ONE HOPE-ONE DREAM AWARD

Since 2003, Jason Crislip, Class of 1994, has worked in the in the field of refugee resettlement, helping to resettle the world’s most vulnerable refugee populations to the United States. In this role, Jason assists people affected by humanitarian crises to survive, recover and rebuild their lives.

Following high school, Jason attended the University of Akron to study fine arts, a decision made in part because of the experience and supportive relationships he formed with Hoban art teachers. He knew he wanted to pursue a career in education because of the positive experience he had at Hoban—he was even the school cartoonist for The Visor under Brother Joe LeBon’s direction.

In his final year at the University of Akron, Jason took a course taught by a Ghanaian professor who encouraged members of the class to apply to the Peace Corps. Moved by what he learned in the course and not quite sure what direction he would take after college, Jason left class, went to a payphone and called for an application to the Peace Corps. He was then assigned to serve in Ghana.

Jason’s trip to Ghana, roughly 5,000 miles from home, was only the second time he had ever flown in an airplane. He arrived in a village of about 5,000 people and, for two years, taught art and computers in a secondary school. His experience in Ghana was a turning point in his life that opened his eyes to an endless world of possibilities. He found joy in fulfilling a need in the community, sharing his American culture with people he met and creating a life experiencing new cultures.

After fulfilling his required service time with the Peace Corps, Jason extended his volunteerism for another year, working in the capital of Ghana. He then began a new career working with refugees in West Africa. In all, he lived in Ghana for six years. In 2006, Jason moved to Bangkok, where he began working for the International Rescue Committee (IRC), serving in several roles including providing cultural orientation to people accepted for refugee placement in the US.

Let’s be clear about the situation those people were faced with. They were displaced from their homes because of a crisis. They were living in a refugee camp with strangers. Many of them were carrying the weight of deciding what to do next on behalf of their entire family. These refugees face one of three options: 1. Return home if they are able to do so safely and voluntarily, 2. Stay in the country of asylum or 3. Resettle to a third country. Less than one percent of refugees are able to resettle.

In 2015, Jason decided to move back to the US and continues to work for the IRC as the senior director for learning and lives in Silver Spring, Md. In his role, he works to provide training and technical assistance to service providers who support resettled refugees and survivors of human trafficking and provides programming and internal learning opportunities for the IRC.  

For more than 20 years, Jason has been called to provide relief work for others—helping them move their families across the world and build new lives for themselves. When he was called to join the Peace Corps, he answered. He saw the needs in our world and chose to be part of the solution. In a very direct and real way, Jason has committed his life to serving and bringing hope to others.

Bronlynn Thurman, Class of 2008, loves the Akron community, a connection she developed largely in part through the Christian service experiences she received as a Hoban student. While she didn’t recognize it at the time, participating in service inspired hope and a sense of responsibility in her to give back to others. Born and raised in Akron, Bronlynn is intentionally driven to make a difference and has established three pillars to live by: 1. Always be creating, 2. Never stop learning and 3. Help others.

Following high school, Bronlynn moved to Arlington, VA to study illustration. She returned to Ohio in 2009 to attend Kent State University, where she earned her bachelor’s in advertising and her master’s in Information Architecture and Knowledge Management (UXD). Similarly, to her love of community, Bronlynn’s artistic interests were nurtured by Hoban teachers Micah Kraus and Greg Milo. She attributes much of her artistic ability and creativity to Mr. Kraus’s instruction, and the two continue to be friends today, connecting through their mutual artistic interests and love of cycling.

Professionally, Bronlynn has devoted her career to the nonprofit sector. Since 2016, she has worked at GAR Foundation, an Akron-based foundation that invests in communities’ growth and development and has funded several educational projects at Hoban. In her current role as program officer at GAR, she works to advance the Foundation’s strategic priorities, particularly through funding and supporting projects that support equity through the assessment and review of grant applications that focus on community and economic development and arts in education. Prior to joining full-time at GAR, she also worked at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation as a program associate focusing on public space and civic engagement.

In her position, Bronlynn’s goal is to work hand-in-hand with local organizations so that the funds granted funnel into neighborhoods. She has been involved with projects that create revitalizing hubs within residential neighborhoods, restore green spaces and respond to housing insecurities. She also manages an educational program called Essential Experiences^SM. In its fifth year, Essential Experiences^SM provides arts and cultural experiences to Pre-K through fifth-grade students in Akron Public Schools. Through this program, students, regardless of socio-economic status, are exposed to various educational experiences that complement classroom curriculum and expand students’ horizons and potential future pursuits.

Beyond her impact on the local communities in which she works, Bronlynn has helped create two smaller communities within her personal life. As a high school student, she worked in an Akron Summit Co. Public Library and has always had a love of books and storytelling. Her interest and love of storytelling spurred the creation of Coffee and Cocktails Book Club, a local group Bronlynn created in May 2020 that focuses on uplifting stories from authors of color. With more than 40 people connected,  the book club shares stories from people of different cultures that are not typically heard.

A year later in May 2021, she co-founded Black Women Explore, an outdoor recreational group for women of color. She and a friend created a space in which women of color felt comfortable and safe to enjoy nature. Over the past two years, the group has organically grown with members encouraging additional friends to join. From hiking to canoeing, Black Women Explore builds community, spreads awareness of outdoor recreational opportunities and fosters deeper connections with nature and among roughly 250 women who have joined.

In addition to all of that, Bronlynn serves on several area boards and committees, including the Akron Civic Commons core team, City of Akron Planning Commission, Elevate Greater Akron’s working group and two of its strategy teams, and the Fund for Our Economic Future’s governing board as non-voting member.

As Blessed Basil Moreau instructed the early Brothers of Holy Cross, Bronlynn is a disciple with hope to bring. Through her profession and grassroots initiatives, she has taken action to give back to others while also bringing joy and fulfillment to her own life. Through sharing her personal passions and God-given talents—love of community, art, books and the outdoors—she uplifts and strengthens those around her and in doing so, brings hope to the Akron community.