selective universities located in Georgia, Illino ...
(UAA). The conference participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division III (NCAA), Division III. Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University were also founding members of the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) in 1958. The university remained a member of the PAC after the merger of Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University and until 1983. In the fall of 1984, the university joined the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) as a charter member. The 1998–99 school year marked the final season in which the Spartans were members of the NCAC. As the university had held joint conference membership affiliation with the UAA and the NCAC for over a decade. In 2014, the football team began competing as an associate member of the PAC, as only four out of the eight UAA member institutions sponsored football. The Case Western Reserve Spartans football, Case Western Reserve football team reemerged in the mid-2000s under the direction of Head Coach Greg Debeljak. The 2007 team finished undefeated earning the school's first playoff appearance and first playoff victory, winning against the Widener Pride.


Notable people

File:Paul Buchheit.jpg, Paul Buchheit, developer of Gmail File:HDow1888.jpg, Herbert Henry Dow, founder of the Dow Chemical Company File:Fred Gray 2019.jpg, Fred Gray (attorney), Fred Gray, Civil rights movement, Civil rights attorney for Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King Jr., and Tuskegee syphilis experiment, Tuskegee Syphilis Study lawsuit (J.D.'54) Craig Newmark, 2011 (cropped).jpg, Craig Newmark, tech billionaire, philanthropist, and founder of Craigslist (B.S. '75, M.S. '77) File:Art Parker - Parker Hannifin - Case Western Reserve 1907.jpg, Arthur L. Parker, Art Parker, founder of Parker Hannifin, Parker Hannifin Corporation File:Pekar small.jpg, Harvey Pekar, comic book writer and media personality, best known for American Splendor ('61) Nominal class year: did not graduate File:Anthony and Joe Russo by Gage Skidmore.jpg, Case alumni Anthony Russo (movie director), Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (director), Joe Russo, film directors and producers best known for their work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe File:EdwardPorterWilliams.jpg, Edward Williams (businessman), Edward Williams, co-founder of Sherwin-Williams Paints Notable alumni include John Charles Cutler, former surgeon general who violated human rights and led to deaths in the Tuskegee Syphilis Study, Terre Haute prison experiments, and the syphilis experiments in Guatemala; Anthony Russo (movie director), Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (director), Joe Russo, Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood movie directors, Paul Buchheit, creator and lead developer of Gmail; Craig Newmark, billionaire founder of Craigslist; Peter Tippett, developer of the anti-virus software Vaccine, which NortonLifeLock, Symantec purchased and turned into the popular Norton AntiVirus; Francis E. Sweeney the main suspect from the Cleveland Torso Murders also was a Case Alumnus. Founders of Fortune 500 companies include Herbert Henry Dow, founder of Dow Inc., Dow Chemical, Arthur L. Parker, Art Parker, founder of Parker Hannifin, and Edward Williams (businessman), Edward Williams, co-founder of Sherwin-Williams. Other notable alumni include Larry Hurtado, New Testament scholar; Harvey Hilbert, a zen master, psychologist and expert on post-Vietnam stress syndrome; Peter Sterling (Neuroscientist), Peter Sterling, neuroscientist and co-founder of the concept of allostasis; Ogiame Atuwatse III, Tsola Emiko the 21st Olu of Warri – a historic monarch of the Itsekiri people in Nigeria's Delta region, and Donald Knuth, a leading expert on computer algorithms and creator of the TeX typesetting system.


Nobel laureates


See also

* Association of Independent Technological Universities


Notes


References


Further reading

*


External links

*
Athletics website
{{Authority control Case Western Reserve University, 1826 establishments in Ohio Educational institutions established in 1826 Technological universities in the United States Universities and colleges in Cleveland University Circle Universities and colleges formed by merger in the United States Private universities and colleges in Ohio Western Reserve, Ohio Universities and colleges accredited by the Higher Learning Commission