Picture perfect: See faculty and staff members’ childhood school photos

School photo day: A tradition amongst school children throughout generations. Many Case Western Reserve University faculty and staff remember the days of picking out just the right outfit to wear and hoping they didn’t have a poorly timed bad hair day. Afterall, those photos were featured in yearbooks and frames on their parents’ walls—and now, in The Daily.

In honor of National School Photo Day (recognized each year on the second Thursday of September), we asked faculty and staff members at CWRU to take a trip down memory lane and share one of their photos from their schooldays with us.

See who answered the call.

Angela Capuozzo

Testing coordinator, Division of Student Affairs

High school class of 1998

Side-by-side photos of Angela Capuozzo in third grade and today
Angela Capuozzo in third grade (1986)

What was your favorite subject in school growing up?

Math

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Teacher

What’s your best advice for students as they continue their educational journey?

Be open to where your path leads, even when it takes a detour. Sometimes the best view occurs when you least expect it.

Elina Gertsman

Distinguished University professor of art history and the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities, College of Arts and Sciences

High school class of 1993 (after skipping two grades)

Side-by-side photos of Elina Gertsman in preschool and today
Elina Gertsman in preschool

What was your favorite subject in school growing up?

Literature

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A writer and an artist

What’s your best advice for students as they continue their educational journey?

Read voraciously, travel extensively, remain curious.

Michael Hore

Warren E. Rupp Associate Professor, Case School of Engineering

High school class of 2001

Side-by-side photos of Michael Hore in senior kindergarten and today
Michael Hore in senior kindergarten in Canada (1988)

What was your favorite subject in school growing up?

Math (despite struggling significantly in algebra)

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Musician or computer programmer

What’s your best advice for students as they continue their educational journey?

Always read the textbook, even if it’s not required. There are nuances and specifics contained within that can be very enlightening and helpful! And go to office hours! We love talking to and getting to know students—and helping them. Office hours are your time.

Colin McEwen

Director of National Media Relations, University Marketing and Communications

High school class of 1997

Side-by-side photos of Colin McEwan in third grade and today
Colin McEwan in third grade (1987)

What was your favorite subject in school growing up?

History

What did you want to be when you grew up?

A folk singer

What’s your best advice for students as they continue their educational journey?

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” – African proverb  

Christian Savage

Director of finance, administration and facilities, Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing

High school class of 2005

Side-by-side photos of Christian Savage as a sophomore in college and today
Christian Savage in pep band sophomore year of college (2006)

What was your favorite subject in school growing up?

Biology and music

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Veterinarian

What’s your best advice for students as they continue their educational journey?

Study/major in whichever subject you feel passionately about.  Don’t worry if your career plans change post-graduation, or if your career path ends up being non-linear. That’s the case for a lot of people. The skills you learn in college are broadly applicable to both the workplace and life in general, and will serve you well wherever you end up.

Katya Wilkins

Assistant director of alumni relations, Weatherhead School of Management

High school class of 2008

Side-by-side photos of Katya Wilkins in second grade and today
Katya Wilkins in second grade (1997)

What was your favorite subject in school growing up?

Science

What did you want to be when you grew up?

Nurse

What’s your best advice for students as they continue their educational journey?

Don’t be too hard on yourself—you are doing better than you think!