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.
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On venturing outside the Oberlin bubble
Mitchell Herrmann ’17
“The trips I took to the city of Akron during the cold of Ohio’s winter months introduced me to an entirely new world—a world in which my political and social assumptions were challenged in entirely...
On facing fears
Jane Sandberg ’10
“Sometimes the best way to get over an issue is to throw yourself into the middle of it and figure out how to make it work for you. This was the story of my first year at Oberlin... Oberlin is a...
On becoming a good researcher
Cassandra Dean ’17
“I am now able to conduct research at a higher level than most people expect of an undergraduate student, and my ability to network and schedule have improved dramatically.”
On being at Oberlin
Teresa Heinz Housel ’94
“I could safely question the cultural values that had been drilled into me as the truth, and with that security, I could intellectually and emotionally reach my full potential. ”
On meeting neighbors
Noah Morris ’12
“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-...
On having a show on WOBC
Joshua Davidson ’12
“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...
On volunteering in post-Katrina New Orleans
Colin Jones ’08
“The values of service, hard work, and solidarity in the pursuit of justice that were instilled by Oberlin pushed us forward.”
On preparation
Yvette Chen ’16
“Three years into college, I can say with confidence that my experiences inside and outside of the classroom have equipped me with the skills to fight for what I believe in.”
On Oberlin’s SITES program
Prof. Kim Faber
“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.”
On singing with the Obertones
Kevin Hu ’11
“But as I would realize, this love was a postulate of the Obertones; something so obvious it needed no proof through audible declaration. Everyone in the Obertones loves to sing.”
On a change in perspective
Dessane Cassell ’14
“The distinction between my vantage point and that of the students had yielded entirely different interpretations of the work without us even realizing it.”
On her new rug-importing venture, Kantara Crafts
Alia Kate ’08
“I have just returned from Morocco with my first batch of rugs and the excitement is palpable; what started with my desire to make a difference on a local level two years ago has now turned into a...