Benjamin Sanov has transformed from the little boy in his mother’s Instagram photos to a towering young man who stands taller than both his parents. As the son of Days of Our Lives star Alison Sweeney and husband David Sanov, Benjamin Edward Sanov has captured public curiosity as he navigates adulthood away from the Hollywood spotlight. Born in February 2005, he is 21 years old as of 2026 and is forging his own path in mechanical engineering. In fact, Benjamin Sanov now attends college, focusing on a technical field far removed from his mother’s entertainment career. This article explores who Benjamin Sanov is, his current education journey, and what he’s really doing today as he builds his future.
Who Is Benjamin Sanov and Why People Are Curious
Benjamin Edward Sanov was born on February 25, 2005, making him the first child of actress Alison Sweeney and David Sanov. His mother gained widespread recognition through her long-running role on Days of Our Lives and as host of The Biggest Loser, while his father spent 27 years serving as a California Highway Patrol officer before retiring in 2022. This unique pairing created a household where celebrity existed alongside the grounded reality of law enforcement work.
Public interest in Benjamin Sanov stems primarily from his mother’s fame combined with his deliberate choice to remain private. Unlike many celebrity children who build personal brands or pursue entertainment careers, he has avoided social media presence and public attention. His younger sister, Megan Hope, was born in January 2009, completing the family unit.
The curiosity intensified when Benjamin worked on the set of his mother’s 2023 Hallmark film, A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery. During the three-week shoot, he rotated through various crew positions, assisting the props department and working as a camera operator assistant. His hands-on interest in camera mechanics and focus operations revealed a technical mindset rather than aspirations for on-screen fame.
Correspondingly, his enrollment at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology to study mechanical engineering confirmed his trajectory away from entertainment. This combination of factors drives ongoing public fascination with Benjamin Sanov.
Benjamin Sanov’s Current Life and Education
In August 2024, Benjamin Sanov began his freshman year at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. The move marked a significant milestone for the Sweeney-Sanov family. Alison shared the moment on social media, posting photos with Ben and David at the university. Baylor was his first choice school, and at 20 years old, he enrolled in the mechanical engineering program.
The curriculum demands rigorous commitment. Baylor’s mechanical engineering coursework covers thermal and fluid mechanics, heat transfer and thermodynamics, engineering materials, manufacturing processes, control systems, and machine design. This technical path reflects the practical, results-oriented values his father cultivated during a career with the California Highway Patrol.
Beyond academics, Benjamin maintains an active lifestyle. He enjoys cycling, skateboarding, soccer, and running track. His adaptation to Texas life came quickly. Alison noted that he adopted the phrase “y’all” almost immediately after arriving.
Family connections remain strong despite the distance. In January 2025, Benjamin attended an Eagles concert at the Las Vegas Sphere with his parents and sister. The family looked forward to his Thanksgiving homecoming after his first semester. His mother expressed excitement about planning Christmas celebrations together, evidently cherishing these opportunities to reunite as a family.
What Benjamin Sanov Is Really Doing Today
As of 2026, benjamin sanov continues his mechanical engineering studies while maintaining a remarkably private existence. His rotating internship on his mother’s 2023 Hallmark film revealed specific professional interests. He assisted the props department and worked alongside camera operators, developing fascination with technical operations. Learning about focus, zoom, and how light enters the lens captured his attention. His mother noted this experience sparked new appreciation for camera mechanics.
Alison Sweeney emphasized his conscientious work ethic, mentioning he maintains a part-time job during the school year and thrives with responsibility. The film set experience, while nerve-wracking at times, left him eager to work on another production. Surprisingly, he also demonstrated theatrical interest by playing the lead role in his high school’s production of Macbeth in May 2023.
What distinguishes benjamin sanov now is his deliberate absence from social media platforms. This choice reflects a broader family philosophy prioritizing normalcy over exposure. His technical curiosity during film production aligns directly with his engineering studies, showing connection between creative production and technical systems.
Sweeney expressed hope that each experience builds her children’s confidence to thrive in any environment while understanding the work required in every profession. Benjamin’s path demonstrates how someone connected to fame can develop privately, choosing serious academic pursuit over public visibility.
Conclusion
Benjamin Sanov proves that celebrity children can successfully forge independent paths away from Hollywood’s spotlight. His mechanical engineering studies at Baylor University, combined with his technical curiosity and strong work ethic, demonstrate a young man focused on substance over visibility. For the same reason his parents prioritized normalcy throughout his upbringing, Benjamin continues building a future grounded in academics and private achievement. His deliberate choice of privacy over public attention sets a refreshing example for those connected to fame.
FAQs
Q1. Is Alison Sweeney’s husband still working as a police officer?
No, David Sanov retired from the California Highway Patrol in 2022 after serving for 27 years as an officer.
Q2. Does Alison Sweeney have children?
Yes, Alison Sweeney has two children: her son Benjamin Edward Sanov, born in February 2005, and her daughter Megan Hope Sanov, born in January 2009.
Q3. What is Benjamin Sanov studying in college?
Benjamin Sanov is studying mechanical engineering at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, where he enrolled as a freshman in August 2024.
Q4. Has Benjamin Sanov worked in the entertainment industry?
Yes, Benjamin worked behind the scenes on his mother’s 2023 Hallmark film “A Zest for Death: A Hannah Swensen Mystery,” where he assisted the props department and worked as a camera operator assistant, gaining hands-on experience with technical film production.
Q5. Does Benjamin Sanov have a social media presence?
No, Benjamin Sanov has deliberately chosen to stay away from social media platforms and maintains a private lifestyle despite his mother’s celebrity status.