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 the improv scene at Oberlin
“[It] is so accepting and completely full of fantastically talented and inventive people who want nothing more than to “yes” what you give them.”
Corina Bardoff ’07
On the art rental program
“All those students lined up for art rental aren’t just waiting patiently in a line; they’re also actively teaching each other and learning from each other, sharing their enthusiasms and gaining new...
Prof. Erik Inglis ’89
On her Winter Term in a Belgian refugee center
“As cultural and linguistic barriers melted away, each one of us was able to make valuable friendships with the staff and residents of this center that had opened its arms to us and welcomed any new...
Katie Hart ’11
On a second home
“In addition to the rewarding experiences I’ve gotten from my service sites, over the past two years, the little house known as the Bonner Center became my go-to place.”
Eint Kyi ’16
On creating Yafo Harmony
“I proposed a program that combined all my passions—social justice, music, and language learning—and with a generous CIGSIE grant, I was able to bring it to life in Yafo.”
Zach Resnick ’16
On the Oberlin Journalism Workshop
“Meeting and working with some of the best in American journalism, many of them Oberlin alumni, was truly inspiring.”
Alicia Smith ’10
On things gained from his time here
“Oberlin taught me many things ... It allowed me to evolve, survive and thrive in ways I never could have imagined on that sunny afternoon thirty-five years ago flinging a Frisbee with Cousin Itt and...
Robert Frascino ’74
On living in the Women’s Collective
“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.”
Lisa Amor Petrov ’85
On joining the Oberlin Christian Fellowship
“People within this community — or family rather — had strong desires for social justice and impact, and wanted to bring all of their friends on campus into this family, including me.”
Gabriel Moore ’15
On embracing writing
“Oberlin revolutionized the way I think about writing - which in turn shaped me not just as a learner but also as an individual.”
Anna Zeemont ’13
On the Oberlin student body
“My Oberlin friends came from... all over the place. All races and all faiths, they had attended both public and private high schools... they were independent, intellectually curious, intelligent,...
Sandy Waters ’71
On working with the Oberlin Action for Civil Rights
“Oberlin played a major role in the student civil rights movement... Not just one person, but many people, linked arm and arm together, ended the reign of white supremacy in the Deep South.”
Matthew Rinaldi ’69