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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![Amanda proudly shows a sapling she has planted.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/amanda-salmons_560x420.jpg?itok=Wk87zdY_)
On Tending the Learning Garden
I learned what grew where and when each species bloomed...I learned that actively engaging in nature, every day, is the best teacher of these things—better than any book or classroom could ever do...
Amanda Salmons ’23
![Harriet stands by a waterfall.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/harriet_mcsurdy_23.jpg?itok=uMBV-DMd)
On Promoting Youth Climate Action
‘‘Prior to attending Oberlin, I was unaware of the extent and impact of climate change. In the fall as a first-year, I was introduced to research in the environmental studies department and was...
Harriet McSurdy ’23
![A group poses with papier-mache dragon's head, vintage 1970s](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/asia-house-dragon.jpg?itok=XgbJesUq)
On the Asia House dragon
“It would have been tedious work except that it was ambitious, self-directed, and had nothing to do with classes or credits. What made it something to look forward to was the enjoyment of working...
Bill Heinrich ’81
![3 friends at a scenic overlook](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/david_lowe_11.jpg?itok=BibGjUYp)
On living a multifaceted life
“I am a double major in law & society and sociology; I play varsity men’s soccer; I am heavily committed to acting; I produce music and DJ on a regular basis. Only in a place like Oberlin.”
David Lowe ’11
![Alen playing soccer](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/alen_cisija_12.jpg?itok=UCRs2MSG)
On being a part of the Oberlin College men’s soccer team
“We call it OC Love. We don’t play for ourselves, we play for each other. I am honored to stand side by side with every one of those guys.”
Alen Cisija ’12
![Rachel Benson](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/rachel_benson_08.jpg?itok=sMaTZ7tS)
On civic engagement
“Fast forward four years, many hours of community service, a lot of growing up, and one Oberlin degree later, and I found myself back in a place where I sought solace and found empowerment - through...
Rachel Benson ’08
![Lauren with Prof. Belitsky and another student](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/lauren_choban_16.jpg?itok=Ov9SINhT)
On opportunity
“At Oberlin, there is something—a club, a research lab, a play—for everyone to take part in, succeed in, and, best of all, enjoy.”
Lauren Choban ’16
![Students pose as statues by a stone wall](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/eush_tayco_09.jpg?itok=dJIiV0Hw)
On visiting Greece
“The beauty of the environment and the ancient sites we visited convinced me to keep studying Classics; I wanted to know more about who built the sanctuaries at Epidaurus and the temples at Delphi,...
Eush Tayco ’09
![Two students in front of a scientific poster under the heading Poster Prize Winners](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/andrea_goltz_17.jpg?itok=upuwzuUz)
On being there for others
“When I got tired, I’d always have Ren to go to. I’d sit in a little nook in her supply room-turned-office for five minutes, ten minutes, an hour, and just talk about life, or about the various...
Andrea Goltz ’17
![Rosie and friends, costumed as The Avengers.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/rosie_hertzman_15.jpg?itok=jnOL_b4Y)
On the power of Harry Potter
“In a society that looks down on childlike excitement over anything, OHPA taught me that it’s okay to be unapologetically enthusiastic about popular culture and that passion, no matter what form it...
Rosie Hertzman ’15
![Ma'ayan adjusts the focus on a camera.](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/maayan_plaut_10.jpg?itok=vAmRBUjt)
On her passion for photography
“Being at Oberlin and loving the arts go hand in hand, and luckily I get to translate my love of people, music, theater, and dance to a medium that serves both as a reminder and an inspiration to...
Ma'ayan Plaut ’10
![A group of laughing, smiling friends](https://www.oberlin.edu/sites/default/files/styles/story_350/public/content/story/image/hannah_gordon_11.jpg?itok=nY95HTzz)
On her service trip to Open Ground
“Throughout the week, so many tight-knit connections were formed among people from various niches of Oberlin—people who otherwise would have probably never even met each other.”
Hannah Gordon ’11