Oberlin Stories Project
We have collected hundreds of personal narratives from students, alumni, faculty, and staff that explain the merits and strengths of Oberlin through the eyes of those who have experienced it firsthand.
Add your story
On learning to teach literacy
“I had answered a call for volunteer tutors in a night school created by a gentleman who was born a slave. Literate, he wanted to help folks from the South who had come north for jobs in Ohio and...
Susan Cowan Knebel ’60
On making new friends
“Our relationship began with laughter and silliness, and Kelin has been my dorky big sister away from home ever since.”
Christopher Ayoub ’15
On the ExCo Program
“What other place allows any undergrad student with a decent idea to create and teach their own course?”
Netta Rappaport ’12
On writing Nicaraguan women’s history
“I became a feminist and started to focus on an overarching question that would absorb much of my time over the next two decades: why assume that only white women fought back against sexism before...
Victoria González-Rivera ’90
On organizing a conference his senior year
“[it was] an event whose legacy affects others and permeates the thought processes, ideals and actions of students who continue to advocate for Ethnic Studies, equality and social justice on campus...
Daniel Domaguin ’06
On studying away
“I’m very passionate about exploring the world because I believe experiencing many different cultures is integral to developing a wider understanding, as well as a deeper connection to one’s self.”
Peter Nguyen ’16
On being a biology tutor
“I like... seeing students become comfortable with the material so that they can enjoy it instead of just seeing the class as a source of stress.”
Abigail Lofchie ’12
On living on SciFi Hall
“...when I step out my door, there will be a friendly face around the corner. I’ve made some of the best friends I’ve ever had there, and have found what I’m proud to call my home at Oberlin.”
Julie Lopresto ’12
On the ethos of Obies
“My Oberlin was very much a time and place of social ferment and activism, and while the issues may be different today, I know that Oberlin students will always be deeply involved in cutting edge...
Wendell Russell, Jr. ’71
On making friends
“The benefits of the meaningful conversations I had with my new friends outside of the classroom were robust... My friends became my teachers — a true Oberlin education.”
Emily Brennan ’15
On studying abroad in France
“I was lost. But rather than moping around in disappointment, I decided to embrace the novelty of all that was around me.”
Rachel Ippolito ’13
On fighting back
“My freshman year, I joined the planning committee for Oberlin’s first ever Relay for Life. For the event, I started my own team: the Pirates Dueling Cancer, decked out in black and red pirate attire...
Amanda Turley ’10