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 learning from peers
“My education at Oberlin has occurred not only in the classroom, but through living and constantly engaging with so many different people from so many different life contexts.”
Sarah Cheshire ’14
On conducting a youth orchestra
“Music is a living art, not to be kept in the glass cases of history museums...I can help foster that kind of energy and excitement about performing in another generation of musicians.”
Maurice Cohn ’17
On starting a band at Oberlin
“The music scene is merely a symptom of an infectious enthusiasm that pervades Oberlin’s student body. The zeal with which students here plunge themselves into their personal pursuits is unparalleled...
Jamie Helmsworth ’13
On his climate-neutral home in Oberlin
“For almost three decades we imagined building a passive solar house ... After a very intense two years, we moved into Trail Magic, our home among kindred spirits dedicated to creating a more durable...
Carl McDaniel ’64
On organizing Dr. Seuss Day at the local public library
“I am one of six people on the varsity softball team who tutors in the Oberlin public schools -- my first order of business was to recruit the entire team.”
Sophie Schacht ’10
On merging dance lives
“I never thought I would be able to put a rapper dance side by side with a contemporary duet, but here I am today.”
Molly Gorin ’16
On the shock of arriving in Indonesia
“I managed to get to the Menteng Hotel, where I witnessed an oversized rat execute a bellyflop into the hotel pool. That night I wondered if I had made a huge mistake. I hadn’t.”
Jonathan Pincus ’83
On the common language of music
“In trying to redefine myself in a new place and establish my new identity as an Oberlin student, I soon realized that what had once made me stand out instead now connected me to everyone around me.”
Claire Coleman ’17
On being successful in business
“It takes the same willingness to be involved that I discovered at Oberlin, the ability to examine the community and to be an individual therein with the right blend of independence, challenge,...
Thomas Kutzen ’76
On an Oberlin education
“Each semester, to my continual surprise, Oberlin provides me both with the raw material of life experience and the tools with which to shape it into something with purpose.”
Nolan Grieve ’10
On getting married at the Big Parade
“I love the combinations of people at the Big Parade, the way someone will walk up to you and say, “Excuse me, sir, will you wear this giant carrot costume?””
David Weasley ’06
On Christianity at Oberlin
“I learned so much. I became a true leader. I learned how to make decisions as part of a team. I learned to be a peacemaker between friends... I discovered a lot more about who God is.”
Alex Darr ’08