First Year Experience

Four first-year students celebrating during orientation
Office of Residence Life

The First Year Experience (FYE) program strives to help each student establish a foundation for future success at Case Western Reserve University. Our FYE residential communities play an integral part in students' personal and academic transformation.

We believe living on-campus is one of the most transformative experiences a CWRU can have. The college transition may be one of the most defining moments of a young adult's life and we are committed to being an integral part of this experience.

This year, CWRU welcomed the Class of 2028, bringing 1575 new first-year students to campus, with over 99% choosing to live on-campus with us! We are overjoyed to welcome this new residential cohort and are hard at work as they begin fostering connections across their communities of: Cedar Magnolia, Clarke Tower, Juniper, or Mistletoe.

Residents can expect a similar residential experience across these communities, as each actively supports their transition to on-campus living and concretely connects them to the university. Our mission is to partner with students to shape their residential experience and facilitate a myriad of other campus connections. 

The Residence Life team works to be a front-line resource, conduit to support services, guide to navigating campus activities, and a host of fun programs and events that meet the unique interests and needs of students in each community.

Community Buildings: Cutler House, Hitchcock House, Pierce House, and Storrs House.

Community Size: Cedar Magnolia is home to 454 students, supported by a team of one Residential Community Director, one Assistant Residential Community Director, and twelve Resident Assistants.

Physical Space & Amenities: The four Cedar Magnolia buildings are considered quad-style living because there are four clusters of single and double rooms on each floor. Each building has a first floor lounge with a TV, gaming table (pool or ping pong), piano, and full kitchen; lounges on each floor; a laundry room with free services and online monitoring system; indoor bike storage; and vending machines.

The Gender Inclusive Housing option for first-year students is available in Cutler House. For more information on this community, visit the University Housing website.

To see what is happening in Cedar/Magnolia, visit the CampusGroups page.

Community Size: Clarke is home to 318 students, supported by a staff of one Residential Community Director, one Assistant Residential Community Director, and ten Resident Assistants.

Physical Space & Amenities: Clarke Tower is considered suite-style because eight students in a combination of single and double rooms share a bathroom and kitchenette. The building has a first floor lounge with a TV, gaming table (pool, ping pong, or foosball), piano, and full kitchen; study rooms on each floor; lounges on each floor; laundry rooms with free services and online monitoring system; indoor bike storage; and vending machines.

To see what is happening in Clarke, visit the CampusGroups page.

Community Buildings: Cutter House, Smith House, Taft House, and Taplin House

Community Size: Juniper is home to 424 students, supported by a staff of one Residential Community Director, one Assistant Residential Community Director, and nine Resident Assistants.

Physical Space & Amenities: The four Juniper buildings are considered corridor-style living because there is one, continuous corridor connecting the student rooms on each floor. Both single and double rooms are available on each floor. Each building has a first floor lounge with a TV, gaming tables (pool, ping pong, and/or foosball), pianos, and full kitchens; lounges on each floor with kitchenette; laundry rooms with free services and online monitoring system; indoor bike storage; and vending machines.

To see what is happening in Juniper, visit the CampusGroups page.

Community Buildings: Norton House, Raymond House, Sherman House, and Tyler House

Community Size: Mistletoe is home to 475 students, supported by a staff of one Residential Community Director, one Assistant Residential Community Director, and twelve Resident Assistants.

Physical Space & Amenities: The four Mistletoe buildings are considered corridor-style living because there is one, continuous corridor connecting the student rooms on each floor. Both single and double rooms are available on each floor. Each building has a first floor lounge with a TV, gaming table (pool, ping pong, or foosball), piano, and full kitchen; study rooms on each floor; lounges on each floor with kitchenette; laundry rooms with free services and online monitoring system; indoor bike storage; and vending machines.

To see what is happening in Mistletoe, visit the CampusGroups page.