NMU has received two refurbished semi-trailer trucks from
Meijer, which opened a store
in Marquette on May 24. The
trucks are valued by Meijer at
$100,000 combined, and they
have been repainted with NMU’s
logo and colors. NMU will be
starting commercial driving license (CDL) classes in the fall
under the title “015 Professional
Truck Driving I” in the Electrical
Line section.

There is currently a shortage
of licensed truck drivers in the
workforce, said John Spaulding, store director of the Marquette Meijer. Some students will
choose to add a CDL to their degree to supplement it, he added.

“It’s what is up and coming in
the workforce,” Spaulding said.
This donation of trucks comes
from a history of Meijer doing
similar acts in the past, Spaulding said.

“[Donating] is kind of part
of our culture,” Spaulding said.
“And it’s one of my favorite
things to do.”

Meijer has not only donated
to NMU, but has also become a
sponsor for the U.P. 200, and has
donated money to the Beacon
House and local bike trails.
When Meijer first opened as
a grocery store in Greenville,
Michigan, the local community
helped it flourish to the position
it is in today, Spaulding said.

“We want to give back to the
communities that have supported us,” he said.

The Marquette Meijer building has employed a number of
NMU students and alums, not
only in positions of cashiers and
other entry-level positions, but
also in the fields of refrigeration
and engineering, Spaulding said.