Alumni Engagement Update

The Case Alumni Association enjoyed another successful Homecoming and Reunion Weekend this past October. All alumni were invited back to campus for a special weekend of activities to reconnect with former classmates and experience up close and personal, the remarkable innovation taking place on campus today. The weekend officially kicked-off on Friday morning with a Coffee and Chat with Dean of the Case School of Engineering Jeffrey L. Duerk PhD ’87. Dean Duerk provided an update on the school to a packed crowd of alumni, parents and friends.

The highlight of the weekend was Friday evening’s signature event, the award-winning All Classes Celebration and Innovation ShowCASE. This year the event was held in the university’s entrepreneurship innovation design ecosystem, the Larry Sears and Sally Zlotnick Sears think[box]. Guests spent the evening exploring the space, mingling with student entrepreneurs and their interactive displays, enjoying great food and honoring our alumni award recipients.

Saturday special events included a luncheon for our Grand Classes graduates and the Class of 1966 50th Reunion. The private event held in Tomlinson Hall included a cocktail hour, dinner and an update from the dean. Alumni and guests enjoyed an evening of reconnecting and reminiscing about their years at Case and began already talking about plans for their next milestone reunion.

We are making plans to see you again next year for Homecoming and Reunion Weekend 2017, scheduled for Oct. 5–8. If you would like be a part of the planning committee, please contact Kellie Mayle, director of alumni relations – kellie.mayle@casealum.org or 216-368-0635.

The Case Alumni Association held a special reunion for the affinity group Chi Corporation alumni during Homecoming and Reunion Weekend. Chi Corp alumni Frank Ilcin ’61 and John Massey ’66 hosted the reception held in the Glennan Building. Kenneth Loparo PhD ’77, chair of the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, provided a department update to the group, as well as an overview of the new Institute for Smart, Secure and Connected Systems (ISSACS). Over 30 alumni and guests attended the reception to reconnect with their Chi Corporation affiliates.

In November, we took the Faculty Lecture Series on the road to Boston with Mark Griswold, professor of radiology, Microsoft HoloLens collaborator and NORTECH “Inventor of the Year.” Hosted by the Case Alumni Association and the Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University, the event was held at the Cafe ArtScience, Le Laboratoire Gallery in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Professor Griswold’s lecture focused on his work with Microsoft Hololens, the first self-contained, holographic computer enabling users to engage with digital content and interact with holograms. Griswold educated guests on how this new revolutionary system can potentially transform teaching and learning.

Another successful alumni reception was held during CES® 2017 in Las Vegas in January. In partnership with the Alumni Association of Case Western Reserve University and Weatherhead School of Management, the Case Alumni Association hosted over 100 alumni and guests at the Palms Casino Resort for a reception. The event was held in a penthouse suite with a fabulous night-time view of Las Vegas. The energy of the guests was amazing and everyone had a great time networking and talking all-things innovation.

Jeffrey Duerk PhD ’87, dean of the Case School of Engineering, attended and was thrilled with all those who turned out for the event. Dean Duerk stated, “The event was fantastic. [It was] packed, lively, people engaged – really great.”