.jpg)
LEADERSHIP TEAM ELECTION
PRESIDENT
_JPEG.jpeg)
EMORY TROUT
Hi! My name is Emory Trout, and I am currently a 3rd year majoring in neuroscience. Throughout my past three years at Case, Newman events have consistently been a highlight of my week. I’m incredibly grateful to have found a community that has supported my faith journey and allowed me to grow alongside such wonderful people.
In my time serving Newman—as a small group leader, secretary, co-vice president, and now co-president—I’ve been proud of the relationships we’ve built and the sense of community we’ve cultivated. I hope to continue both deepening and expanding that fellowship in the coming year.
Through these leadership roles, I’ve gained a strong understanding of Newman’s operations and have truly enjoyed working behind the scenes to help make it a space where everyone feels welcome, supported, and connected. I look forward to continuing to work alongside Sophia and the rest of the leadership team to strengthen our faith community and bring glory to God on campus and beyond.
SOPHIA BATTENHOUSE
Hi all! My name is Sophia Battenhouse, and I’m a 3rd-year chemical engineering student. I’ve been involved with Case Catholic throughout my time at CWRU and have been blessed to serve as Co-VP and Co-President this past year. Case Catholic has been a meaningful part of my college experience—it’s helped me grow in faith, form lasting friendships, and connect with others who share similar values. I’ve loved planning events like game nights, the fish fry, apple picking, and ice skating with our leadership team. If elected President, I hope to continue these traditions while also introducing new ones like pickleball, movie nights, and downtown outings. I’d also love to help lead both our Fall and Spring retreats! Most of all, I’m passionate about building a welcoming, Christ-centered community where everyone feels seen and invited. Thank you for considering me for Case Catholic President!
VICE PRESIDENT
LUCAS MACIEL
I am a rising senior from Brazil, majoring in Applied Mathematics and Philosophy. I began attending Newman regularly during my sophomore year, and it has had a profound impact on my spiritual life. As an adult convert, I never had the chance to truly connect with a church community back home, so Newman was the first place where I experienced the church's communion and the joy of walking in faith with others. As vice president, I hope to imitate Christ through servant leadership—working to support our ministry, strengthen our friendships, and help create an environment where everyone can grow spiritually and feel truly at home.
SECRETARY
GIOVANNI RICUPERO
My name is Giovanni Ricupero and I'm currently a junior majoring in mechanical engineering with a secondary major in economics. Since my freshman year, being part of Newman has helped me grow deeper in my faith and form lasting friendships rooted in a shared Catholic identity. It’s been something I look forward to every week. Through Newman, I’ve come to better understand what it means to live as a disciple of Christ on a college campus. If I were to serve as Vice President, I would hope to foster that same sense of belonging and faith-driven purpose for others. I’m excited to help introduce new ideas and continue building a strong and welcoming Catholic community at Case
HANNAH ZACHARIA
Hi everyone! My name is Hannah Zacharia and I am a second year majoring in medical anthropology and minoring in chemistry, human nutrition, and religious studies. Newman has truly become one of the best parts of my college experience as a space to share and grow in my faith. From weekly Newman nights, small group, and post-Newman night Mitchell’s, I have truly found a community of genuine friendship and fellowship. This year, I’d like to run for the position of secretary and use this opportunity to contribute to the team.
I believe that effective communication and organization are essential elements in maintaining the success of the Case Catholic community. From my previous experience in leadership in various clubs like Remote Area Medical, writer-interviewer for Refugees on Record, and VP of Academic Excellence in Alpha Gamma Delta, I have demonstrated my ability to effectively manage tasks, communicate with team members, and ensure that commitments are fulfilled. By taking careful meeting notes and ensuring clear follow-up action items, I aim to be a dependable member of the team, working towards upholding the welcoming, faith-filled community of Case Catholic.
TREASURER
BRANDON MOORE
My name is Brandon Moore and I am a junior here at CWRU studying mechanical and aerospace engineering. Over the past two years I have had the privilege to serve the Newman community as the Treasurer of Case Catholic. This community has been an integral part of not only my college experience but also growth in my spiritual life. I have gained so many amazing friendships and made so many unforgettable memories. To be able to give back to this community and serve on the leadership team for a third year would be an honor. My previous two years have equipped me with the knowledge and skills to obtain funding for activities and properly budget for the school years. I would be ecstatic to assist in these tasks again for another school year. As I think back to my first year here at Case and how impactful this organization has been in growing my faith and relationships with others, I want to continue to support this community for all of the new students yet to come.
PR CHAIR
ELIZABETH ONZE
Hi! I’m Elizabeth and I am a third year nursing student. I have loved being a part of Newman and am so excited to be running for a leadership position! Over the past three years, Newman has given me so much - I have found such a strong sense of community, a place where I always feel comfortable being my most authentic self, and so much growth in my faith and in who I am as a person. I would love to give as much as I can back to our Newman community through the PR position - I hope to continue Caroline’s amazing work as our current PR chair by expanding the reach of Nemwan throughout the Case community to continue to create a space in which even more people feel welcomed and at home. I have previous experience that would contribute to this - including participating in PR and running social media accounts for other organizations at Case, and in high school. Thank you for your time and consideration, I can’t wait to see what the next year holds for our Newman community!
GRADUATE REPRESENTATIVE
WANJIRU NJONGE
Hello! I’m Wanjiru Njonge, a Master’s of Medical Physiology student here at CWRU! I love our Lord and pray that I may be an instrument of his glory in everything that I do. I’m passionate about expanding the Christ centered community we have in Newman and in deepening our relationships with our Lord. Choose me for your graduate student liaison and let’s become saints together!
AARON WISE
Community is one of the beautiful pillars of the Catholic faith, as we are all part of the mystical Body of Christ. It has been a great joy to be a part of this Case Catholic family over the past 7 years and to see how much it has grown from the handful of students back in the days. Goals for next year are (1) to strengthen our presence in the graduate schools, letting folks know they have a home here; (2) to continue to connect our ministry with Holy Rosary and the greater Catholic community here in Cleveland; and (3) to increase our love of the Eucharist!
The road is long, let us walk together!
Peace,
Aaron
LABRE LIASON
.jpeg)
NATHAN SOLTES
Coming to Case, I felt a calling to serve the Labre ministry at CWRU and continue my 4
year-long service to Cleveland's homeless that I began at Saint Ignatius High School.
Now, I'm preparing to take a larger, co-president role in order to use my experience,
network, and resources to continue the mission of Labre and Newman. I love the two
organizations and believe they strongly compliment each other, and am
uncompromisingly committed to maintaining the Labre program's Catholic values. The
Labre liaison role is critical to ensuring Labre's activities, finances, and operations are
appropriately communicated with Newman, and I am looking forward to maintaining a
strong partnership between organizations.