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 Music in London winter term project
“During this three week trip, I was able to experience life outside the United States for the first time as well as immerse myself in the musical culture of a vibrant city.”
Brianna Murray ’18

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 discovering the Filipin@ community
“FASA made me embrace my endless need to be different. We’re all just a group of kids trying to figure out how we each can be extraordinary in this very complex world.”
Joelle Lingat ’15

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 teaching experimental typography
“It’s esoteric, I guess, this interest of mine, but Oberlin is the kind of place where esoteric interests tend to flourish.”
Christopher Gollmar ’10

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 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 cooking over winter term
“The Foodship was my refuge... of camaraderie and gastronomy with a splash of eccentricity on the top.”
Daniel Dudley ’12

On the energy of the arts at Oberlin
“This is Oberlin at its best. The constant performance, observation, and absorption of art in all its various forms. Oberlin is a place where art and creativity thrive, as long as there are students...
Adam Kander ’07

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

On leaving Oberlin and returning
“What I thought must be standard fare at all colleges - the excellent music, the spectacular art museum, the earnest students - proved not to be standard at all.”
Emily Nord McClintock ’76

On the integration of classics in her life
“I’ve found beauty and strength in recognizing temporality, which has brought me to understand translation across language and temporal boundaries as a positive and connective process.”
Lauren Clark ’11