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 discovering the community of Afrikan Heritage House
“I had found a community that I knew would have my back, a community that I have now come to love and am unable to see myself without.”
Ambre Dromgoole ’15
On the integration of classics in her life
“I’ve found beauty and strength in recognizing temporality, which has brought me to understand translation across language and temporal boundaries as a positive and connective process.”
Lauren Clark ’11
On learning Russian during Winter Term
“Sharing, with two of my best friends, those moments of joy and frustration, hilarity and utter confusion - it is something I could never have dreamed of anywhere but Oberlin, something I will...
Gwen Krosnick ’08
On the emergence of political awareness
“Before coming to Oberlin, I had never seen a demonstration or sit-in or even considered challenging government or college administration policy.”
Ruth Adler Rosensweig ’68
On discovering intramural sports at Oberlin
“At Oberlin, I expected to just exercise my mind; playing intramural basketball gave me a chance to get moving and be a part of a team.”
Ashley Docherty ’13
On exploring the radically shifting publishing world
“This is the chief thrill of interning at a literary agency. You never know if the next manuscript in the stack is going to be a dud or the potential classic of our time.”
Mack Gelber ’10
On Oberlin’s life preparations
“Oberlin’s crash course in cultural understanding gave me open eyes, open ears, and an open heart, and at the end of the year, that’s what helped me learn the most from my own experience.”
Jacob Myers ’12
On finding balance
“What I didn’t realize at the time was that it is possible to have multiple priorities, and I could put my full effort into each of them.”
Sarel Loewus ’16
On the Music in London winter term project
“During this three week trip, I was able to experience life outside the United States for the first time as well as immerse myself in the musical culture of a vibrant city.”
Brianna Murray ’18
On her time at Oberlin
“Graduating was like ripping off my right arm. But it was Oberlin that bolstered me and created a foundation from which I could truly plunge into the world of the possible.”
Megan Schulte ’94
On training
“With the curtain obscuring most of the fieldhouse from view, the track became a tunnel that my distance mates and I would fly around countless times at every imaginable speed and level of (dis)...
John Shaw ’07
On the ethos of Oberlin
“What made Oberlin outstanding then is still its magic - the students who want to learn, the faculty who want to teach, and the intense tradition of intellectual curiosity.”
Stewart Kohl ’77