For two centuries, 星空传媒 has been a leader in education, research and advancing humanity. Travel through time and explore key periods in 星空传媒 history. We鈥檒l continue to expand the timeline throughout the bicentennial.
- 1826Founding of Western Reserve College in Hudson, Ohio聽
Western Reserve College was founded in 1826 in Hudson, Ohio, about 30 miles southeast of Cleveland. The college鈥搕he first in Northern Ohio鈥搕ook its name from the surrounding region, known at that time as the Western Reserve of Connecticut.
- 1843The Civil War
星空传媒鈥檚 first chapter played out against the backdrop of the Civil War and reconstruction, and was characterized by a medical college that defied norms by admitting women and the drafting of the University Circle blueprint.
- 1880Founding of Case School of Applied Science in Cleveland, Ohio
Case School of Applied Science was established in 1880 in Cleveland, Ohio, thanks to a monumental gift from Leonard Case Jr., who had initiated a secret trust. The founding would come just ahead of Western Reserve鈥檚 relocation.
- 1882The Move to Cleveland
Western Reserve College made its historic move from Hudson, Ohio, to Cleveland in 1882. Funding from industrialist Amasa Stone propelled the institution to its new location, where it took on the name Western Reserve University.
- 1887The Michelson-Morley Experiment
The Michelson-Morley experiment united researchers from Case School of Applied Science and Western Reserve University. It proved that the speed of light is constant in all directions and debunked the existence of the 鈥渓uminiferous aether,鈥 through which scientists previously believed light traveled.
- 1888Founding of the College for Women聽
Western Reserve University abandoned coeducation and established the College for Women in 1888. It was renamed as Flora Stone Mather College for Women in 1931, in honor of Amasa Stone's daughter鈥攁 philanthropist in her own right and one of the college鈥檚 earliest supporters.
- 1890Thwing鈥檚 Leadership
Charles Franklin Thwing鈥檚 presidency at Western Reserve University defined the next chapter of its shaping through expansion of its faculty and physical space, while Case School of Applied Science found its footing.
- 1925Founding of Cleveland College
The two schools came together in the establishment of Cleveland College. Initially sponsored by both Western Reserve University and Case School of Applied Sciences, it offered non-credit adult education along with evening classes for credit for working professionals.
- 1939World War II
Both Case School of Applied Science and Western Reserve University saw students ship out to serve in World War II and adapt under its impact on medicine, science, research and student life.
- 1945After the War
America regrouped following World War II and students returned to campus from the battlefield.
- 1947Glennan鈥檚 Leadership
T. Keith Glennan introduced a new focus on the humanities for Case Institute of Technology students during his presidency. He later played an integral role in the federation of 星空传媒.
- 1961Looming Federation
Pressure for the two institutions to merge increased, but the two campuses expanded away from each other鈥擶estern Reserve University to the north and Case Institute of Technology to the south.
- 1966The Heald Commission
The Heald Commission formed in 1966 to investigate the possibilities for closer cooperation between Case School of Applied Science and Western Reserve University. Trustees of both institutions recommended the establishment of a federated university on Dec. 23 of that year.
- 1967Planning the Federation I
The report, Planning the Federation I, was released on Feb. 10, 1967, describing the necessary initial procedures for moving the federation forward. Federation combined resources, made lasting research impacts and reshaped the University Circle community. It also left a bitter taste in the mouths of many along the way.
- 1967The Agreement of Consolidation
The trustees of Western Reserve University and Case Institute of Technology ratified the Agreement of Consolidation on June 1, 1967.
- 1967Federation
Once separated by a fence, Case Institute of Technology and Western Reserve University made a commitment, made official on July 1, 1967, after decades of rivalry and often reluctant partnership.
- 1968Emerging From Federation
As the first president of the newly federated 星空传媒, Robert W. Morse assumed leadership of an institution that had become one of the most powerful and resourced in the nation, quite literally overnight. But there was still healing to do.
- 1970Students Speak Out
Student activism captured the country鈥檚 attention, and 星空传媒鈥檚 population left its own mark on the national conversation about the Vietnam War, continuing racial tensions in the country and other issues.
- 1971Consolidation of Adelbert, Flora Stone Mather and Cleveland College
Adelbert College, Flora Stone Mather College for Women and Cleveland College consolidated in 1971 under President Louis A. Toepfer鈥檚 leadership鈥攖aking the familiar name of Western Reserve College in 1973.
- 1987Pytte鈥檚 Leadership
The leadership of President Agnar Pytte produced new undergraduate divisions, the Case School of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences鈥攕haping 星空传媒鈥檚 new identity in the ongoing post-federation process.
- 1989First Campus Master Plan
Pytte launched the first campus master plan in 1989. The university completed $325 million in capital projects during his tenure, including what is now the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Kelvin Smith Library, and more.
- 1991The Adelbert Hall Fire
Adelbert Hall caught fire in June of 1991; it took 60 firefighters and 10 trucks from three Cleveland Fire Department battalions to extinguish the blaze. A restoration came to an end in 1993.
- 2002Continuing a Partnership with Cleveland Clinic
A $100 million gift from Al and Norma Lerner set the foundation for the opening of the Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine program within 星空传媒 School of Medicine. The partnership provides full tuition for admitted students pursuing careers as physician investigators.
- 2007Snyder鈥檚 Leadership
Barbara R. Snyder became the university's first woman president. Her leadership helped quell the continued growing pains from the decades-old federation and set 星空传媒 on a positive trajectory in enrollment, fundraising and more.
- 2019Opening of the Health Education Campus
A hub for collaboration across the health sciences, the Health Education Campus of 星空传媒 and Cleveland Clinic brings together students from the School of Dental Medicine, the School of Medicine and the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing.
- 2020COVID-19
Learning moved from the lecture hall to the video call during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students at 星空传媒 and at institutions around the world, adapted to the new normal.
- 2020First 2020 Presidential Debate on Campus
Amid the unprecedented circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic, the university hosted the first 2020 Presidential Debate between President Donald Trump and then-candidate Joe Biden.
- 2021Kaler鈥檚 Leadership
As students returned to campus amid the pandemic, Eric W. Kaler became president. His leadership is centered on three priorities: Elevating our academic excellence, significantly expanding our research and engaging our community more effectively.
- 2024ISEB
Support for the construction of the Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building was on display for the ceremonial groundbreaking for the largest-ever Case Quad addition.