12 May Undergraduate Weatherhead School Class of 2020 Spotlight

Case Western Reserve University‘s The Weatherhead School of Management would like to extend is congratulations to the graduating Class of 2020! With an unexpected semester and an unusual end to their senior year, this year’s class has been resilient and adaptable while maintaining their usual unwavering work ethic.

We’d like to highlight a select few seniors who have been actively involved as a CWRU community member and Weatherhead School student. These students have distinguished themselves as future business leaders and we are confident that they will do remarkable things.

Get to know a few of them:

Melissa Cuellar, BS in Accounting

1. What Weatherhead class or professor made an impact on you during your time at CWRU and why?

Business Law with Professor Fogarty! He probably would never know it, but this class really pushed me to think outside the box and challenge myself. I also really enjoyed his lectures as he would always come up with fun examples and cases for various topics.

2. What do you like best about living in Cleveland?

I love the culture! There is so much food, events, and places to explore, also the people are all so welcoming and friendly.

3. What is your most memorable experience of your undergraduate experience?

Going to the NCAA Championships in Oklahoma City with my Softball team and placing 5th in the country, which is the farthest any CWRU team has ever gone!

4. What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

If you want to immerse yourself in a collaborative, fun, and hard-working environment, CWRU is for you! CWRU has so much to offer, and if you are unsure, I urge you to reach out to alumni, students, professors, or admissions with any questions or concerns.

5. What are your plans upon graduation?

I will be working as an HR Analyst at Key Bank in Downtown Cleveland.

Winston Delk, BS in Finance, Minor in Spanish

1.  Why did you choose CWRU?

In short, I chose to come to Case Western Reserve University because I wanted to play basketball at one of the top research institutions in the country. Another part of my criteria was going to a medium-sized school with a diverse student body and a great business school in an urban environment.

2. What do you like best about living in Cleveland?

One of the best parts about Case is that it’s in Cleveland, a large city with lots of other schools and things to do. It’s a sports city and a food city; two of my favorite things in life. The culture of this city is truly gritty; everyone is tough, but very friendly and caring too. I love that Cleveland feels like a family. We make fun of Cleveland all the time, but if someone who’s never lived here tries to join in making fun of the city, we don’t allow that.

3. What is your most memorable experience of your undergraduate experience?

My basketball experience. I dismissed the small schools that were recruiting me and came to Case with aspirations to walk on to the team here. When I got cut my freshman year it crushed me; I wanted to transfer schools. Then, Coach McGuiness offered me the student manager position and I took it. Sophomore year my dream finally came true because I made the team.  In our conference, the UAA, we traveled to impressive cities all over the country to play. We even tutored kids at local elementary schools as a team. The whole experience was an incredible dream. My career was short-lived but it led me to where I am now as a Tour Guide and a Photojournalist for the school paper. Coming to CWRU was the best decision I ever made.

4.  What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

My advice is to pick the school that offers you the best educational experience and the best access to resources and opportunities. Selecting a major in Weatherhead will give you the opportunity to participate in our Action Learning Senior Capstone. For my capstone, my team just finished working as consultants for Progressive Insurance, meeting with our clients at the National HQ in Mayfield, OH. Not only will you be challenged in the classroom at CWRU, but this school will give you access to some of the most exciting research opportunities you couldn’t even imagine. There’s a reason we say “Think Beyond the Possible” here.

5. What are your plans post-graduation?

My plans after graduation are to begin my career at KeyBank in July as a Risk Management Analyst as a part of their Rotational Analyst Program.

Alec Hoover, BA in Economics and Mathematics

1. Why did you choose CWRU?

I knew that CWRU was right for me when I visited the fall of my senior year of high school. Before I went on a tour, my family walked into PBL and the dean took half an hour out of his day to talk to my family about Case and Weatherhead, even though we did not have an appointment. Additionally, Danny Song, the CWRU wrestling coach, made a strong impression while I was visiting, and we kept in contact throughout the year. This personal attention really stood out compared to other schools.

2.  What Weatherhead class or professor made an impact on you during your time at CWRU and why?

Professor David Clingingsmith has had the biggest impact on my CWRU experience. He gave me an opportunity to get exposed to doing academic research the summer of my sophomore year, and has continued advise me by overseeing my honors thesis.

3. What is your most memorable experience of your undergraduate experience?

My most memorable experience at Case has been my honors thesis which examined the impact of the university meal plan on semester GPA. I thoroughly enjoyed the process of designing a survey, putting together my model, getting exciting results, and being able to present my work to the economics faculty.

4. What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

Being a student at Case can be very challenging and very rewarding. There are plenty of chances to do fascinating and meaningful work at CWRU and Weatherhead. You just have to be willing to step outside your comfort zone a little bit and ask your faculty and advisors about opportunities that interest you.

Andrew Hoover, BA in Economics and Mathematics

1.  Why did you choose CWRU?

I decided to apply to Case because I knew it was a great school and I have family in Cleveland. What set Case apart from other schools I visited was how friendly and welcoming people on campus were. In particular, Jim Hurley spent a half hour talking with my family without an appointment and talking with wrestling coach Danny Song throughout the recruiting process.

2.  What Weatherhead class or professor made an impact on you during your time at CWRU and why?

Justin Gallagher, my Econometrics and Advanced Econometrics professor, introduced me to Economics research and the possibilities available to researchers. He really helped me develop my plans for after graduation to do research and then go to a PhD program in Economics. Professor Gallagher gave me my first job in research the summer after my sophomore year as a research assistant, which, after he left Case, led to my current job with Professor Susan Helper who has been a greater advisor in helping me develop my own research.

3.  What is your most memorable experience of your undergraduate experience?

My most memorable experience at Case was my junior year we hosted the UAA wrestling championships when we knocked of 17th ranked NYU and won my 2nd of three first team all UAA honors.

4.  What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

My advice to perspective Weatherhead majors would be to not be afraid of talking to faculty members. From my experience, all of the faculty members in the Econ department are very nice people who will be glad to answer any questions and help you if you’re unsure about declaring a major.

Rishi Maheshwari, BS in Finance, Computer Science

1. Why did you choose CWRU?

I am a non-traditional student at CWRU. I first started at another university in Cleveland and came across CWRU students when I competed with them in an entrepreneurship hackathon. In a consortium of 11 other Ohio universities, Case students stood out completely with their charisma and intellect. I was totally drawn and the next thing I wanted to do was to join the smartest people in the crowd, so I applied to transfer to CWRU and have celebrated my decision each day ever since.

2.  What do you like best about living in Cleveland?

I was born in Cleveland but raised in New Delhi, India so I still consider myself an unusual stranger to the city. Before coming to Cleveland, I never saw snow and lived through 90 degree weather in India throughout the year, but coming to Cleveland fulfilled that wish. An added benefit experiencing the various tourist attractions like the world renowned Cleveland Orchestra, Cleveland Museum of Art, Botanical Gardens, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and more.

3.    What is your most memorable experience of your undergraduate experience?

It would undoubtedly be me meeting CWRU alum Donald Knuth. Our computer science professors mentioned his books in our required texts and called him “the father of analysis of algorithms”. Then, during the fall break of my senior year, I got the opportunity to be a part of the inaugural Entrepreneurship Trek to San Francisco and a few alumni in the city were invited for a dinner and guess who was there: Donald Knuth!

4.    What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

The best part of being at Weatherhead is to be in close proximity with faculty. The small size of the college has a lot of benefits. Be prepared to form very close connections with all your peers. We have student run clubs in all areas so students can develop an expertise in an area or self-discover their interests by joining multiple clubs.

5.  What are your plans upon graduation?

I am working full time at BlackRock, New York City as a Portfolio Management & Research Analyst.

Marissa Muth, BS in Finance, Accounting

1. Why did you choose CWRU?

I chose CWRU for its welcoming atmosphere, strong academic reputation in various fields of study, and small to moderate class size. The D3 athletics also appealed to me as I played on the varsity women’s basketball team my freshman year.

2. What Weatherhead class or professor made an impact on you during your time at CWRU and why?

All of my accounting teachers and classes have been absolutely outstanding at CWRU so it’s difficult to pick just one. If forced to choose then I’d have to go with my first two accounting classes my freshman year taught by Dr. Melissa Carlisle and Dr. Karen Braun. I had no intention of majoring in accounting when I first came to Case, but these classes and the professor’s dedication to the topics resulted in heightening my interest and ultimately pursuing the major. I have also benefited from working with Professor Braun in the CWRU’s accounting fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi. She has been a tremendous influence and mentor to me.

3. What is your most memorable experience of your undergraduate experience?

There’s been a lot of memorable experiences at CWRU! For Weatherhead in particular, the end of semester Beta Alpha Psi celebrations and the accounting spring banquet are some of my favorite memories. Both events were great opportunities to network and connect with students, professors, and professionals.

4. What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

I would strongly encourage high school students to visit the Weatherhead school and observe a class if possible. I would also suggest talking to current students and teachers. If in-person isn’t possible, I would follow Weatherhead social media accounts and check out the website for more information!

5. What are your plans upon graduation in May?

I will be returning to Case next fall to finish up my Masters in Accounting degree. I will then begin full time at PwC in their Core Assurance group in Pittsburgh the following year.

Tatum Naylor,  BS in Accounting, Economics

1.  Why did you choose CWRU?

The size and location! I was looking for a medium sized school where I had the opportunity to meet lots of people, but also have small class sizes. I also loved thatCWRU was located in a city that I could explore on the weekends.

2.  What Weatherhead class or professor made an impact on you during your time at CWRU and why?

Professor Votruba’s Healthcare Economics class allowed me to realize my passion for the business of healthcare. His class helped me secure my first summer internship in the healthcare industry and exposed me to the MSM-Healthcare program. After expressing my interest in the MSM-Healthcare courses, Professor Votruba worked hard to establish an integrated program for undergraduate students. His support and the ability at CWRU to take classes across majors, if you have an interest, is something I will always be grateful for.

3.  What do you like best about living in Cleveland?

On the weekends I love visiting the Cleveland Museum of Art. Admission is free, making it a great place for students to visit for a couple hours. Some of my favorite memories were visiting the special art exhibits that were featured at the museum and attending their social nights. Cleveland is also a healthcare hub and I have had the pleasure of attending presentations given by administrators at the Cleveland Clinic, Metro Health, and UH!

4.  What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

If you are not exactly sure what you want to major in, CWRU is the ideal place to go. CWRU allows and encourages students to take classes across majors and requires no application process. I came into college as a biomedical engineer and will be graduating with a BS in Accounting and a Master’s of Science in Management in Healthcare. I am happy I chose CWRU and could make the change from engineering to business without having to transfer schools.

5. What are your plans upon graduation in May?

I will be working as a healthcare consultant at FTI consulting in Atlanta GA!

Igor Tutelman, BS in Accounting

1.  Why did you choose CWRU?

I was sold on Case when I did my overnight student stay. My host, who is now one of my fraternity brothers and lifelong friends, introduced me to all of his friends, we went to some prospective student events, and all throughout this I felt like I was hanging out with some old friends. Not only were all of these students incredibly intelligent, but also fun, thoughtful, and compassionate. I just felt like I belonged at this university after that night.

2.    Why did you select your major?

I came to Case as a BME Pre-Med, and was eventually converted to an Accounting Pre-Law after four years. After I decided that pre-med was not the path for me, I was a bit lost and scrambling for guidance. I decided to take some introductory business classes because my father is an entrepreneur. I took a managerial accounting course my fall semester of my sophomore year and my professor, Karen Braun, offered me a lot of mentorship and connected me with an upper-class accounting student to grab some coffee a few weeks into the semester. I quickly realized that accounting was an incredible way to learn the language of business and position myself for any career that I wanted after graduation, and I have her to thank for helping me find my passion.

3.    What is your most memorable experience of your undergraduate experience?

I was elected Treasurer of my Fraternity, Fiji, my sophomore year and one of our graduate brothers, Case employees, and a role model of mine, Hugh Marshall, was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer. This affected me deeply, and seeing as we lacked a core purpose for our philanthropy, I teamed up with a brother to build a fundraising plan for our most successful semester of philanthropy in almost 10 years. We managed to raise over $10,000 that semester, of which half went to Hugh and his family to help cover expenses, and the other half went to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN). I was able to visit Hugh a few days before he passed away and his gratitude made this the most impactful experience of my life. We still continue to raise money in memoriam of him to support PanCAN to this day.

4.    What advice would you share with a high school student who is considering CWRU and a major at Weatherhead?

Go for it. No, seriously, I promise that you will love it. Our professors are incredibly intelligent and carry plenty of accolades, you’ve probably seen them on the news or read about them in a news article. They are wonderfully passionate about us succeeding, individually and collectively. Our campus is beautiful and positioned next to a great city with countless job and internship opportunities. And, most importantly, our campus is a tight-knit community. We all want to see each other succeed and we all care for one another through all the fun and difficult times that college has to offer. I am incredibly glad I came here and I know you will be too.

5.    What are your plans upon graduation in May?

My internship for the summer was cancelled, so I am applying to startup programs and other part-time internships to keep myself busy over the summer. I will be back at Weatherhead School in the fall to finish up my Master’s in Accounting, and after that, I have a full-time offer from PwC for summer 2021.