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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![A student touches a transparent globe that contains bolts of electricity](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/gabrielle_walsh_18.jpg?itok=kV_g0J50)
On a foundational winter term project
“Under Professor Matlin, I gained confidence in my lab work and got to befriend older student researchers who were already engrossed in the chemistry department and greater scientific community.”
Gabrielle Walsh ’18
![2 women look at a menu](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/anne_hoffman_08.jpg?itok=so6FJofC)
On habits developed at Oberlin
“I spent mornings at Black River, nursing coffee and developing an addiction from which I have no intention of recovering. I read political theory that made my brain feel like it was on fire. I read...
Anne Hoffman ’08
![Three friends lay in the grass on a hillside.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/samantha_bass_11.jpg?itok=UOJfs_rM)
On building a sustainable coalition
“It amazes me that one year after proposing the Compost Work Group, composting is on its way to becoming a permanent reality at Oberlin.”
Samantha Bass ’11
![Mathilda receives hugs and smiles from young children in an elementary school classroom.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/mathilda_mcgee-tubb_07.jpg?itok=hMRPPCua)
On education at Oberlin
“If allowing oneself to get to this point of utter submission to the universe of knowledge isn’t fearless, then I don’t know what is.”
Mathilda McGee-Tubb ’07
![Hip-hop dancers at rehearsal](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/isabelle_harari_17.jpg?itok=rls76EgZ)
On performing with Oberlin’s female and trans* hip hop dance group And What!?
“Our identity as dancers makes sure our audiences leave with material to ponder, discuss, and continue to engage with after our shows.”
Isabelle Harari ’17
![Standing by a hillside with hands raised and mouth wide open](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/beth_rogers_07.jpg?itok=-n_31UKs)
On moving to China
“I struggled in basic conversation, couldn’t communicate emotion, couldn’t deal with the subtleties of the language at all, and couldn’t read anything ... in some ways I think I re-discovered the...
Beth Rogers ’07
![Sierra holds up a kitten, which paws at her glasses.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/sierra_zuber_11.jpg?itok=oPgRbuYz)
On combining love and science
“When I was starting work on my honors biology research with crayfish...I realized how many questions had been right in front of me at Ginko [Gallery] all the time.”
Sierra Zuber ’11
![Mike appears to fly while diving for a Frisbee.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/mike_dirda_09.jpg?itok=nNHE8SWO)
On the men’s Ultimate Frisbee team’s year-round outdoor practices
“The cold tests our mettle, and when a seemingly endless winter finally departs, we know that we’re tougher and harder than any of our opponents.”
Mike Dirda ’09
![Jessica receives a huge, ceremonial check for $10,000](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/jessica_levine_95.jpg?itok=7qmMCK6A)
On the level of teaching at Oberlin
“Great teachers make a difference in our lives because they knew how to support us and how to push us. Educators at Oberlin do so in the most masterful way. They are both craftsman and scholars. They...
Jessica Levine ’95
![A man and woman hold two young children](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/chase_palmer_08.jpg?itok=UHK62FFA)
On opportunity
“I spent many years grappling with what type of profession I wanted to pursue in my life. I considered medicine, legal work, and many other paths. But one thing always remained the same: my passion...
Chase Palmer ’08
![Tanya holds up her 1990s-era Oberlin ID card.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/tanya_rosen-jones_97.jpg?itok=LC_KcpbZ)
On her Oberlin experience
“At Oberlin... I could design my own path. And I did just that, becoming more brave and adaptable with each new adventure. Being a student here makes you acutely aware of your own unlimited potential...
Tanya Rosen-Jones ’97
![Niels stands on his head, twisting his legs in a pose.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/niels_bantilan_09.jpg?itok=gUsNvbSf)
On discovering hip-hip culture at Oberlin
“As I accumulated more knowledge about the music, art, and history of hip-hop through my independent research, I started to think outside the dance.”
Niels Bantilan ’09