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 being an art history major
Georgia Horn ’12
“Thirteen years later, as a freshman in college, I found the perfect outlet for my misguided artistic endeavors: art history.”
On Oberlin’s student-run circus
Aries Indenbaum ’09
“Circus stood for the things I valued: inclusion, family, daring, theatre without drama, strength, flexibility, clumsiness, music, love. If anyone asked me what I cared about, circus would be one of...
On learning to be a writing tutor
Sean Nagamatsu ’07
“It was not simply a course in how one tutors. It was an exploration of writing as a catalytic form of expression and interaction. It was the complete taking apart of how I put together words and...
On identifying with her students
Melissa Ballard
“I know many of the students and some of their struggles, in part because their struggles were once my own... But I also know that as these graduates walked off that stage, they felt exultant.”
On starting the One Song Dance Parties in Mudd
Jackie Mostow ’12
“It answered the rarely asked question: why shouldn’t stress reduction and (albeit short) physical activity be fun, promoted, and in an academic space?”
On learning beyond one’s major
Brendan Veeneman ’07
“I think it is a uniquely Oberlin phenomenon that introductory courses are every bit as interesting and rigorous as upper level courses, and it was this strength that encouraged me to diversify my...
On being a non-traditional student
Sue Angell ’99
“I came to Oberlin in 1995, as a 22 year-old transfer student and the mother of a two year-old boy... determined to get the type of education that would help me raise my son as a single mom.”
On cooking in a co-op
Neal Schindler ’01
“I credit my co-op experience with teaching me how to be creative in a pinch, and to make the most of limited resources, not only in the kitchen but in life as a whole.”
On getting to Oberlin and returning
Jim Sunshine ’46
“Once here, I never looked back. I went off to war, came back after three years, graduated in 1949, married a classmate in Fairchild Chapel, took up that career in journalism, and returned 56 years...
On injury
Christina Spencer ’11
“For the past week, I’ve had to sit out from the Yeowomen’s Basketball team with a sprained ankle. Being unable to play or practice has only intensified my passion for this sport. Now, I crave...
On the community of Sci-Fi Hall
Vicky Costikyan ’14
“I felt at home with the people around me, and I developed a confidence in myself that I had never experienced before.”
On volunteering at Oberlin
Paulena Papagiannis ’12
“Through a bevy of volunteer opportunities, the Murray Ridge - Oberlin College Alliance has re-established a vital outlet for Oberlin students to connect with some very special members of our...