UNOH student set for driver training at Monster Jam University

Meet Matthew Dummer, a student at UNOH majoring in High Performance Motorsports Technology. In the Spring of 2023, Matthew will have the opportunity of a lifetime when he heads to Paxton, Illinois to complete his driver training under the watchful eye of 14-time World Finals champion Tom Meents at Monster Jam University.

Matthew was one of many UNOH students who applied for this opportunity during 2022. Late this year, a selection committee informed him that he had won the spot.

“It has been an absolute dream of mine since I was two years old to drive a Monster Jam truck professionally and be one of the top contenders in the sport,” said Matthew in his submission video. “I’m not going to waste any opportunity I can to make it one step closer and open one more door, to chase my dream.”

Helping him support his dream is Matthew’s family. Matthew grew up racing quads in Oregon and, when he was 13, he received his own project truck that he continues to work on and adapt. With the unique programs that the University of Northwestern Ohio has to offer, Matthew’s family helped out financially when it came time to move 2,300 miles across the country.

“The only reason I am here and able to chase my dream is because of my parents,” Matthew added. “They are putting me through school at UNOH to give me the opportunity to chase a dream that I’ve had since I was a little kid.

“Many people in my life said it’s not a logical goal, that I can’t make a career out of this, or that it won’t last, it’s just a phase. I’m here to prove to everyone that didn’t support me, wrong.”

Previous recipients of UNOH’s MJU Experience include Branden Rassel, who competed in select Monster Jam events behind the wheel of Max-D and El Toro Loco in 2022:

To find out more about what UNOH has to offer, including its High Performance Motorsports program, please visit UNOH.edu/MonsterJam