Located in the midst of several major Cleveland cultural institutions, Case Western Reserve University embraces Ohio’s second largest city as a sort of living laboratory. Many students pursue internships, research and academic opportunities at the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland Clinic, the Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, all within walking distance of campus.
“It’s really nice to be actually able to do these things so hands-on as an undergrad,” says junior Emily Szabo, a biomedical engineering major from the Cleveland area. Szabo is doing research to restore natural human sensation to amputees with prosthetics at the nearby Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center. “You really see science come to life.”
Formed in 1967 when the Case School of Applied Science merged with the Western Reserve University, Case Western Reserve is steeped in science. Engineering students can complete paid co-ops at employers such as General Electric Co., NASA and Tesla.
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A 156-foot wind turbine towers over the Veale Convocation, Recreation and Athletic Center, providing power and research opportunities. Today, the school has a reputation as a hotbed for health and science, technology, engineering and math — or STEM — fields, but students say the arts, humanities and social sciences should not be underestimated.
True, biology, biomedical engineering, mechanical engineering and psychology made up the most popular majors in 2015-16, but “people are not one-dimensional,” says 2017 grad Brian Ward, an English and political science major from Eugene, Oregon. “I have very rarely met a student that is just majoring in STEM and does not have a minor in something like political science, history or business management.”
Many students channel their passions for engineering and artistry at the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box], a 50,000-square-foot facility that is part makerspace — complete with 3-D printers, laser cutters and other tools — and part innovation and entrepreneurship hub.
About 5,100 undergraduates and 6,500 graduate and professional students attend Case Western Reserve. Undergrads come from all 50 states and some 80 countries. Just over a third are minority students. The university offers about 95 undergraduate majors, minors and concentrations across the schools of nursing, engineering, management, and arts and sciences.
As part of the university’s Seminar Approach to General Education and Scholarship curriculum, students must complete a series of 17-person writing-intensive, discussion-based seminars that cover three broad thematic areas: the natural or technological world, the social world and the symbolic world. They also take a seminar related to their major s and complete a senior capstone.
While intro courses can be large, class sizes tend to thin out as students advance in their majors. Overall, the university boasts an 11-1 student-faculty ratio, and undergraduates can enjoy the advantages of a medium-sized urban research university.
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“I feel very connected to the community,” says 2017 grad Temi Omilabu, from Katy, Texas, who studied English and bioethics.
Students describe their peers as driven. “Case students like having a lot on their plate, but also being able to balance,” says senior Keagan Lipak, a chemistry and psychology major from Columbus, Ohio.
About a third of students join fraternities and sororities, and Spartans stay busy in the more than 160 student clubs and activities as well as 19 Division III varsity sports.
Downtown Cleveland, home to several professional sports venues, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Playhouse Square theater district and more, is only about 5 miles away. Many also enjoy the food, nightlife and entertainment options in the school’s immediate University Circle neighborhood.
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This story is excerpted from the U.S. News “Best Colleges 2018” guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.
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Ohio College Road Trip: Case Western Reserve University originally appeared on usnews.com
