What CWRU experience outside your comfort zone made you want to do it again?

Growth rarely happens in comfort zones. For these members of the Case Western Reserve community, new challenges sparked confidence, community, and a deeper sense of purpose—on campus and beyond.

Snehal Choudhury

Fourth-year undergraduate majoring in chemical engineering

When Case Western Reserve University’s Chem-E-Car design team launched in 2022, Snehal Choudhury agreed to be co-captain—and initially felt wildly unqualified.

But then, with encouragement from Associate Professor Christopher Wirth, PhD, she and fellow co-captain Alessandro d’Amico built the new student organization from scratch. They also led the development of a shoebox-size car that starts, stops and runs based solely on chemical reactions—and then competes against cars from other universities. 

For 2.5 years, Choudhury co-led the team and her apprehension was replaced by self-confidence. 

“I learned that I was capable of much more … The Chem-E-Car team freely gifted me numerous friendships and important out-of-class experiences, skills and life lessons.” —Snehal Choudhury

Catherine Bous

(CWRU ’14, SAS ’15) EMBA student

After years in a social work and nonprofit-management environment that felt like home, Catherine (Smith)Bous dove into a world with terms like “vertical integration” and “valuation.”

In 2024, she began the executive MBA program at CWRU’s Weatherhead School of Management—about a decade after earning an undergraduate degree on campus and then a master’s degree at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences.

Initially, so much was unfamiliar to Bous. But she was determined to better serve nonprofit clients with stronger financial and leadership skills. And now? She couldn’t be more grateful for the experiences she’s had and people she’s met. 

“Challenging myself through this degree ... is truly reshaping my mindset and worldview.” —Catherine Bous

Abisola Folorunso

Third-year PhD student in biology

Abisola Folorunso had never been to the United States before coming to CWRU. Eager to join her new community, the native Nigerian wanted to volunteer. But the prospect made her nervous: What if she felt out of place or made a mistake because of cultural differences?

Ultimately, Folorunso‘s commitment to making an impact outside of her work overcame her worries. She joined CWRU’s Civic Engagement Scholars program to connect to organizations including the Greater Cleveland Food Bank and Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank.

Today, she regularly volunteers, growing more comfortable with each visit, familiar face and friendly interaction.

“Volunteering helped me feel more connected and gave me a sense of belonging outside of school. That made a huge difference.” 
—Abisola Folorunso

Illustrations by Oriana Fenwick