What's New (for the latest, are you Signed In?)
Looking back through the years, I realize how formative was my experience at Oberlin, both intellectually and socially. I did not, and could not, have known that lessons learned then would eventually direct me along unexpected and fulfilling paths, and for that I am grateful.
All In for Oberlin 2024 -
Go "All In" on Wednesday
It’s spring! That means it's time to participate in our annual day of giving, which this year will be Wednesday, April 10. Join the community of students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff members who dream of a world with more Obies. Last year, over $1 million was raised. This year, your gift—of any size—will create additional opportunities for current Oberlin students. And if you don’t want to wait, click here to make your gift now!
Over on the Class of 1969 reunion website, John Field ’69 posted a link to a five-minute video about long-term prisoners who were later exonerated and released. It was produced by Rhiannon Giddens of the Class of 2000. John writes: “The 22 men in the video were collectively robbed of 500 years of their lives, and 22-year-old Kalief Browder was driven to suicide. The prison system is not "broken"; it's a perfectly oiled machine for corporate jail companies to make billions of $$, while kidnapping mostly Black and Brown people from society.” A number of John’s classmates added comments, including Oswald Greg Lewis (Artistically strong, sociologically painful), Kerry Friedman Rosen (Been following Rhiannon and her music for years - her former group the Chocolate Drops, her opera Omar, etc. Thanks for posting this), George Spencer-Green (I saw her in concert last night at the Beacon Theater in New York. Well worth watching if you have the opportunity), and Tom Clark (Just finished watching a "60 Minutes" segment in which victims and exonorees are brought together in healing sessions. This dovetails nicely into the emotions expressed in Rhiannon's powerful work, which takes valuing one's freedom to a whole new level. Thanks for posting, John, and vote in 2024.) The video is at
https://youtu.be/FQ2_2A4vP4I?si=Ej_YewJiPIioMk-Z
and Rhiannon is interviewed about it at
https://www.democracynow.org/.../banjo_maestro_rhiannon...
Financial Webinars -
More…
If you’re interested in Oberlin’s financial future, two webinars are coming up this month.
First is the annual “Rising Over Tappan” on Thursday, March 14, at 1:00 pm Eastern time. You can learn how planned gifts work and how you can strengthen Oberlin while gaining tax benefits. Register by contacting Alan Goldman, Associate Director of Gift Planning, at agoldma2@oberlin.edu. The panel will also include Beth Fiencke and Marie Williams from the Class of 2001, plus Laura Malone from the Community Foundation of Lorain County.
Details: Once you’re registered, join the Zoom meeting at
https://oberlin.zoom.us/j/85897246203?pwd=Wi96cldjdHRiR0I4T3NjY3Jjc3ZiZz09
or dial in at (312) 626-6799. Meeting ID 858 9724 6203, passcode 667532.
Then the college’s Chief Investment Officer, Jun Yang, will offer “a transparent look into the management of Oberlin's biggest financial asset” — its endowment. Is it a “money tree”? Can its fruits be harvested sustainably? His Zoom session will begin at noon Eastern time on Tuesday, March 26. There will be discussions on endowment spending and payout, endowment restrictions, and investment decisions.
Details: To attend, click here to register.
https://oberlin.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwsceCqpzgsHNA-KfkRHYJ0O3l4bB0s5iBW#/registration
SIP -
SIP Tour Rescheduled
Honoring More…
Joel Baetens, a licensed Professional Engineer, will lead a virtual tour of the SIP and answer questions on Tuesday, January 23, at 5:30 PM Eastern Time. Click here to register on Zoom.
This past summer, the buildings highlighted in green were transitioned to geothermal with the construction of underground piping on North Professor Street. Now that students have returned to campus, underground construction is limited except for the continued drilling of 850 geothermal wells 600 feet deep.
Mr. Baetens explains that all SIP buildings will be connected to a main plant using heat pumps to relocate “unwanted” heat to where it is needed; any extra heat is stored in the well field. The aims include improving energy efficiency by more than 30 percent and saving over five million gallons of water per year.
Incidentally, under the pair of green leaves on this illustration is the site of Oberlin's newest residence hall, on Woodland Street across from Barrows. Click here for drone footage of the progress of that construction.
thanks to all of you for your kind wishes of sympathy. I struggle to say more
Posted on: Jan 10, 2024 at 4:38 PM
Once again sharing my wife Linda's death on January 2 after a struggle with Alzheimer's. She was 77.
obituary -
My wife of 33 years, whom I had known since 1976, died in her sleep More…
She was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease about a year ago.
—Paul Safyan '68
Clemmons -
Officer Clemmons' Friends Reach Fundraising Goal
With the help of a "Christmas Miracle" article in the New York Post, on Saturday afternoon the friends of Francois Clemmons '67 announced that they've attained their ambitious $100,000 goal for his medical and retirement community expenses.
SIP -
SIP Tour Postponed
More…
PREVIOUS INFORMATION: Honoring its 2006 pledge to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025, Oberlin has completed year three of its four-year Sustainable Infrastructure Program. The SIP will allow a shift from fossil fuels to renewable geothermal energy as the primary source for heating and cooling campus buildings.
Joel Baetens, a licensed Professional Engineer, will lead a virtual tour of the SIP and answer questions on Tuesday, December 12, at 5:30 PM Eastern Time,
This past summer, the buildings highlighted in green were transitioned to geothermal with the construction of underground piping on North Professor Street. Now that students have returned to campus, construction is limited except for the continued drilling of 850 geothermal wells that run 600 feet below ground.
Mr. Baetens explains that all SIP buildings will be connected to a main plant using heat pumps to relocate “unwanted” heat to where it is needed; any extra heat is stored in the well field. The aims include improving energy efficiency by more than 30 percent and saving over five million gallons of water per year.
SIP -
Tour the Sustainable Infrastructure Program
Honoring More…
Joel Baetens, a licensed Professional Engineer, will lead a virtual tour of the SIP and answer questions on Tuesday, December 12, at 5:30 PM Eastern Time,
This past summer, the buildings highlighted in green were transitioned to geothermal with the construction of underground piping on North Professor Street. Now that students have returned to campus, construction is limited except for the continued drilling of 850 geothermal wells that run 600 feet below ground.
Mr. Baetens explains that all SIP buildings will be connected to a main plant using heat pumps to relocate “unwanted” heat to where it is needed; any extra heat is stored in the well field. The aims include improving energy efficiency by more than 30 percent and saving over five million gallons of water per year.
This is a virtual Zoom event and requires registration ahead of time. Click here to register.
Carballo -
More…
We're invited to discuss Oberlin's record admissions trends, recruitment activities, applicant pool, and class profile with Manuel Carballo, Vice President and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid.
The Zoom session begins at noon Eastern Time on Tuesday, November 28.
To attend, click here to register.