To our Case Western Reserve University students, faculty, staff and postdocs:
We begin the 2025-26 academic year at the intersection of two moments of consequence—one for Case Western Reserve University and the other for higher education in the United States.
On campus, we arrive this fall at the doorstep of our 2026 bicentennial, prepared to celebrate our university’s rich history. Our outcome-driven education prioritizes experiential learning, cross-boundary connections, and hands-on opportunities to prepare students for meaningful and successful careers. Our impactful research is driven by a commitment to solving important problems through interdisciplinary collaboration. We leverage government resources, industrial partnerships, and the power of philanthropy to make breakthrough discoveries that address some of the most pressing challenges facing the world, our nation, and our region. This work propels medical excellence and economic prosperity right here in Northeast Ohio. For two centuries, Case Western Reserve University has been a force in career-defining education, life-changing research, and purposeful transformations.
Beyond campus, shifting winds have ushered in a transformation of another sort. The value of and public funding for higher education has been questioned. The mold for the partnership between research institutions and the federal government—a partnership that has lasted for the better part of a century—is being reset. This is an uncertain and unprecedented time for the country’s colleges and universities.
For our part, Case Western Reserve will move steadily and confidently forward. We will hold true to our mission and core values. And our momentum will be guided by our priorities: to elevate academic excellence, expand our research enterprise and enhance our engagement with the community. Case Western Reserve is and will continue to be a great American research university.
Our future is bright. The Case Comprehensive Cancer Center received a $25.5 million Cancer Center Support Grant this summer, marking 38 years of continuous National Cancer Institute Funding. We have launched national searches for our next permanent deans of the Case School of Engineering and the School of Dental Medicine. Construction on the $300 million Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Building remains on budget and on time for a fall 2026 opening. And today, we welcome into our classrooms a talented class of 1,650 first-year students, each facing the start of a personal transformation at Case Western Reserve with curiosity and courage.
By connecting as a collaborative, creative and globally minded community, we can ensure our institution’s narrative for the next 200 years is just as influential and inspiring as our first.
I wish everyone a successful semester and academic year.
Sincerely,
Eric W. Kaler, President