Alumni Spotlight: Ben Nile Accelerating Through Adversity

Posted on Wednesday, June 10, 2026

UNOH Graduate, Ben Nile, Class of 2019

Written by Contributing Columnist Melanie Barnas-Simmons, VP of Institutional Advancement and Alumni Affairs

For University of Northwestern Ohio alumnus Benjamin “Ben” Nile, success has never been about taking the easy road. Since graduating in 2019, Ben has built a career, and a life, defined by grit, resilience, and relentless determination.

Just one month after graduation, Ben returned home to Maine and began working at a local heavy-duty truck repair garage. Only three days into the job, his life changed dramatically when a workplace accident caused a severe eye injury that left him approximately 75% blind in his left eye.

“The biggest thing was learning not to let the disability stop me,” Ben said. “All I could do was move forward and make the best out of everything.”

The years that followed tested him even further. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ben was laid off while simultaneously undergoing multiple surgeries to repair his eye and receive a prosthetic lens. Rather than allowing those setbacks to define him, he pushed forward leaning heavily on the hands-on training and problem-solving skills he developed at UNOH.

Ben joined a major paving company in 2021 as a mobile mechanic. There, he quickly advanced into a leadership role, becoming second-in-command in the shop while specializing in Caterpillar paver screed replacement, wiring, Mack truck repair, and Wirtgen Vogele spray paver operations and repairs.

“If you’ve driven on highways or major state routes in Maine over the last few years, there’s a good chance you’ve driven on asphalt laid by equipment I worked on,” Ben said.

Today, Ben has taken another bold step forward by launching his own ventures. He is building a pressure-washing business called Squatch Washing while also helping operate and maintain trucks and trailers for his father’s heavy-duty trucking company, DTB Transportation LLC.

However, motorsports has always remained at the center of his passion.

Growing up in a racing family, Ben chose UNOH largely because of its High Performance Motorsports program, Motorsports Team, and racing culture.

“Once I dug into the High Performance program and the Motorsports Team, I knew I wanted to be part of it,” he said. “The amount of hands-on learning was incredible.”

At UNOH, Ben immersed himself in the Motorsports Team, autocross and drift clubs, and countless hands-on opportunities that taught him far more than what could be learned in a textbook. He credits the experience with helping him master everything from suspension geometry and engine tuning to fabrication, drivetrain work, and race car setup.

“The skills and knowledge I learned at UNOH help me every day of my life—between work, racing, and everything else I do,” Ben said.

That foundation paid off quickly after graduation. In 2020, Ben helped crew and set up the car that won the prestigious Oxford 250 in Maine. He later contributed to a Pro All Star Series Super Late Model national championship effort before ultimately deciding to focus on building his own racing program.

Since 2022, Ben has built, tuned, and raced his own Late Model stock cars. In 2024, he finished fourth in points at Speedway 95 and qualified for the highly respected Coastal 200 at Wiscasset Speedway in his very first attempt. Most recently, after a complete rebuild and partnership with a respected local team, Ben captured his long-awaited first Late Model victory. It was his first racing win since stepping away from the sport in 2010.

“The ability to recognize suspension geometry, understand chassis setup, tune engines, fabricate parts, and build drivetrains, those were all things I learned extensively through the High Performance program and Motorsports Team,” he said. “Those skills have been absolutely instrumental in the success I’ve had.”

Now, Ben’s journey has come full circle.

Beginning June 22, 2026, he will join the University of Northwestern Ohio as an Admissions Representative and Recruiter serving Maine, New Hampshire, Eastern Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. In this role, he will work directly with prospective students throughout New England, sharing his own experiences and helping future graduates discover the opportunities available through UNOH.

For Ben, the opportunity is especially meaningful because he will be recruiting students from the same region where his own UNOH story began.

“I want students from New England to know that someone from their hometown can come to UNOH, work hard, and build a successful career,” Ben said. “UNOH gave me opportunities I never would have had otherwise, and I’m excited to help the next generation find those same opportunities.”

Ben credits the UNOH Alumni network with helping connect him to the opportunity and is eager to serve as both a recruiter and mentor for future students.

Whether he is repairing heavy equipment, launching businesses, mentoring racers, standing in victory lane, or now representing his alma mater across New England, Ben continues to prove that resilience, work ethic, and passion can overcome even the toughest obstacles.

And for Ben “The Sasquatch” Nile, the next chapter is just getting started.

Category: Applied Technologies

Keywords: Alumni