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.
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On being a member of Oberlin Student Finance and Investment Club
“All club members learn together in various forms: an ExCo, themed discussions at meetings, and, most often, the teamwork involved with putting together the stock presentations.”
Jiayu Lin ’11
On learning to choose
“Oberlin has helped me with something that I have struggled with my entire life — the strength to make choices and believe in them despite any regrets that might follow.”
Chelsea de Souza ’16
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 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 Oberlin family history
“If I stare carefully at the ceiling of the turret and employ my imagination, I can see the mural mosaic that was painted while my father lived in the room.”
Julia Maier ’12
On working with IWP
“For two months, I have been in charge of the Oberlin region, working with two other student interns to teach English classes, serve as interpreters, and prepare for court cases for undocumented and...
Cynthia Malasky ’11
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 researching wolves in Minnesota
“We heard howls in the distance, howled in response, and heard the wolf pack reply to our call.”
Aaron Kokotek ’11
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 the influence of an Oberlin education
“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...
Elizabeth Taylor Quilliam ’74
On growing
“I realized I had come a long way from the student who sat in that class three years earlier doubting herself. I had become the articulate college student who had intimidated me so much in my first...
Althea Lamel ’13
On studying the legacy of war in Nicaragua
“I set out to learn from the village’s people by gathering oral histories of those who were living during the war and learning how it changed their lives and their country.”
Rachel B. ’15