News Collection
After Oberlin
What lies ahead for Oberlin graduates? They’ve risen to the challenge of rigorous academics, they’ve pursued their passions and taken advantage of real-world experience, and now they’re ready to forge their own paths.
Follow recent grads as they land in highly coveted positions and career-making internships and graduate programs.
Beyond the Writing Center: Abbie Patchen ’24
Abbie Patchen ’24 is a Juris Doctor (JD) candidate at the University of North Carolina School of Law. While at Oberlin, Abbie pursued a minor in Writing & Communication, and was involved with the Writing Associates program, where students assist their peers through writing advice and tutoring. Recently, her work was published within the scholarly publishing collaborative WAC Clearinghouse — work that began as an assignment for Teaching and Tutoring Writing Across the Disciplines, taught by Professor of Writing and Communication Laurie Hovell McMillin. Here, she reflects on how her Oberlin courses and professors shaped her approach to learning and writing.
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Persistence, Practice, and Determination
February 2, 2021
Instead of an alarm clock, the sounds of Sergei Prokofiev and Chaka Khan would waft through Caylen Bryant’s childhood home every Saturday morning. Those early days served as inspiration for the jazz bass performance and Africana Studies major. After graduating from Oberlin in 2017, Bryant went on to perfect her own sound, and head a music program handed down to her by author and musician James McBride ’79.
The Business of Virtual Learning
January 21, 2021
Nearly a year ago many businesses and schools concerned about the spread of COVID-19 relocated onsite offices and classrooms to the internet. The transition to a virtual platform took some getting used to, but for Bryan Rubin ’18 and Benjamin Steger ’18 the future was finally here.
Discovering a Passion for Science Communication: Lisa Learman '16
January 6, 2021
A biology and musical studies double major at Oberlin, Learman is completing her PhD in the Cellular and Molecular Medicine program at Johns Hopkins University.
Using Theater to Ignite Conversations About Public Health and Social Issues
October 14, 2020
Marjolaine Goldsmith ’14 fulfills her passion for storytelling and also has the opportunity to confront social injustices through her work with Theater of War Productions.
Pandemic Impact Award Helps Zoe Swann ’19 Continue Research on StartReact Effect
September 9, 2020
After graduating from Oberlin College with high honors in neuroscience and a concentration in linguistics, Zoe Swann ’19 immediately embarked on a PhD program at Arizona State University (ASU), where she began writing a literature review, and started developing a dissertation proposal. Then COVID-19 struck. It brought her research to a screeching halt until her lab was granted a $1,500 Pandemic Impact Award to support research expenses.
From Double Major to Law School: Emily Kelly-Olsen ’19
July 22, 2020
A student athlete, Kelly-Olsen discovered her passion for politics and East Asian studies at Oberlin. She is currently a student at University of Michigan Law School and working as an associate at a law firm in her hometown of Portland, Oregon.
Taking Her Time: Master of Art History Candidate Michelle Fikrig ’18
July 7, 2020
Fikrig is carving a niche by incorporating themes of reproductive and queer rights advocacy into art historical research.
Confidence in Research: Morgan Thomas ’19
July 1, 2020
Thomas credits the mentorship and scientific training she received in the lab of Associate Professor of Neuroscience Gunnar Kwakye.
Mental Health Research Assistant: Ify Ezimora ’19
May 15, 2020
Ezimora is applying the professional experience she gained as a double major in psychology and environmental studies as well as her roles as a student treasurer and cochair of the Student Finance Committee.
The Future of Sustainability in Buildings: Grant Sheely ’19
May 11, 2020
The 2019 graduate earned degrees in both math and physics and now works as a sustainability coordinator in New York City.
Documentary by Watson Fellow Emily Stanford ’17 Accepted in Wildlife Conservation Film Festival
May 7, 2020
Stanford made a documentary about bats, which she thinks are one of the world’s most misunderstood mammals.
Late Nights and Briefings: Law Student Jakheem Wheatley ’19
May 1, 2020
Jakheem Wheatley ’19 is a first-year law student at UIC John Marshall Law School in Chicago.
