“I wouldn’t be where I am today if it wasn’t for UNOH.”

 

It’s a phrase echoed by many UNOH students and graduates working in the pits of Monster Jam events around the world. Tyler Davidson, a 2022 UNOH graduate who majored in Automotive and High Performance Motorsports Technology, recalled how he first became a fan of Monster Jam.

 

“My parents took me to my first show in Des Moines, Iowa when I was probably three or four years old, and I was hooked immediately. I spent years trying to figure out how I could get involved in working for Monster Jam. Once I found out that UNOH was a partner with Monster Jam, I knew they were the path to follow and help me out on my journey to become a Monster Jam technician.”

 

 

Davidson enrolled at UNOH after graduating high school and had his sights set from the beginning on hooking up with a Monster Jam team. In October of 2021, he met Monster Jam driver Corey Rummell and started working weekends for him throughout the winter of 2021. Then, beginning in February of 2022, just a few days after completing classes at UNOH, he became a full time crew member for Avenger’s Jim Koehler.

 

Koehler is no stranger to hiring UNOH students and graduates. “Coming from UNOH opens a lot of doors for these graduates. They’re doing a great job for Monster Jam. That’s why I have them on my team,” emphasized Koehler. “The UNOH reputation is something monster truck teams know. These students and graduates are seasoned, ready to do something, start knocking it out, and becoming topnotch mechanics.”

 

“You see the steering and suspension systems we have on these trucks,” said Davidson, “That’s something you can’t learn outside of UNOH. UNOH has the best instructors in the motorsports education field. You simply cannot find anybody with a more knowledgeable background than the people you will find at UNOH. They are going to give you the best opportunity possible to further your education and become a top tier technician for Monster Jam or any other motorsport team you want to be a part of.”

 

Current Motorsports Marketing student Autumn Ellingson agrees, “Without UNOH, I definitely would not be here today. UNOH really helped me get to where I am.”

 

 

Ellingson spent the 2022 Monster Jam season working weekends with the Monster Jam Ride experience at theme parks around the country. During the Monster Jam 2022 World Finals in Orlando, she was doing the same. “A year ago, if you would’ve asked me if I would be here I would’ve thought you were crazy,” Ellingson said. “Being able to experience my first World Finals, and getting to be here driving and working, is by far the best thing I have ever done.”

 

Jaz Crowle, an Automotive and High Performance Motorsports student at UNOH, also spent time as a student crew member at the 2022 Monster Jam World Finals. Hailing from Rhode Island, he wasn’t sure how he was going to break into the world of monster trucks. “I went to a Monster Jam show in East Province, Rhode Island in my hometown. I saw an ad for UNOH during halftime on the video board. I was kind of sold right then and there, because monster trucks is something I've always wanted do.”

 

 

When it came time for Crowle to graduate high school, he said he took the first opportunity he could to move to Ohio and start classes at UNOH. “I went to class every day, didn't take any days off, worked hard, and talked to my instructors,” said Crowle. “I took every opportunity I could to volunteer at shows and through that, I made a connection that got me where I am today. Without that connection, I wouldn't be standing here today.”

 

Crowle said there is always a need for more technicians in the field, so his advice to people who want to one day work on these 12,000-pound high flying machines? “Apply to UNOH right now. We’re looking for technicians and if you want to get a job, go to UNOH. You’ll make the connections there to get you to where you want to be,” he said. “There’s really endless opportunities at UNOH.”

 

Currently, Monster Jam has hired dozens of full-time technicians and 3 drivers who are UNOH graduates. More than 30 students have had the opportunity to work as Monster Jam technicians through part time work at events in the Midwest region, and 5 students have been awarded the opportunity to attend a Monster Jam University driver training course!

 

For more information about the UNOH and Monster Jam partnership, visit www.unoh.edu/monsterjam.