Student Organizations
Hillary Swiss '11
On her 4-6 a.m. show on WOBC, the student-run college radio station: "Walking to and from Wilder in the middle of the night was extremely surreal, and I remember vividly how excited I was to share music with whoever was awake during my 'rite-of-passage' first-year show." [more]Neal Schindler '01
On cooking in a co-op: "I credit my co-op experience with teaching me how to be creative in a pinch, and to make the most of limited resources, not only in the kitchen but in life as a whole." [more]Aries Indenbaum '09
On Oberlin's student-run circus: "Circus stood for the things I valued: inclusion, family, daring, theatre without drama, strength, flexibility, clumsiness, music, love. If anyone asked me what I cared about, circus would be one of the first words out of my mouth." [more]Josh Shuman '86
On Kosher Co-op: "There I learned to cook--my first meal of macaroni and cheese lathered with rum extract was not a hit, but later my Thanksgiving turkeys basted with beer and oranges were!" [more]Stewart Edelstein '70
On his education here: "Oberlin presented such a rich environment for multifaceted self-discovery that my college experience instilled in me the awareness that exploration in multiple and divergent directions is the path to intellectual and personal fulfillment." [more]Matt O'Connell '09
On a special meal at his co-op: "For me, this meal was exactly what Oberlin's co-ops are all about: making food with your friends, and knowing exactly where your meal came from." [more]Corina Bardoff '07
On the improv scene at Oberlin: "[It] is so accepting and completely full of fantastically talented and inventive people who want nothing more than to "yes" what you give them." [more]Jules Brouillet '10
On the things to do at Oberlin: "There are enough great organizations, activities, events and concerts here that it is impossible for one student to do everything or even half of everything. The hardest decision that many students face daily is the choice between commitments." [more]Ben Newhouse '04
On the lessons learned working for the Oberlin review: "[I've taken] with me the grinding productivity, invention of necessity, and constant grace under constant pressure that I acquired down in Burton basement." [more]Connor Lee '09
On learning to bake bread in a co-op: "Once I got over the fact that I could fit a few Hansels and Gretels inside the oven, it was just like any other kitchen, just larger and more awesome." [more]Monica Greene '07
On starting a non-profit while still at Oberlin: "The Heart Project was intended to be a small jewelry sale, but developed into something much bigger than we ever imagined." [more]Shane MacDonald '08
On the Oberlin Catholic community: "I discovered that it was exactly the type of diverse community I was looking for. People of all religious stripes were there: converts, lifelong devotees, Anglicans, and even spiritual hobos such as myself." [more]Ben Klebanoff '09
On Oberlin's Student Senate: "Students take active roles in all levels of the Oberlin administration, help determine the courses that are available for students to take, and help make hiring decisions." [more]
Our goal is to collect 1000 Oberlin stories, and so far we have 130. If you are an Oberlin student, alum, professor, or staff member, you can help by contributing your story.
