Founded in 1833, Oberlin College in Ohio has always been ahead of its time.
Oberlin was the first college in the U.S. to admit female and African-American students and was part of the anti-war and Civil Rights movements of the 1960s. The college also has been on the cutting edge of sustainability and green initiatives, including using environmentally friendly vehicles on campus and encouraging students to bike to class or use public transportation. This forward-thinking mentality extends to the college’s use of technology to keep up with the times.
The Challenge
Oberlin College was experiencing a dramatic uptick in video and other traffic flowing across its network as well as a skyrocketing number of devices using the campus network. Digital media and mobile devices have become a critical element in learning and a mainstay of entertainment. Oberlin’s 3,000 students, along with faculty and staff, enjoy an extensive library collection that includes multimedia and other digital materials. In addition, the college is a member of OhioLINK, which provides access to tens of thousands of digital media resources such as e-books, online journals, and databases.