Connecting Research and Service Through CELA

Nyrobi Whitfield ’26 found that learning beyond the classroom through Oberlin’s Center for the Engaged Liberal Arts (CELA) has informed her personal values as well as her plans for the future.

Whitfield began her CELA journey at Oberlin as a member of the STRONG and Bonner Scholars programs, which she cites as integral to establishing a sense of confidence and intentionality in her research pursuits.

Run by Oberlin Undergraduate Research (OUR), the STRONG Scholars Program provides a specialized first-year experience designed to help students adapt to college and thrive in their STEM journey at Oberlin, including early research opportunities, close mentoring from STEM faculty and staff, community building, and academic skill-building for STEM courses.

Whitfield’s first research experience through STRONG  was in Professor Rachel Evelith’s aquatic science lab. It was there that she connected her passion for swimming with her interest in environmental and geological science, studying the biogeochemistry of the Great Lakes.

After her first-year research experience at Oberlin, Whitfield conducted marine ecology research at UConn Avery Point’s summer program. There, she put classroom material into action, gaining hands-on experience studying coastal environments. “Concepts that once lived only in lecture notes—nutrient cycling, species interactions, environmental gradients—became tangible in the ecosystems I was studying,” she says.

The Bonner Scholars Program is a four-year scholarship that provides selected students with community service and leadership opportunities. For her Bonner service, Whitfield worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor, which demonstrated to her the value of making a difference in the lives of others through community engagement. Additionally, as an eco rep for the Office of Environmental Sustainability, Whitfield connects her passion for environmental science with real-world event management and campus engagement, further affirming her commitment to service.

“Together, these two experiences taught me something central to my CELA journey: impact is not only measured by scale, but by intention.”

Now, Whitfield—who is double-majoring in geoscience and environmental studies—is a research ambassador for OUR. In that role, she helps fellow students forge their own paths through research and community engagement, drawing from her experiences in Bonner, STRONG, and CELA more broadly. “Being a research ambassador feels like the natural extension of everything Bonner and STRONG taught me.

“Each opportunity taught me something different, yet all reinforced the same lesson: learning extends far beyond the classroom,” she adds. “It happens in community pools, labs, offices, and during late-night conversations—wherever students show up with purpose.”

After graduating, Whitfield plans to pursue a PhD in marine ecology and a career in climate change research. “My CELA journey has given me the tools, values, and sense of purpose I will carry with me as I begin my post-Oberlin path.”

Whitfield is a nominee for the CELA Award, recognizing outstanding engagement and achievement in connecting academic pursuits with experiential learning.