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 path from Oberlin
“I began thinking I wanted to be a teacher and a poet and left knowing I wanted to be a lawyer...What I probably didn’t appreciate fully while I was at Oberlin are the intangibles that make it so...
Jill Herman ’77
On falling in love in Russia
“I brought my dictionary everywhere, but sometimes I was amazed that two people could connect in a way, especially with humor, that didn’t always involve complete cognitive understanding.”
Stephanie Patterson ’07
On being an international student at Oberlin
“The international student orientation days always come to mind as serving as the springboard that launched me headfirst into the charms of Oberlin’s diverse and global connections.”
Chetan Poudel ’14
On America’s first black president
“I’m glad and proud that I … and countless other Obies who have also shared their stories here all rejected the paralyzing fear of “otherness” that keeps people apart and keeps our world fragmented.”
Myrina D. McCullough ’69
On finding his “voice” again after so many years of medical training
“I am blessed that I remained firmly committed to my seemingly disparate passions for voice and medicine. Professor Miller must have been able to see something then that I never could have...
Tom Carroll ’96
On embracing independence
“Since coming to Oberlin, I have been fully responsible for my life and making important life decisions...I have started listening to myself and following my own path.”
Dagmawi Gebreselasse ’14
On her semester abroad
“What does dancing on the bar of a rural Austrian disco have to do with an Oberlin education? (Answer inside!)”
Nora Frederickson ’10
On ObieGame
“Five years ago two Obies created a game. Showing great wit, they named it ObieGame. Beyond this, facts are amorphous at best.”
Aaron Mucciolo ’02
On her first home volleyball game at Oberlin
“It had been my dream to play college volleyball since I can remember and as I stood star struck looking up at the flag, I could not help but smile and realize that I had done it. I was living the...
Elizabeth Wong ’12
On finding her path
“Oberlin opens up so many opportunities and challenges for students to explore life choices that even if you have absolutely no idea what you are heading for... you will always somehow find your...
Qian Cheng ’13
On the Oberlin College Dialogue Center
“We handle conflict through a social justice lens, which means acknowledging that differences in power and privilege inherently affect human interaction.”
Amanda Medress ’09
On coordinating the Light Bulb Brigade
“Ten months, 10,000 light bulbs, and one bachelor’s degree later... this is something that for me has come to define Oberlin.”
Kristin Braziunas ’08