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 the Asia House dragon
Bill Heinrich ’81
“It would have been tedious work except that it was ambitious, self-directed, and had nothing to do with classes or credits. What made it something to look forward to was the enjoyment of working...
On ObieGame
Aaron Mucciolo ’02
“Five years ago two Obies created a game. Showing great wit, they named it ObieGame. Beyond this, facts are amorphous at best.”
On clarity and falling down
Eliot Hart-Nelson ’15
“...In this moment I became aware of how much more comfortable with being alone I had become during my time at Oberlin.”
On finding the lull in the storm
Lena Glickman ’15
“I have learned the value of quiet... that taking a break from thinking so hard to just feel for a moment is what makes me happiest at Oberlin.”
On the real breakfast club
Rose Guardino ’17
“Our crew is composed of varsity athletes, artists, intramural people, scholars, and scientists...We recognize that everyone has something to offer and deserves to be heard.”
On making a video for an Ellen DeGeneres Show contest
Amanda Nichols ’12
“I had only known these people for a couple of months, and I was not only asking them to dance and sing in a public place, but I was also potentially asking them to do it on national television (if...
On the influence of an Oberlin education
Elizabeth Taylor Quilliam ’74
“Oberlin was not simply a 4-year stopping point, but has been and continues to be an essential part of my journey. It taught me to be ever vigilant in seeking social justice, curious, caring, open to...
On finding his voice in a creative writing class
Liam Oznowich ’17
“Never before have I felt that excited about a story I was telling, which became all the more empowering when I realized this story was also my life.”
On living in a program house
Rose Wesche ’12
“I can’t wait to return to Asia House in the fall. I believe that program houses offer a concentrated version of Oberlin-- fellowship, community, and learning all packed together into single...
On discovering the community of Afrikan Heritage House
Ambre Dromgoole ’15
“I had found a community that I knew would have my back, a community that I have now come to love and am unable to see myself without.”
On trying new things
Ellen Drake ’15
“My whole life I have opposed most forms of personal change with all of my being...Much to my surprise, I felt my anxiety start to abate within hours of being on campus.”
On living in the Women’s Collective
Lisa Amor Petrov ’85
“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.”