A steady hand for Case School of Applied Science through the Great Depression and World War II, President William E. Wickenden (presidency years: 1929–1947) introduced a comprehensive graduate studies program and conferred the school’s first master’s and doctoral degrees.
Wickenden was an early advocate for the federation of Case and the liberal arts-focused Western Reserve University; before coming to Case, he had chaired a Society for the promotion of Engineering Education committee, which released a report that held, in part, that institutions should place greater emphasis on engineering’s social effects. His presidency ended with the renaming of the school to Case Institute of Technology in 1947 to reflect expanding curriculum and influence.
