Winter Term

Jakob Faber ’21 explored ways to broaden the scope of branched flow with the goal of introducing work that has been done in radio astronomy and radio geophysics into the field.

Many areas of the country saw significant drops in pollution levels when stay-at-home orders were put in place several months ago. The effects on the atmosphere suggested to Devin Williams ’21 that there might be other factors to investigate. He joined a team of students who assisted Professor of Psychology and Environmental Studies Cindy Frantz in a project that would lead to the study of COVID-19 on psychological factors.

Bridget Smith ’21, an education and politics major, wants to improve the educational experiences of students with special needs. That's why interning at the Monitoring and State Improvement Planning division of the Office of Special Education Program in Oberlin (OSEP) was a great fit.

Seniors Arthur Welsh and Mark Ligonde had an ambitious goal for Winter Term. The pair planned to release a seven-song album with six different genres and subgenres of music, while residing miles apart. The project would challenge their compositional and production skills, but the end result was even more complex and creative than they imagined.

After spending a month researching artist books and creating a book of her own, Marie Romanelli ’21 is officially hooked on the craft, both as an artist and as a short-form poet.

Mary Perchlik adores butterflies. That interest led to her month-long project in August, which combined the study of butterflies on a species level while maintaining a broader focus on environmental systems that support butterflies and their interactions between different plants, insects, and habitats.

Fourth-year violin major Peiwen Su took on the ambitious project to learn and record the entire Stravinsky Violin Concerto in D major. The project was both challenging and inspirational—and demonstrated to Su what is possible in this new reality.

Creating an auto drink dispenser is something Thomas Heffer ’21 had toyed with for quite some time. However, his busy schedule wouldn’t allow him to actively pursue it.

More than 200 students performed individual and group projects during this year’s Winter Term. Although typically held in January, it was shifted to August this year under the same premise: a time for students to explore opportunities outside of their regular course of study.

The cinema studies major's short film Accidentes takes a slightly satirical point of view on death.

International travel—and Oberlin opportunities—proved pivotal for Fulbright Finalist Celina Kobetitsch ’18.

Although current conditions have fraught travel plans for many, there are still ways to indulge in much-needed vacation time. This week, we fly to the moon and return home in time for dinner.