Oberlin College facts for kids
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Former names
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Oberlin Collegiate Institute (1833–1864) |
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| Motto | Learning and Labor |
| Type | Private liberal arts college |
| Established | September 2, 1833 |
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Academic affiliations
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| Endowment | $1.09 billion (2021) |
| President | Carmen Twillie Ambar |
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Academic staff
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327 (2017) |
| Students | 2,785 (2019) |
| Location |
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U.S.
41°17′35″N 82°13′18″W / 41.29306°N 82.22167°W |
| Campus | Suburban |
| Colors | Red & gold |
| Nickname | Yeomen / Yeowomen |
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Sporting affiliations
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NCAA Division III – NCAC |
| Mascot | Yeobie the Squirrel |
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Oberlin College is a private college in Oberlin, Ohio, United States. It is known for its focus on liberal arts (a broad education in many subjects) and its famous conservatory of music. Founded in 1833, Oberlin was a pioneer in education. It was the first college in the U.S. to admit both men and women (making it coeducational) and the second oldest continuously operating coeducational school in the world.
Oberlin also made history in 1835 by being one of the first colleges to welcome African American students. In 1837, it became the first to admit women as full students. Since its beginning, Oberlin has been known for its students' involvement in important social movements. The College of Arts & Sciences offers more than 60 different subjects to study. Oberlin is part of the Great Lakes Colleges Association and the Five Colleges of Ohio group.
Contents
History of Oberlin College
Oberlin College started as the Oberlin Institute in 1833. Its founders often wrote about their ideas, especially in the The Liberator, a newspaper that supported ending slavery. Many original letters and documents from that time still exist today.
How Oberlin College Started
The idea for Oberlin came from a desire to create a special community. The founders, John Jay Shipherd and Philo Stewart, wanted to train ministers and missionaries. They hoped to create a place that would help improve the world. The school was built on land given by Titus Street and Samuel Hughes. Shipherd and Stewart named their project after Jean-Frédéric Oberlin, a minister who brought positive changes to a remote area in France. They hoped to do the same in Ohio.
Their plan was to create a community of Christian families with a school at its heart. This school would train people to help others and spread good values. It would also use a "manual labor system," meaning students would work with their hands as part of their education. The school was open to both young men and young women.
Early Steps Towards Equality
Oberlin was part of a movement in the 1830s that aimed for a more perfect society. The founders believed in simple living and helping others. They also believed that slavery was a terrible wrong that needed to end immediately.
Before Oberlin, there was a school called the Oneida Institute of Science and Industry in New York. Oneida was very active in the anti-slavery movement. When it faced difficulties, its supporters, including wealthy brothers Lewis and Arthur Tappan, shifted their funding to Oberlin. This helped Oberlin become a new center for the anti-slavery cause.
The Lane Rebels Join Oberlin
In 1833, when Oberlin Collegiate Institute was formed, its founders did not originally plan to include African American students. The issue of slavery became important when students from Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati decided to come to Oberlin. These students, known as the "Lane Rebels," had left Lane because they were not allowed to freely discuss anti-slavery ideas.
When they decided to come to Oberlin, they had some important conditions:
- Oberlin must admit African Americans equally. This was a very bold idea at the time. Other attempts to have integrated schools had faced violence.
- There would be no limits on discussing slavery or any other topic. This was a big step for academic freedom (the freedom to teach and learn without restrictions).
- Asa Mahan, a trustee who supported the students at Lane, would become Oberlin's president.
- Professor John Morgan, who was fired from Lane for supporting the students, would also be hired.
After some discussion, Oberlin's leaders agreed to these conditions. This meant that in 1835, President Mahan, Professor Morgan, the Lane Rebels, the first black students, and financial support all came to Oberlin. The Oberlin Anti-Slavery Society was founded that same year. Oberlin quickly became known as a leading center for the movement to end slavery.
Oberlin in the 19th Century
Asa Mahan became Oberlin's first president in 1835. He strongly believed in the immediate end of slavery, which shaped the college's values. In 1844, Oberlin graduated its first black student, George Boyer Vashon, who later became a lawyer and professor.
Oberlin was also a pioneer in coeducation. In 1837, it admitted four women as full students. These women were Mary Kellogg, Mary Caroline Rudd, Mary Hosford, and Elizabeth Prall. All but one graduated. Later, in 1862, Mary Jane Patterson became the first black woman to earn a bachelor's degree. Women soon made up a large part of the student body.
The college played a key role in the Underground Railroad, a secret network that helped enslaved people escape to freedom. Oberlin was a known stop on this route. In 1858, students and faculty were involved in the famous Oberlin–Wellington Rescue, where they helped a fugitive slave escape. This event received national attention. Some Oberlin residents even joined John Brown's Raid on Harpers Ferry, a bold attempt to start a slave rebellion.
In 1850, Charles Grandison Finney, a famous preacher and abolitionist, became Oberlin's second president. Under his leadership, the college was renamed Oberlin College in 1851. Finney's time as president saw increased anti-slavery activity among students and faculty.
James Fairchild, an Oberlin graduate, became the third president in 1866. He had also been involved in the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue. During his time, the college grew significantly.
Oberlin College was also important in sending Christian missionaries abroad. In 1881, a group of students formed the Oberlin Band to work in China. Many of these missionaries, including families, tragically died during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900. The Oberlin Shansi Memorial Association was created in their memory and still helps Oberlin graduates teach in Asia today.
Oberlin in the 20th Century
Henry Churchill King became president in 1902. Later, Robert K. Carr served as president from 1960 to 1970, a time of much student activism. During his presidency, many new buildings were added to the campus. Students also gained more say in college decisions.
In 1970, Robert W. Fuller became president at just 33 years old. He worked to increase the number of minority students at the college. He also hired the first four African American athletic coaches at a mostly white college, including Tommie Smith, an Olympic gold medalist. In 1970, Oberlin was featured on the cover of Life magazine for having co-ed dorms, which was very new at the time.
Oberlin in the 21st Century
Nancy Dye became Oberlin's first female president in 1994. She oversaw new building projects and helped raise a lot of money for the college. She was known for being approachable and involved with students. Carmen Twillie Ambar became the 15th president in 2017, making her the first African American person and second woman to hold the position.
Academics at Oberlin
| USNWR Liberal Arts College | 51 |
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| Washington Monthly Liberal Arts | 114 |
| Forbes | 207 |
Oberlin is ranked among the top liberal arts colleges in the U.S. Most of Oberlin's nearly 3,000 students are in the College of Arts & Sciences. A smaller group studies at the Conservatory of Music, and some students pursue a "Double-Degree" program, studying in both for five years.
The College of Arts & Sciences offers over 50 different majors, minors, and special programs. Some of the most popular subjects for recent graduates include:
- Music Performance
- Psychology
- Biology
- Economics
- Politics
- Environmental Studies
- History
- Neuroscience
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is right on the college campus. It's very competitive to get into, with many students from around the world auditioning for a limited number of spots. The Conservatory hosts about 500 performances each year, many of which are free. It even received the National Medal of Arts in 2009. The Allen Memorial Art Museum on campus has over 13,000 art pieces and was the first college art museum west of the Allegheny Mountains.
College Libraries
The Oberlin College Libraries have special sections for art, music, and science. They also have a main library, the Mary Church Terrell Main Library. Students can access millions of books and other materials on campus. They can also use over 46 million items from more than 85 other Ohio schools through a network called OhioLINK.
Experimental College
Oberlin has a unique program called the "Experimental College" or ExCo. This program allows students or other interested people to teach their own classes for college credit. ExCo classes focus on topics not usually covered by regular departments, making learning very creative and student-led.
Winter Term
Every January, Oberlin has a "Winter Term." This is a special time for students to explore interests outside their regular classes through hands-on learning. Students can work alone or in groups, on or off campus. They can design their own projects or choose from a list of projects and internships provided by the college. Students need to complete a Winter Term project for three out of their four years. Projects can range from serious research to humanitarian work, filmmaking, or even learning new skills.
Creativity and Leadership
This department, started in 2005, helps students develop entrepreneurial skills. It offers classes, workshops, and grants to support students who want to start their own projects or businesses. One opportunity is the Creativity and Leadership Fellowship, which gives graduating seniors money to help them start a new venture.
In 2012, the department launched LaunchU, a program that helps Oberlin students and alumni develop their business ideas. This intense three-week program connects participants with business leaders and other entrepreneurs. It ends with a competition where participants can win up to $15,000 in funding for their ideas.
Campus Life and Culture
Student Activism
Oberlin students are known for being very active in social and political causes. The college has a long history of supporting liberal ideas. In the 1960s, the Memorial Arch on campus was a popular spot for civil rights and anti-war protests. Oberlin students were very involved in the Civil Rights Movement, helping with projects like rebuilding churches and supporting sit-ins.
Students have also protested against environmental issues, like fracking (a way to extract natural gas). In 2004, student activism led to a campus-wide ban on Coca-Cola products due to concerns about the company's human and labor rights. This ban was later lifted in 2014.
In 2015, students protested a tuition increase by temporarily taking over an administration building. They suggested ways to reduce costs, like changing how scholarships are given and reducing food waste. In December 2015, the Black Student Union made a list of demands, including hiring more black faculty and ensuring fair wages for campus workers.
Student Cooperative Association
The Oberlin Student Cooperative Association, or OSCA, is a non-profit group run by students. It provides housing for 174 students and food for 594 students in different co-ops. It's one of the largest student-run co-ops in North America.
OSCA is completely managed by students. All students who participate work as cooks, buyers, and organizers. They are also required to help clean, which encourages everyone to take responsibility for their community. Most decisions in OSCA are made by group agreement. Oberlin does not have fraternities or sororities, so the co-ops are a major part of student social life.
Music and Arts
Besides the famous Conservatory, Oberlin offers many musical opportunities for all students. Oberlin Steel is a steel pan ensemble that plays music from Trinidad and Tobago. Oberlin College Taiko explores Japanese taiko drumming. The Oberlin College Marching Band (OCMB), run entirely by students, performs at sports events. There are also several a cappella groups, like Pitch Please and the Obertones. Students can also form chamber groups and get coaching from Conservatory faculty.
Oberlin has a strong connection to film. The Apollo Theater, which opened in 1907, is a central part of the community. In 2012, after renovations, it became the Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman Cinema Studies Center. This center has editing labs, an animation area, and a recording studio.
Sustainability Efforts
Oberlin College is committed to being environmentally friendly. In 2006, it signed an agreement to become "climate neutral" by 2025, meaning it aims to have no negative impact on the climate. The college's Adam Joseph Lewis Center for Environmental Studies building is a great example. It has a large photovoltaic array (solar panels) and a "Living Machine" that cleans wastewater using plants.
The school uses biodiesel, hybrid, and electric vehicles. It also supports local public transportation. Since 1986, Oberlin has had a Bike Co-op, a student-run bicycle center. Each dorm monitors and displays its electricity and water use to encourage saving energy. A student group, the Oberlin College Green EDGE Fund, provides grants and loans for projects that improve sustainability on campus and save resources.
In 2011, Oberlin received an "A" on the College Sustainability Report Card. It also earned a "Gold" rating from the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System (STARS), showing its strong commitment to environmental efforts.
Campus Publications and Media
Oberlin students create many different publications. The main ones are The Oberlin Review, a weekly newspaper about current events, and The Grape. There is also BIPOC Lenses, a newspaper for students of color.
Other magazines include Wilder Voice for creative nonfiction, The Plum Creek Review for student writing and art, Headwaters Magazine about environmental topics, and The Synapse for science. Spiral focuses on genre fiction. The college also publishes magazines for alumni and the Conservatory.
WOBC News Corps, part of the student radio station WOBC-FM, produces local news segments. WOBC also has an online blog about music and local events.
Athletics at Oberlin
Oberlin's sports teams are called the Yeomen (for men) and Yeowomen (for women). The name "Yeomen" came from blending "Oberlin Men" with the college's motto, "Learning and Labor." In 2014, the school adopted the albino squirrel as its official mascot, named Yeobie.
Oberlin competes in the NCAA's Division III and the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Some rival schools in the conference include Kenyon College and Denison University. Oberlin also has 17 club sports, like ice hockey, fencing, ultimate frisbee, and rugby.
Baseball Success
On May 8, 2015, the Oberlin baseball team won the championship of the NCAC. This was their first baseball championship since joining the conference in 1984.
Football History
Oberlin's football team was coached by the famous John Heisman in 1892, who led them to an undefeated 7–0 season. Oberlin is also the last college in Ohio to beat Ohio State, winning 7–6 in 1921. While the team faced long losing streaks in the 1990s, they have had some success in recent years.
Cheerleading
Oberlin restarted its cheerleading squad in 2011. The squad cheers for the football and basketball teams and helps build school spirit.
Fencing
Oberlin has a club fencing team called the Flaming Blades. They practice and compete in foil, épée, and saber. They participate in various conferences and tournaments.
Ultimate Frisbee
Oberlin has both men's and women's Ultimate club teams, known as the Flying Horsecows and the Preying Manti. The women's team, the Preying Manti, won the Division III national championship in 2019! The men's team, the Horsecows, had their highest national finish in 2022, placing 5th.
Notable People from Oberlin
Alumni
Many notable people have graduated from Oberlin College. These include 16 Rhodes Scholars, 20 Truman Scholars, 12 MacArthur fellows, and 4 Nobel Prize winners. In 2021, Oberlin was one of the top schools for producing Fulbright scholars.
Faculty
Other
- List of Oberlin College and Conservatory people
See also
- Mount Oberlin (Glacier National Park) – named after the college
- New-York Central College, McGrawville
- Oberlin College Press
Images for kids
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The college was named after a prominent minister, J. F. Oberlin.
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Oberlin's football team, 1892
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Bosworth Hall
