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Michelle Kolk

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Michelle Kolk, senior executive director of communications and content strategy, leads the team responsible for telling Case Western Reserve’s story through websites, magazines, social media and other publications. 

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Recent News Articles

Forging paths: CWRU community members share first-gen college experiences

When the federal government passed the Higher Education Act (HEA) in 1965, politicians acknowledged an obvious fact: pursuing a college education can be difficult. The act’s federal grants and loan programs lessened financial barriers for students from low-income and minority backgrounds, yet…

Shifting politics: Understanding Ohio’s evolving role as a swing state

Anticipation is high as Americans cast their ballots in the Nov. 5 General Election to determine the next president and vice president of the United States. Amidst an overwhelming influx of political ads, people are sure to look for trends or polls to help predict results. “Swing states”…

Trick or treat: CWRU community members share childhood Halloween costumes

Today, Case Western Reserve University students will indulge in a childhood favorite activity: trick-or-treating on Halloween. The CWRU Candy Crawl is sure to bring back memories of dressing up in costumes—from witches to cats to superheroes and more—as they make their way across campus to visit…

‘What does this mean?’ How to interpret medical test results and advocate for your health

With the rise of digital health tools and abundant online resources, we live in an era where healthcare information is more accessible than ever. This information is essential to navigate one’s health journey, but without an understanding of complex data and medical jargon, test results may prompt…

Ted Evans named executive director of Siegal Lifelong Learning Program

When Ted Evans completed the Master of Business Administration program at Weatherhead School of Management in 1995, he didn’t just earn a degree—he began a decades-long relationship with Case Western Reserve University as an alumnus, a consultant and, ultimately, a staff member. The latest…

5 questions with… Bo Vykhovanyuk, CWRU’s new chief information security officer

Growing up in Kyiv, Ukraine, Bogdan "Bo" Vykhovanyuk’s introduction to computers was similar to that of many other children of the '80s: he wanted to play video games. “My dad, who was a cardiologist and researcher, wasn’t particularly tech-savvy, but he had the foresight to see that technology…

5 questions with… Neelam Chand, senior associate vice president of human resources operations

In the world of higher education, it’s exhilarating to land a supervisory role, become a departmental chair or even submit a tenure package. But then? Many staff and faculty members aren’t sure where to turn. That’s where Neelam Chand steps in. For more than 25 years, Chand has grown and applied…

Longtime staff and faculty member Roger Bielefeld retires after 34+ years

For as long as he can remember, Roger Bielefeld has been passionate about math. The interest drove childhood ambitions to become a scientist, and—with many degrees in the field to his name—Bielefeld achieved just that. The longtime Case Western Reserve University employee is retiring today (July…

A commitment to CWRU: Longtime Case School of Engineering employees retire after 30+ years

When members of the Case Western Reserve community are asked what their favorite thing is about the university, there’s one nearly universal response: the people. For some, our campus serves as their professional home for significant portions of their lives—and their efforts are essential to…

Two members of CWRU's Class of 2024 win Fulbright U.S. Student Program grants

For the members of Case Western Reserve University’s Class of 2024, commencement marked many things: chapters ending, new beginnings, and, for many, their first formal commencement ceremony after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted graduations in 2020. For Soorya Janakiraman and Douglas Gurdak, it…