Oberlin Stories Project
On Promoting Youth Climate Action
‘‘Prior to attending Oberlin, I was unaware of the extent and impact of climate change. In the fall as a first-year, I was introduced to research in the environmental studies department and was...
Harriet McSurdy ’23
On the Asia House dragon
“It would have been tedious work except that it was ambitious, self-directed, and had nothing to do with classes or credits. What made it something to look forward to was the enjoyment of working...
Bill Heinrich ’81
On finding friends on the field hockey team
“A camaraderie developed—probably born out of undergoing the rigors of preseason together—which blossomed into close friendships over the course of the season.”
Aditi Banerjee ’17
On working at Pixar and Dreamworks Animation
“None of these events would have happened to me if it hadn’t been for Oberlin’s amazingly nurturing environment, fantastic camaraderie, and the best mentor a student could have.”
Reid Gershbein ’93
On finding his voice in a creative writing class
“Never before have I felt that excited about a story I was telling, which became all the more empowering when I realized this story was also my life.”
Liam Oznowich ’17
On the freedom of a month of independent study
“Winter term at Oberlin has taught me to follow my instinct. Winter term isn’t about finding a perfect project that will make your life story more exciting; it’s about finding yourself in a project.”
Emma Marshall ’18
On her winter term in Tokyo
“I was thrust out of my comfort zone, thanks to Oberlin, and have never been happier.”
Amy Hourcade ’15
On building a sustainable coalition
“It amazes me that one year after proposing the Compost Work Group, composting is on its way to becoming a permanent reality at Oberlin.”
Samantha Bass ’11
On a special meal at his co-op
“For me, this meal was exactly what Oberlin’s co-ops are all about: making food with your friends, and knowing exactly where your meal came from.”
Matt O'Connell ’09
On exploring new things
“I saw an outing club poster on a bulletin board. Though skeptical, I signed up for the trip, and spent a day hiking around the Appalachian foothills... [and] I never looked back.”
Hannah Fuson ’11
On being pre-med
“Oberlin has a great reputation among graduate schools. According to one of my [medical school] interviewers, we are known for producing some of the ‘most talented, most versatile and most driven...
Asishana Osho ’10
On combining love and science
“When I was starting work on my honors biology research with crayfish...I realized how many questions had been right in front of me at Ginko [Gallery] all the time.”
Sierra Zuber ’11