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 Christianity at Oberlin
“I learned so much. I became a true leader. I learned how to make decisions as part of a team. I learned to be a peacemaker between friends... I discovered a lot more about who God is.”
Alex Darr ’08
On a full-fledged learning experience
“No matter our individual passions, Oberlin provides us the opportunity to do what we love while connecting us with peers and professors that broaden our perspectives and help us make connections.”
Reid Palmer ’14
On living in the Women’s Collective
“I was blessed by the intimacy that can come from searching, together with other women, for an understanding of what it means to be a feminist.”
Lisa Amor Petrov ’85
On building websites for the Oberlin College Archives
“My time in the archives department in Mudd Library allowed me to apply my coursework in computer science to a fascinating niche of Oberlin College’s history.”
Eva Fineberg ’16
On their Winter Term project
“Touring as the saxophone and classical guitar duo Syzygy proved to be a defining moment in both of our burgeoning musical careers.”
Andrew Flachs ’11
On finding a home on SciFi Hall
“Like many incoming first-years, the thought of having a roommate and finding a solid group of friends was extremely daunting.”
Sammy Moores ’17
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 playing Carnegie Hall
“I never truly understood the relationship between a conductor and an orchestra until I played under Robert Spano ’83.”
Hannah Levinson ’09
On Oberlin’s Contemporary Music Ensemble
“In this new music, I heard nothing, only an ugly idiom that my ear could not, would not grasp... Then something happened that I’ll never forget.”
Avery Waite ’10
On being a part of the Oberlin swimming and diving team
“[It] means becoming absorbed into a large family of people who are committed to exploring their lives athletically and academically in various ways.”
Simone Christen ’15
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 opportunities and the people who help you grab them
“The people I have met at Oberlin have recognized potential in me that I did not know existed and held me together when I felt that I might crack.”
Jane Clark ’16