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 her 4-6 a.m. show on WOBC, the student-run college radio station
“Walking to and from Wilder in the middle of the night was extremely surreal, and I remember vividly how excited I was to share music with whoever was awake during my “rite-of-passage” first-year...
Hillary Swiss ’11
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 there being too much to do at Oberlin
“I always thought I was good at time management, but handling five classes, three plays, two student organizations, an RA job, a radio show, and a social life as an Oberlin sophomore is a little like...
Ben Ferber ’11
On the Oberlin Catholic community
“I discovered that it was exactly the type of diverse community I was looking for. People of all religious stripes were there: converts, lifelong devotees, Anglicans, and even spiritual hobos such as...
Shane MacDonald ’08
On his voice teacher, Kendra Colton ’83
“She taught with a firm, guided, and encouraging hand, but always listened openly to my thoughts and ideas. She allowed me to find my own voice instead of telling me what I should be.”
Jeffrey Hill ’09
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
On living in tiny communities
“They are exhausting and overwhelming and stressful in a way that only intense familiarity can be. They are also wonderfully intimate and deeply comforting and rewarding.”
Celina Siegel ’18
On learning to teach literacy
“I had answered a call for volunteer tutors in a night school created by a gentleman who was born a slave. Literate, he wanted to help folks from the South who had come north for jobs in Ohio and...
Susan Cowan Knebel ’60
On his January spent underwater
“Thanks to the Winter Term opportunity at Oberlin ... I’ve had the opportunity to see a manta ray in Hawaii, turtles in St. John, garden eels in Saba, docile sting rays in Cayman, and the most...
Joshua Levy ’94
On the ExCo Program
“What other place allows any undergrad student with a decent idea to create and teach their own course?”
Netta Rappaport ’12
On learning to bake bread in a co-op
“Once I got over the fact that I could fit a few Hansels and Gretels inside the oven, it was just like any other kitchen, just larger and more awesome.”
Connor Lee ’09
On OSCA tofu making
“I learned what tofu meant to me: steeped in tradition and innovation, tofu is where the new and old come full circle, a circle spanning generations, a circle catalyzed in Harkness’ kitchen.”
Weelic Chong ’15