Alumni Spotlight - Dylan Bishop '14

Dylan Bishop was an active member of the class of 2014 and currently serves as a Captain in the U.S Air Force. 

During his four years at Elyria Catholic, Dylan played football, was on the track and field team, and was involved in the Ambassadors program, Student Senate, National Honors Society, Ski Club, and S.A.D.D.

“There was such an incredible community to rally around throughout the day between friends, teachers, and administration. But, I would always also look forward to practices and workouts just because I knew I was going to get just a little bit better at the end of the day.”

Dylan says the biggest takeaway from Elyria Catholic is leadership. “The lessons learned playing Football, being on the Track & Field team, and in the classroom have carried me through both my collegiate and military career. Having a positive mentality and giving my people tools for success has always been one of the biggest things that formed through my education at EC.”

In the fall of his junior year, Dylan was one of four students to receive the Scott Holland ‘02 Memorial Scholarship. Upon graduating from EC, he went on to attend Kent State University and was a member of the Air Force ROTC Detachment 630 as well as a brother of Sigma Nu fraternity. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics and graduated from Kent as a 2nd Lieutenant. His framed Scott Holland award traveled with him all throughout college and Dylan has surely kept the spirit of Scott alive.

In July of 2019, he graduated from Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma and received an assignment to fly the C-17A Globemaster III at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in Tacoma, WA. 

When deployed to the Middle East, Dylan was part of Operation Freedom Sentinel and Operation Inherent Resolve and completed thirty combat missions. He has also participated in presidential support missions. 

“I always wanted to serve since I was a small child, especially having a Grandfather who was part of the US Army Air Corps and served in WWII, among other family members who also served. I’ve always felt a call to do something that was bigger than myself, but attending EC and being a member of different sports, clubs, and groups; I really learned more about my desire to be part of something more and serve.”

“The best way to explain what I’ve learned is simply, ‘Just. Keep. Moving. Forward.’ In my career, I have flown operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, around the Middle East and Africa, around the Pacific, all in support of different things, seen different things, and met tons of different people from all walks of life. During the Afghanistan withdrawal, I was supporting the evacuation of Kabul and saw some of the most amazing examples of courage, leadership, and friendship. During those hard times I watched a community complete one of the hardest and most demanding (mentally and emotionally) things, while rallying around each other to push through it. All I ask is that people help one another; no one knows what someone is going through. Use your faith, friendship, and compassion to help someone. It’s the little things that matter the most.”

Currently, is a Captain in the Air Force serving at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington. He lives in the Seattle area, but is stationed in Tacoma, Washington continuing to fly operations around the world in the C-17 Globemaster III. 

Thank you for your service, Captain Dylan Bishop!