Hall of Fame
John Stern received his A.B. from Oberlin in 1939 and earned his varsity letter as a goalie on the Yeomen soccer squad. He was also a member of the debate team, an elected representative to student council, and winner of the Mercer Prize in economics. In 1989 he was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities from Oberlin. Stern has been a staunch supporter of Oberlin College athletics for many years. He was one of the founding members of the Heisman Club and a catalyst in making the Heisman Club Field House a reality. He endowed Oberlin's North Coast Athletic Conference Scholar-Athlete award, which is named in his honor, and also initiated the award jackets program for Oberlin varsity letterwinners. He has also supported numerous projects that have kept Oberlin College athletics competitive with peer institutions. After graduation, Stern graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School. He has worked as an attorney in private practice in Chicago, Illinois, and served as vice president of American National Bank & Trust Company of Chicago. Stern has been active in a number of philanthropic endeavors, particularly in the fields of art and music. Stern served on the Oberlin Board of Trustees from 1975-1988 and was the founder and president of the John Frederick Oberlin Society. Stern has also been an active supporter of the Allen Memorial Art Museum.
