Our society has been built on the presence of romantic bonds. Many young people place emphasis on being partnered, going to great lengths to find romance wherever they go. The path of dating to marriage to kids sets up the heteronormative expectation for many that their ultimate life goal is to produce...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration has passed multiple executive orders banning Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives in public universities and federal agencies, threatening to revoke federal funding if they do not comply. This has caused many colleges and universities — public...
When I first came to Oberlin, I was excited about the idea of exploring multiple fields. I had always been interested in how business, law, politics, and economics interact in the real world, and Oberlin seemed like a place where interdisciplinary learning was encouraged. But as I started planning my...
Have you accepted that we are becoming a fascist state, or are you still pretending that it’s not happening? Let’s break it down. Democracy holds our Constitution and the rule of law in the utmost respect; fascism grinds them both into the ground with the heel of its boot. Democracy ensures the rights...
As an Oberlin City Council member and longtime resident of this remarkable community, I write in strong support of Farah Lillian Emeka’s, OC ’97, candidacy for Oberlin Municipal Court Judge. Farah brings a deep well of experience, fairness, and integrity that is essential to this important role,...
The primary elections for Ohio are approaching soon. Both early in-person and absentee mail-in voting has started, and election day is May 6. Everyone should be ready to vote. Not only has The Oberlin Review endorsed Farah Emeka, OC ’97, for the Municipal Court Judge position (“Editorial Board Endorses...
The Now Chorale presented their spring concert Tuesday in the Carnegie Building Root Room, featuring six works by current Oberlin students. The...
The Oberlin College Black Musicians’ Guild was founded in 2001 by Martha Newland, OC ’03, and Ivy Newman, OC ’04, to promote and connect...
Questions regarding cultural appropriation have often floated around the Composition department of the Conservatory. Is it suitable for me to...
This Sunday, Martha Redbone, the renowned vocalist, songwriter, composer, and educator, will grace the Finney Chapel stage at 7:30 p.m. in the...
From March 10 to March 14, the International Contemporary Ensemble traveled from New York City to Oberlin for a weeklong residency filled with...
President Carmen Twillie Ambar joined over 150 college and university presidents and administrators in the signing of a letter denouncing the Trump administration’s “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” into higher education in America. The letter, published on Tuesday...
Wilder Hall is in the midst of a five-year renovation process which is now slated to conclude in summer 2026. The renovations, which were originally planned to be completed this semester, will modernize the building to fit safety codes and the specific needs of student organizations that are situated...
On Saturday, protesters gathered outside the North Ridgeville office of State Senator Nathan Manning to voice their disapproval ,of the voting records of several members of the Ohio state legislature. The protest was organized by Lorain County Rising. “The purpose of this protest was to draw attention...
Council Receives Update from Oberlin Community Services Oberlin Community Services provides emergency assistance, food programs, and other services, such as educational outreach to families in and around Oberlin. OCS Communications and Development Coordinator Jason Hawk presented the work that OCS has...
This week, Student Senate announced their achievements of the year, which revolved around connecting with students, partnering with administration, and cultivating community. Some of the key achievements highlighted included the revision of Student Senate Bylaws, which hadn’t been revised since 2021,...
Pope Francis Dies Pope Francis, head of the Catholic Church since 2013, passed away the morning of April 21, Easter Monday, at the age of 88. Francis was the first Jesuit pontiff and the first from Latin America. He was known as a reformer who, in the eyes of many, made the Church more accepting and...
On Monday, Oberlin College students submitted a proposal to the Board of Trustees to divest from military contractors and arms manufacturers. Nearly 50 student organizations have expressed support for this proposal. The proposal lists over 100 corporations worldwide that are invested in nuclear weapons,...
Founded in 1972, the Asian American Alliance has served as a space for students to learn about and make history surrounding the Asian-American experience at Oberlin. Members began to build an Asian American Resource Center by collecting literature in the form of magazines, books, newspapers, and other...
Last week, the Allen Memorial Art Museum announced that Jon Seydl would be taking on the position of director starting July 1. Seydl is currently working at the Krannert Art Museum at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and has previously worked at the Getty Museum and the Cleveland Museum of...
“What if there was a good empire? How can we build a ‘church of the new capital?’” This is the question Lucia Hulsether, 2024–25 Senior Fellow in Race and Ethnicity in America at Brown University and author of Capitalist Humanitarianism, was asked when attending the Society of Consumer Affairs...
Even before the Trump administration started their attack on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs, the Smithsonian Institution had been silently cleansing its halls of works reflecting diverse artists. This practice is not new; rather, it exemplifies a long, often unspoken history. American museums...
For the longest time, Sinners, directed by Black Panther’s Ryan Coogler, remained a complete mystery. Until the first trailer came out, the movie’s premise and even its title were unclear. Like the movie itself, the lead-up to Sinners was shrouded in secrets, but it was all worth it. After seeing...
Two languages fight in my mind like unruly siblings. English is easily offended, by Dutch’s vulgar words, thrown out as casually as rain. Dutch is easily annoyed, by English’s artificial pleasantries, broad smiles and sweetly rotting words breeding distrust. Two languages vie for my attention. Neglect...
ACROSS 1. Grenoble’s river 6. Murdered biblical brother 10. What a shrub needs to become a topiary 14. What the fair maiden will do when she sees the prince 15. What Jesus turns water into 16. “___ ___ Not Seen the Sun” (Emily Dickinson poem) 17. Fairy tale brother and sister 20. First...
In my first year at Oberlin, the second piece I ever wrote for the Review was titled “Rocky Horror Shows Revived with Love, Laughter, Latex” (Nov. 18, 2022). Since then, attending shadow cast productions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been a tradition for me, whether they’re performed by...
Last Saturday, indie-folk band Sadurn arrived in Oberlin. Students wearing long skirts and loose-fitting flannels milled into The ’Sco. Following a well-received opener, Sadurn took the stage. After a quick glance at her bandmates, lead singer Genevieve DeGroot, illuminated by purple light, began to...
Omukoko Okoth is a fourth-year Economics major with a concentration in Mathematics and Business and a minor in Politics. He is a student leader and mentor, having served as a Resident Assistant, Peer Career Advisor, Peer Mentor with the Center for Student Success, and Peer Advising Leader. Okoth was...
Calliope Lissak is a fourth-year student majoring in Comparative American Studies and Classics with a minor in English. On Monday, April 14, Lissak was honored in a campus celebration for the Leadership Award which she received from the National Student Employment Association. Lissak was commended for...
Liz Schultz is the executive director of the Oberlin Heritage Center, a member of the Ohio Local History Alliance, and recent recipient of the 2024 Ohio Museums Association Professional of the Year award. Schultz was recognized at the OMA Annual Conference Sunday, March 20, in Athens, Ohio, and gave...
Lena Leson joined the Conservatory faculty in fall 2024 as assistant professor of Musicology. She teaches courses on 20th- and 21st-century music, and her research primarily focuses on the intersections between music, politics, and dance. She has been published in the Journal of the Society for American...
Michael Frazier was appointed assistant professor of Composition in 2023 after first joining Oberlin Conservatory as a visiting assistant professor in 2021. As a Black and Latino composer, his compositions have been performed in venues across the world by various groups such as Strings & Hammers,...
George Rogers is a third-year Conservatory jazz saxophonist majoring in Jazz Performance with an individual major in Music Administration and Community Engagement. An avid musician, composer, and educator, Rogers has performed at venues such as Dizzy’s Club, SFJAZZ, the Concord Jazz Festival, the Vail...
Margaret Killjoy is an author, musician, activist, and anarchist. She is best known for her speculative fiction, particularly the Danielle Cain series, which began 25 years ago as a series of zines. Killjoy will release the third book in the series, The Immortal Choir Holds Every Voice, this year. Killjoy’s...
This interview has been edited for length and clarity. How did you get to be a judge for the National Book Awards? And what is something about that experience you’re looking forward to? The process is mysterious in the sense that you just suddenly get contacted by the National Book Foundation. They...
Skye Jalal, a College fourth-year and a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow majoring in Art History and Studio Art, has been awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship, which will support her project exploring land relationships for people of the African diaspora in Ghana, Kenya, Ecuador, and Mexico in the coming...
Kyle Baxt is a second-year majoring in Economics with a Business integrative concentration. In his sophomore year of high school, he underwent brain surgery to heal a Chiari malformation that had developed in his brain. In his first season at Oberlin, the first baseman broke the school’s all-time record...
Natalie Winkelfoos is in her 12th year as the director of Oberlin Athletics. During her time at Oberlin, Winkelfoos has been named the Division III Administrator of the Year by Women Leaders in College Sports in 2015 and the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year in 2018. This interview has been...
JJ Gray is a second-year Economics major on the men’s basketball team and the co-chair and founder of the Asian Student-Athlete Group. Last week, Gray was awarded North Coast Athletic Conference second-team honors for his athletic performance this season on the basketball court. This interview has...
Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge has taken his game to new heights yet again — a remarkable accomplishment for a man who already stands at 6 ‘ 7’’. The reigning MVP is fresh off a season where he led the league in home runs with 58 and RBIs with 144. When Judge was called up to the big leagues...
The Oberlin College baseball team broke through with its first two conference wins of the season, sweeping DePauw University in a doubleheader by scores of 6–2 and 7–4. The Yeomen leaned on dominant pitching, timely hitting, and a full-team effort to claim their first North Coast Athletic Conference...
Tennis has long been considered a “gentleman’s” sport, one associated with sportsmanship and class of the highest level. Like any sport, tennis requires years of training to become great, and a special talent to be one of the best. However, some players have been found guilty of using other means...
Since the infamous title battle between Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton in 2021, the past few seasons in F1 have been somewhat of a predictable story. Red Bull Racing’s dominance and Verstappen’s consistent wins have been the overarching narrative ever since the regulation changes in 2022. Although...
Rory McIlroy’s career-defining 11-year wait for a Grand Slam has ended with his first win at the Masters Tournament. On Sunday, Northern Ireland’s greatest golfer earned his first career green jacket and became the sixth golfer in history — joining Gene Sarazen, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus,...
As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, there are a multitude of prospects that can significantly impact the teams that select them. With quarterback-needy teams, dynamic offensive schemes, and revamped defensive systems all seeking cornerstone players, this year’s draft class offers plenty of elite talent...
Every year in April, the NCAA celebrates Division III Week, a time for student-athletes at DIII institutions to showcase their pride in athletics while helping their communities. The North Coast Athletic Conference has a conference-wide Student-Athlete Advisory Committee that decides how NCAC schools...
Content warning: This article contains mentions of suicide. Jarren Duran, an outfielder for the Boston Red Sox, had a breakout season in 2024, solidifying his place among baseball’s best. He finished that season as an All- Star and placed eighth in American League MVP voting; Duran quickly became...
March Madness has come to an end, and when the dust settled, the No. 1 seed Florida Gators took home the men’s hardware while the No. 2 seed University of Connecticut Huskies captured the women’s trophy. Both tournaments saw relatively few upsets this year, but just enough to ensure that once...
While most athletes rely on well-timed meals and hydration to fuel their performance, Oberlin men’s tennis player Zain Makada has spent the past month navigating a very different kind of discipline: fasting from sunrise to sunset for Ramadan, the holiest month in Islam. Observed by an estimated...