Hometown Hillsdale: Dylan Strehle, ’19
Written by Stephanie Gordon
Hailing from the state of Washington, Dylan Strehle, ’19, trekked across the country to attend Hillsdale College. Learning about the College via radio show advertisements in his mother’s car, Dylan knew Hillsdale would be a good fit after he visited campus. He understood the College’s core values, and it was the people that made Hillsdale relatable and an easy “yes.”
“I didn’t have any idea of what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go,” Dylan explained of his college search. “I thought about taking a gap year, but my twin brother, Shad (’19), had visited Hillsdale, and he told me I had to see it for myself.”
Moving across the country with his brother made things easier, and they learned a lot about each other during the process. “We were roommates until our junior years,” said Dylan. “Eventually, we learned we were better off not being roommates, but it was nice to have each other during that transitional period.”
The English major and marketing minor fell in love with theatre during his time at Hillsdale, and worked his way up to leading roles in shows like Death of a Salesman, Harvey, and Proof. “I always enjoyed the performing arts, and I auditioned for a play my first semester,” Dylan said. “I learned that a lot of the students who participate in theatre are not theatre majors. You don’t have to make that full commitment in order to experience and enjoy it, which is something you don’t get at other colleges, especially when it comes to leading roles.”
In addition to his theatre involvement, Dylan rushed the Phi Mu Alpha music fraternity and spent most of his extra time with the fraternity. A banjo player, Dylan said he became a better musician because of the Phi Mu Alpha experience, eventually becoming vice president of the organization.
Dylan met his future wife and Hillsdale County native, Abby (Titus), ’19, during a theatre production. “We were set up by other people, which is a toss up,” Dylan said. “We were in the same production, and one thing led to another. We became engaged our senior year, and married in July after graduation.”
For the Strehles, calling Hillsdale home seemed like the natural option because Abby’s family is local. “I started working for the city of Coldwater after graduation,” said Dylan, “and we lived near Hillsdale Hospital after getting married. Our friend group is here in Hillsdale, and I think at the core, Abby and I prefer living in a small town.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dylan spent time applying to remote positions, and he currently works as a marketing lead for a California-based video game publisher, Mastiff, LLC. “Everyone was working remotely during that time, so I took a shot at the job,” Dylan said. “It’s always been an industry I wanted to work in someday. I work with people in Japan on a regular basis, and it’s been neat to gain that experience and work with that side of the world.”
Abby and Dylan are expecting their first child in May 2024. Abby does paralegal work in Jonesville, Michigan, where the Strehles just purchased their first home. “Abby has a three-minute commute, and I have a 30-second commute on a bad day,” laughed Dylan.
The couple devotes their philanthropic efforts with Hillsdale’s Early Pregnancy Loss Association, and are active in the Hillsdale Orthodox Presbyterian Church. And, for fun, Dylan records a podcast, Monomaniacs, with his brother, Shad, who also remained in Hillsdale after graduation and currently works for the College as a podcast manager.
“Abby and I are very community and friend focused,” Dylan said. “We like to spend time with those we love. It’s nice to be within the community of the College as well. It’s fun to attend Homecoming and CCAs, and to see professors without having to go to class. It’s really the best of both worlds. Maybe it’s a comfort over risk kind of thing, but even if we win the lottery, we’re going to stick around Hillsdale for as long as we can.”
Stephanie Gordon, a lifelong Hillsdale native, is the managing editor of Virtue and Valor: The Official Blog of Hillsdale College. She is married to chiropractor, Dr. Matt Gordon, and has three children – Eloise, Flora, and Jack. When she has a spare moment, she enjoys paleo baking, floating on Baw Beese Lake, and breaking a sweat at the gym.
Published in April 2024