The Northern Michigan University Food Pantry received a large shipment of non-perishable food and other items Wednesday, made possible by nearly 130 meal plan students who generously shared $5,400 of their remaining Dining Dollars at the end of the fall semester.

Marquette Senior High School teacher Eric Hammerstrom said the stars aligned when one student's desire to interview someone from the National Hockey League developed into an opportunity for his entire class to connect virtually with high-profile Canadian sports legends and even Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

When the pandemic pushed his main revenue sources—catered events in the Fox Cities area and meals prepared for a brewery tap room—to the back burner, NMU alumnus David Bennett (BS '17) opted to adapt rather than wait it out. He successfully accelerated the launch of a take-and-heat meal service to keep the business going.

Northern Michigan University's highest faculty honor, the Distinguished Faculty Award, has been endowed by a major gift from NMU Board Vice Chair Steve Young and his wife, Tricia Kinley, of Lansing.