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 finding balance
“What I didn’t realize at the time was that it is possible to have multiple priorities, and I could put my full effort into each of them.”
Sarel Loewus ’16

On Oberlin’s Student Senate
“Students take active roles in all levels of the Oberlin administration, help determine the courses that are available for students to take, and help make hiring decisions.”
Ben Klebanoff ’09

On her time at Oberlin
“Graduating was like ripping off my right arm. But it was Oberlin that bolstered me and created a foundation from which I could truly plunge into the world of the possible.”
Megan Schulte ’94

On joining Latin dance group Movimiento
“Walking into rehearsal every Thursday and Sunday night, I am greeted with hugs and kisses and an energy that is as vibrant as the salsas and merengues we dance to.”
Jennifer Jimenez ’17

On his education here
“Oberlin presented such a rich environment for multifaceted self-discovery that my college experience instilled in me the awareness that exploration in multiple and divergent directions is the path...
Stewart Edelstein ’70

On writing a novel
“I was afraid I would not be able to finish the novel by the end of the semester, but I did it. It is not polished, but it is a complete story. Coming to Oberlin and taking creative writing classes...
Chantal de Somer ’09

On joining Old B as a new student
“While for my own sake I’d like to think my Old B community is special, I don’t think it is uncommon - this is ultimately what makes Oberlin so great. These communities are everywhere.”
Natali Terreri ’14

On changing intellectual pursuits
“Oberlin [gave] me the chance to see that I could find that same level of fulfillment and meaning in any field that struck my fancy.”
Joshua Morse ’12

On being selected as a Cole Scholar
“Across the board, students emerge from the program feeling academically invigorated, and many have a keener sense of personal identity. I am no exception.”
Tyler Robinson ’11

On creating the Ecology Meditation Mindfulness ExCo
“Each week we intertwined meditation and mindfulness activities into our learning ... we always left with mud on our jeans and smiles on our faces.”
Corey Patrick Harkins ’12

On playing Ottavia
“While it’s entertaining to talk about my grand expertise in lying on the floor, this experience truly did expand my abilities as a performer.”
Patty Stubel ’09

On his poem about football at Oberlin
“The moment of revelatory tenderness I try to capture in this poem, exposed as it was by this rough game, meant as much to me as anything else I experienced as a student and remains very poignant to...
Dore Kiesselbach ’88