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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![Ballrooom dance rehearsal in a gymnasium.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/sophia_bamert_13.jpg?itok=y5UNHPxC)
On becoming herself
“Oberlin gave me the push that I needed to pursue my goals, to see myself as an actor in the world rather than a mere collector of personae.”
Sophia Bamert ’13
![Jill and her son hold up an Oberlin College degree](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/jill_herman_77.jpg?itok=XLUrUXUq)
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
![With a waterfall in the background, Miranda stands by an informational sign headlined Healthy Habitat.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/miranda_fisher_12.jpg?itok=dcR3uB_V)
On an interdisciplinary education
“Learning isn’t just about memorizing static content for a specific class; it’s about shattering the boundaries of a subject and seeing how you can apply its content in different contexts.”
Miranda Fisher ’12
![A group of friends, all smiling](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/chetan_poudel_14.jpg?itok=GdeyFc0N)
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
![Teresa Heinz Housel](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/teresa_heinz_housel_94.jpg?itok=jjFyiVTX)
On being at Oberlin
“I could safely question the cultural values that had been drilled into me as the truth, and with that security, I could intellectually and emotionally reach my full potential. ”
Teresa Heinz Housel ’94
![Nina works on a omputer. There's a rubber ducky on top of the monitor. A sticker reads 'Trees are bad for pollution.'](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/nina_paroff_12.jpg?itok=6_dpwDZP)
On becoming an editor in chief
“I’m focusing on what The Grape could be in the future. I love The Grape for what it’s worth. I love the stinky office, the stinky staff, and the paper itself, typos and all.”
Nina Paroff ’12
![Group of students on the steps of a house](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/dagmawi_gebreselasse_14.jpg?itok=wfK0aiKK)
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
![A mysterious man in sunglasses grabs a notebook held by another.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/aaron_mucciolo_02.jpg?itok=M2QMK7gR)
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
![Students wait outside the museum, some in tents and sleeping bags.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/erik_inglis_89.jpg?itok=ApcZ9MKu)
On the art rental program
“All those students lined up for art rental aren’t just waiting patiently in a line; they’re also actively teaching each other and learning from each other, sharing their enthusiasms and gaining new...
Prof. Erik Inglis ’89
![Yolanda at graduation.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/yolanda_walker_09.jpg?itok=S-a96tjJ)
On succeeding through adversity
“Oberlin takes those with ambition and provides them with a world of opportunities. I entered Oberlin as a housekeeper and graduated four years later with a degree in economics.”
Yolanda Walker ’09
![A volleyball player jumps for a ball high above the net](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/elizabeth_wong_12.jpg?itok=TZzq403U)
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
![2 colelge students with 3 young children](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/katie_hart_11.jpg?itok=ceIUb90H)
On her Winter Term in a Belgian refugee center
“As cultural and linguistic barriers melted away, each one of us was able to make valuable friendships with the staff and residents of this center that had opened its arms to us and welcomed any new...
Katie Hart ’11