Oberlin Stories Project
On mouthing off in public
“If I hadn’t said it and it hadn’t been heard, I’m not sure I would have met Professor Whelan in the way I did or formed a friendship with her.”
Kepler Mears ’17
On the work-play balance at Oberlin
“I can study archeology, work out to pass the next fitness test, and rehearse my scene for Shakespeare class, all the while hanging out with people from all social circles with diverse interests.”
Derrick Bean ’09
On teaching the fencing ExCo
“I learned that teaching an ExCo is about more than just talking at the students and expecting them to learn - it’s about listening and attempting to modify each aspect of the class to fit the...
Alex Edwards ’12
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 the culture of Oberlin
“We carry ourselves with an air of courtesy and responsibility to others that shows itself daily in both our smallest actions and in our viewpoints about the way the world should be.”
Louis Grube ’09
On being part of establishing SWAP, a book cooperative
“Several members of the class and I thought, “Wait a second. We’re doing all of this work to describe this co-op. Why don’t we make this idea a reality?””
Evan Cameron ’15
On biking across Japan
“From March 15th to June 10th, I cycled from Kyushu to Nagano. Nearly every day I flash back to some moment of my trip to Japan. I’ll hop on my bike, or see a train, and I’ll remember my first day...
Andy Bartholomew ’07
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 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 a (failed) attempt at an individual major
“I now have a better grasp of how all my language-based interests—translation, journalism, and, yes, fiction writing—tie into comparative literature.”
Hannah Varadi ’15
On the spirit of Oberlin
“Oberlin draws the creative, the overstimulated, the passionate, and puts them together for four years to marinate.”
Avital Isaacs ’10
On practicing problem solving
“It wasn’t until I joined the Oberlin Bike Co-op that I realized just how satisfying finding an answer can be.”
Sophie Newman ’17