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 combining interests in creative writing and environmental studies
“In providing a text that shares experiences of running and strength in running, I hope that this collection helps women feel more empowered to openly move throughout the environment.”
Becca Orleans ’16
On working with the Oberlin Action for Civil Rights
“Oberlin played a major role in the student civil rights movement... Not just one person, but many people, linked arm and arm together, ended the reign of white supremacy in the Deep South.”
Matthew Rinaldi ’69
On defining Oberlin
“There are thousands of attributes, numbers and statistics that you could chime off that make Oberlin marginally better or worse than any given institution...what the Princeton Review or the US News...
Jaremy Rich ’07
On practicing problem solving
“It wasn’t until I joined the Oberlin Bike Co-op that I realized just how satisfying finding an answer can be.”
Sophie Newman ’17
On teaching at Oberlin
“I have initiated new synthetically-oriented research projects in my laboratory here, but I have also continued my work on organ pipe corrosion with students who have been attracted by research that...
Catherine Oertel ’99
On living in Sci-Fi Hall
“They were friendly, loud, crazy, and nerdy. Furthermore, they were welcoming, encouraging me to participate despite my complete lack of knowledge of the linguistic origins of Tolkien’s Elvish...
Miriam Rothenberg ’12
On having a show on WOBC
“In my years of DJing, the station always felt like a tight ship, full of equally obsessive folks seeking out just the right record and wanting to share that ecstatic moment with the greater...
Joshua Davidson ’12
On the connections between college and the future
“I start to see my college experience as part of my overall life experience; classes become more applicable, and I become more competent to enter the professional world.”
Thanisa Durongkaveroj ’18
On volunteering in post-Katrina New Orleans
“The values of service, hard work, and solidarity in the pursuit of justice that were instilled by Oberlin pushed us forward.”
Colin Jones ’08
On meeting neighbors
“I heard several shouts of “Come in!” and someone opened the door slightly. I’d braced myself for a lot of possibilities, but what I found still surprised me. As I entered, I found myself in a full-...
Noah Morris ’12
On a change in perspective
“The distinction between my vantage point and that of the students had yielded entirely different interpretations of the work without us even realizing it.”
Dessane Cassell ’14
On Oberlin’s SITES program
“What began as one mom’s hope to have a language program for her 5-year old son is now providing the opportunity for every elementary-school child in Oberlin to experience another language.”
Prof. Kim Faber