Case Western Reserve University is an elite, private research university located in Cleveland, Ohio. It was created in 1967 by the federation of Case Institute of Technology (founded in 1880 by philanthropist Leonard Case Jr.) and Western Reserve University (founded in 1826 in the area that was once the Connecticut Western Reserve).
Case is the largest independent research university in the state of Ohio and has earned a reputation of being one of the most highly regarded institutions of higher learning in the United States. The University is distinguished by its strengths in education, research, service, and experiential learning and offers nationally and internationally recognized programs in the Arts and Sciences, Dental Medicine, Engineering, Law, Management, Medicine, Nursing, and Social Sciences.
As of 2004, the university had approximately 3,700 undergraduates and 5,700 graduate and professional students. According to US News and World Report 2005 rankings, Case's Undergraduate Program is ranked #1 in Ohio and #35 among national universities, with Harvard and Princeton sharing the #1 spot. Furthermore, the university ranks #12 among private universities receiving the most federal research funding and spends nearly $1 million a day on research.
The university is approximately five miles (8 km) east of downtown Cleveland in University Circle, a 550 acre (2.2 km²) area containing numerous educational, medical, and cultural institutions. Case has a number of programs taught in conjunction with nearby institutions, including the Cleveland Institute of Music , the Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and the Cleveland Play House. For transportation, in addition to the Cleveland RTA, which is made available to students through a mandatory $25 yearly fee, Case has its own fleet of shuttle busses which are better known as "greenies."
Case was the site of the famous Michelson-Morley interferometer experiment, conducted in 1887 by A. A. Michelson of Case Institute of Technology and E. W. Morley of Western Reserve University. This experiment proved the non-existence of ether and gave circumstantial evidence to substantiate Einstein's Theory of Relativity.
On October 5 2004, Case hosted the Vice Presidential debate between Dick Cheney and John Edwards.
OTHER INTERESTING FACTS & FIGURES
Average Incoming Freshman SAT Score : 1380
Endowment (Market Value): $1.3 Billion
Undergraduate Tuition 2005-2006 : $28,400
Notable alumni and faculty
Government and military
Science/technology/medicine
- Peter C. Agre - co-winner of 2003 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for discovery of water channels (or aquaporins ) in cells
- Paul Berg - winner of the 1980 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for biochemical characterization of recombinant DNA
- Herbert Dow - founder of Dow Chemical
- H. Jack Geiger - founding member, past president of Physicians for Social Responsibility (which shared 1985 Nobel Peace Prize as part of International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War) and Physicians for Human Rights (which shared 1997 Nobel Peace Prize as part of International Campaign to Ban Landmines)
- Julie L. Gerberding - first woman director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Alfred Gilman - co-winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for co-discovery of G Proteins
- Donald A. Glaser - winner of the 1960 Nobel Prize in Physics, for invention of the bubble chamber
- Corneille J.F. Heymans - winner of the 1938 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for work on carotid sinus reflex
- George H. Hitchings - co-winner of the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for research leading to development of drugs to treat leukemia, organ transplant rejection, gout, herpes virus, and AIDS-related bacterial and pulmonary infections
- Donald Knuth - foremost computer scientist
- Polykarp Kusch - winner of the 1955 Nobel Prize in Physics, for determining the magnetic moment of the electron
- Paul C. Lauterbur - co-winner of the 2003 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for discoveries leading to creation of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- John J.R. Macleod - co-winner of the 1923 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for discovery of insulin
- Albert A. Michelson - winner of the 1907 Nobel Prize in Physics for disproving existence of "ether"; first American to receive a Nobel Prize
- Edward Morley - performed interferometry experiment with Michelson
- Ferid Murad - co-winner of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for discovering role of nitric oxide in cardiovascular signaling
- George A. Olah - winner of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, for contributions to carbocation chemistry
- James Polshek - architect; designed William J. Clinton Presidential Library
- Edward C. Prescott - co-winner of the 2004 Nobel Prize in Economic Science , for theory on business cycles and economic policies
- Frederick Reines - co-winner of the 1995 Nobel Prize in Physics, for the detection of the neutrino
- Frederick C. Robbins - co-winner of the 1954 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for work on polio virus, which led to development of polio vaccines; past president of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences
- David Satcher - U.S. Surgeon General under President Bill Clinton, and first African-American director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Jesse Leonard Steinfeld - U.S. Surgeon General (1969 to 1973), most noted for achieving widespread fluoridation of water, requiring prescription drugs to be effective, and strengthening the Surgeon General's Warning on cigarettes
- Earl W. Sutherland - winner of 1971 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, for establishing identity and importance of cyclic AMP in regulation of cell metabolism
- Peter Tippit - developed first anti-virus software, "Vaccine," later sold and renamed Norton AntiVirus
Arts and Entertainment
- Franklin Cover - actor; most noted role, Tom Willis in "The Jeffersons"
- Suzie Gharib - co-anchor of the "Nightly Business Report"
- Jack Perkins - dubbed "America's most literate correspondent" by the Associated Press; reporter, commentator, war correspondent, anchorman; seen on NBC's "Nightly News" and "The Today Show," and on A&E as host of "Biography"
- Alan Rosenberg - actor; most noted role, Ira Woodbine in "Cybill"; Emmy-nominated for guest appearance on " ER"
- Joe Russo & Anthony Russo - brothers, coalumni, and directors of "Pieces" and "Welcome to Collinwood"
- Alix Kates Shulman - author; best work Memoir of an Ex-Prom Queen , widely recognized as first important novel to emerge from women's liberation movement
- Roger Zelazny - Science Fiction and Fantasy author; three time Nebula Award winner and six-time Hugo Award winner. Works include: Lord of Light, Eye of the Cat , and The Dream Master .
Business/philanthropy
- William F. Baker - President and CEO of public television's flagship station, Thirteen/WNET in New York
- Robert J. Herbold - Executive Vice President at Microsoft
- Barry Meyer - Chairman and CEO of Warner Bros (1999-present)
- Craig Newmark - founder of Craigslist
- Kent Hale Smith - founder of Lubrizol
Sports
- Michael McCaskey - Chairman of the board, Chicago Bears; son of George Halas, founder-owner-coach of Chicago Bears and record-holder of most games won (324) for nearly three decades--until broken by fellow alumnus Don Shula in 1993
Research findings at Case
Following is a partial list of major contributions made by faculty, staff, and students at Case:
- Discovered that the earth’s motion had no effect on the movement of light, disproving the belief that the earth floated in a sea of ether. This discovery marks the beginning of modern physics and is linked with Einstein’s later work on relativity (Profs. Albert A. Michelson and Edward W. Morley, 1887).
- Discovered the atomic weight of oxygen, the basis for calculating the weights of all other elements (Prof. Morley, 1895).
- Performed the first full X-ray of the human body -- on himself (Prof. Dayton C. Miller, 1896).
- Performed the first modern blood transfusion using a coupling device to connect blood vessels (Dr. George W. Crile, 1905).
- Pioneered chlorination of drinking water to eradicate the source of typhoid bacilli (Dr. Roger G. Perkins, 1912).
- Developed simulated milk formula for infants (Dr. Henry J. Gerstenberger,1915).
- Pioneered surgical treatment of coronary artery disease (Dr. Claude S. Beck, 1935).
- Developed the first heart-lung machine to be used during open heart surgery (Dr. Frederick S. Cross, 1950s).
- Performed the first successful lifesaving defibrillation of the human heart (Dr. Beck, 1947) and developed the method of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) (Dr. Beck, 1952).
- Developed a test for infants to identify mental retardation within a year after birth (Prof. Joseph F. Fagan, 1987).
- Created the first artificial human chromosomes, opening the door to more detailed study of human genetics and potentially offering a new approach to gene therapy. (Prof. Huntington F. Willard of the School of Medicine and University Hospitals of Cleveland, in collaboration with colleagues at Athersys, Inc., 1997).
Athletics
Case Western Reserve is a member of the University Athletic Association, which participates in the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division III.
Music
Several bands were formed by Case Western Reserve students; a few are still active in the Cleveland area. There are also several musical performance organizations which have steady recruitment efforts to replace members who graduate. Many of these bands played at the annual Springfest event.
Bands and Musical Groups
These groups were formed by Case students. The original members may or may not have graduated, and thus the band may or may not still be on campus.
Music Performance Groups
These groups have ongoing recruitment efforts, and generally only current students are members, though a few sometimes have alumni members.
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