Oberlin Stories Project
On Promoting Youth Climate Action
‘‘Prior to attending Oberlin, I was unaware of the extent and impact of climate change. In the fall as a first-year, I was introduced to research in the environmental studies department and was...
Harriet McSurdy ’23
On the Asia House dragon
“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...
Bill Heinrich ’81
On tutoring at Head Start
“I witnessed the kids I spent several hours a week with mature emotionally and personally, and I was given the opportunity to participate as they learned brand new concepts.”
Leah Awkward-Rich ’17
On her first home volleyball game at Oberlin
“It had been my dream to play college volleyball since I can remember and as I stood star struck looking up at the flag, I could not help but smile and realize that I had done it. I was living the...
Elizabeth Wong ’12
On the Oberlin College Dialogue Center
“We handle conflict through a social justice lens, which means acknowledging that differences in power and privilege inherently affect human interaction.”
Amanda Medress ’09
On collecting stories in Nepal
“I had this fantastical notion that I would just walk up to someone, and be like, “Hey man, you have any stories?” Then, I would sit back, regaled by their idiosyncratic tales. This was not to be the...
Sage Aronson ’12
On becoming a Latin major
“I realized how passionate everyone around me was about the exact same things ... they all shared the exact same joy I felt from studying such an obscure but wonderful language and culture.”
Maggie Killman ’13
On the genesis of a company
“[My roommate] had a crazy idea: working for yourself and starting a company is way more creative and fulfilling than working at a preexisting company, and here we are six months after graduation [...
George Saines ’08
On finding a personal space
“Establishing meaningful relationships with supportive professors through hard work and dedication is the most important thing you can do as a new student.”
Arianna Gil ’16
On learning to be a writing tutor
“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...
Sean Nagamatsu ’07
On friendship
“...it’s not just about tenuous links with some people you eat lunch with at school and sometimes see on weekends. It’s about strong relationships with people who actually care and support you...
Melissa Atlas ’13
Contributed by Prof. Laurie McMillin
“Jabali left Oberlin in 2000 with a degree in Biology and no set plans. But he knew he wanted to teach... At the age of 27, he became the principal of Excellence Charter School in Bedford Stuyvesant...
Jabali Sawicki ’00