For Jesse Neugarten, life at Oberlin College may seem easy, especially when you consider where he comes from and what his parents did to guarantee he and his sister a better life.
 
Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1992 during the apartheid, Neugarten doesn't remember much about his time in one of the most dangerous cities in the world.
 
"We lived in Johannesburg until I was six, then we moved to the beach in Cape Town just because it was so much safer there," said Neugarten.
 
When Neugarten was 12, his parents decided to move to San Diego, California, so he and his sister could receive a better education and be safer. Neugarten says one of the hardest things about the move was leaving family and friends behind.
 
"I had to start at a new school and make new friends and at that age, it was really difficult. The big difference was in South Africa, you can't just go outside and play after school, but in America that's a normal thing."
 
Since that time, most of Neugarten's family has emigrated to either the United States or Australia. The only family member still in South Africa is in grandmother, whom he surprised with a visit when he was 16.
 
"It was my cousin, uncle, and I that went to visit her and we got to hike around the mountains and go to a game reserve. I plan to visit again in the next few years because I have kept in touch with a few friends who are still there."
 
With the recent passing of Nelson Mandela, Neugarten said his family was sad and upset. His parents had met the former South African president after his election in 1994, when he would visit different companies to meet their employees.
 
"My sister was born the day of Mandela's election, and my mom tells stories about not being able to get to the hospital because the streets were flooded with people."
 
A junior economics major, Neugarten has spent his last two winter terms doing stock-related projects. Last January, he focused on stock research and analysis. After reading a few Warren Buffett books, Neugarten put together a portfolio that he made a profit on and is still active.
 
Currently Neugarten is doing research with his economics professor Ed McKelvey. They are focusing on short-term interest rates and how they fluctuated based on changes set by the Treasury before and after the recession.
 
"Despite my interest in stocks, I don't really see myself working on Wall Street," said Neugarten. "I'd rather work in Washington, D.C., doing public policy research and possibly getting my Ph.D. in economics."
 
Neugarten is currently active in the Oberlin Investment Club, which manages a fund of around $300,000.
 
"It's a lot of fun and a good learning experience because it's all economics and math majors. People bring in proposals of what stocks they think we should buy and then we vote."
 
One might find the move from San Diego to Oberlin difficult. Neugarten himself struggled at times with homesickness, but has since found a place of comfort within the college and his basketball teammates.
 
"When I first visited I immediately loved the little Oberlin bubble, and the team vibe that Coach Cavaco had created really clicked with me."
 
"I knew this was my chance to get out of California for a bit, and I knew I could always go back. I couldn't see myself going to school with 40,000 other people. Here you get to know everyone and the people are really close and I like that."

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