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 woman plays a pipe organ](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/catherine_oertel_99.jpg?itok=YMaVoTsu)
On teaching at Oberlin
“I have initiated new synthetically-oriented research projects in my laboratory here, but I have also continued my work on organ pipe corrosion with students who have been attracted by research that...
Catherine Oertel ’99
![Members of the co-op pose holding bike parts.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/sophie_newman_17.jpg?itok=SzH9UFaV)
On practicing problem solving
“It wasn’t until I joined the Oberlin Bike Co-op that I realized just how satisfying finding an answer can be.”
Sophie Newman ’17
![Her identity concealed by a cardboard box over her head, a woman runs in the grass, her cape flapping behind her.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/miriam_rothenberg_12.jpg?itok=QsjWaVcw)
On living in Sci-Fi Hall
“They were friendly, loud, crazy, and nerdy. Furthermore, they were welcoming, encouraging me to participate despite my complete lack of knowledge of the linguistic origins of Tolkien’s Elvish...
Miriam Rothenberg ’12
![A disc jockey spins a record](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/joshua_davidson_12.jpg?itok=R67S20hh)
On having a show on WOBC
“In my years of DJing, the station always felt like a tight ship, full of equally obsessive folks seeking out just the right record and wanting to share that ecstatic moment with the greater...
Joshua Davidson ’12
![Group of volunteers in jumpsuits and protective gear](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/colin_jones_08.jpg?itok=q_cc8Hqx)
On volunteering in post-Katrina New Orleans
“The values of service, hard work, and solidarity in the pursuit of justice that were instilled by Oberlin pushed us forward.”
Colin Jones ’08
![Thanisa plays piano on stage.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/thanisa_durongkaveroj_18.jpg?itok=wMAlLw_J)
On the connections between college and the future
“I start to see my college experience as part of my overall life experience; classes become more applicable, and I become more competent to enter the professional world.”
Thanisa Durongkaveroj ’18
![Noah has green scales painted on his face.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/noah_morris_12.jpg?itok=vW3PSGTS)
On meeting neighbors
“I heard several shouts of “Come in!” and someone opened the door slightly. I’d braced myself for a lot of possibilities, but what I found still surprised me. As I entered, I found myself in a full-...
Noah Morris ’12
![A grade school class learns about a sculpture at a museum](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/dessane_cassell_14.jpg?itok=mbwDbSnD)
On a change in perspective
“The distinction between my vantage point and that of the students had yielded entirely different interpretations of the work without us even realizing it.”
Dessane Cassell ’14
![Two women handle a spool](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/alia_kate_08.jpg?itok=ZMoXBXm0)
On her new rug-importing venture, Kantara Crafts
“I have just returned from Morocco with my first batch of rugs and the excitement is palpable; what started with my desire to make a difference on a local level two years ago has now turned into a...
Alia Kate ’08
![College student volunteers and elementary-age students all wear matching SITES tee-shirts.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/kim_faber.jpg?itok=RB2DnfER)
On Oberlin’s SITES program
“What began as one mom’s hope to have a language program for her 5-year old son is now providing the opportunity for every elementary-school child in Oberlin to experience another language.”
Prof. Kim Faber
![Kelsey aims a ballpoint pen at an off-screen target](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/kelsey_atkinson_12.jpg?itok=_ALYjZaH)
On the Slam Poetry ExCo
“I was thrilled that I found an ExCo that so closely suited my interests and motivated me to keep writing, revising, and sharing my poems.”
Kelsey Atkinson ’12
![Zoe strikes an acrobatic pose on the trapeze.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/zoe_beach_17.jpg?itok=cgyG3xbH)
On keeping a dream alive
“While I chose Oberlin for the strength and opportunities of its science programs, I was overjoyed to find that Oberlin not only had a circus, but it had the facilities and equipment for aerial work.”
Zoe Beach ’17