Each year, the College of Arts and Sciences recognizes alumni for their exceptional contributions to their fields and their dedication to others in their community. By honoring graduates of the college and its predecessor institutions, we reaffirm a legacy of excellence, and we encourage and inspire future alumni—students who look to the award recipients and see the value of an education in the arts and sciences.
When historical musicology graduate student Rafique Illyas-Watson started learning how to write electronic music, he relied on his roots in hip hop. His techniques and an ear for music led producers from two local films to ask Watson to write and produce original music scores for their films, which were both featured at local film festivals.
Homecoming was the appropriate setting for the College of Arts and Sciences to celebrate 30 years since it was established. The six deans who have led the college since 1992 held a panel discussion and three current students share why they came to CWRU.
Fourth-year biology and history major Nihal Manjila has won the nationally-competitive Lynn W. Turner Prize for best paper by an undergraduate member of Phi Alpha Theta for his paper Substance of Joy: Serotonin Research at the Cleveland Clinic, 1948-1968.
When graduate student Rana Damra joined an interdisciplinary student research project she couldn’t have imagined her team would gain national recognition for their work. 
But they did.
Twelve teams of students and their faculty mentors from across the college participated in a research project poster contest during the inaugural Ignite alumni event during homecoming on Oct. 7. Four teams walked away with a $1,000 award.