Netflix and Howard University establish $5.4 million scholarship in Chadwick Boseman's name

Earlier this year, Chadwick Boseman’s alma mater Howard University announced that it would be naming its College Of Fine Arts department after the late Black Panther star, and now the school is teaming up with Netflix to sweeten the deal: In addition to naming the department after him, Howard and Netflix will be introducing a $5.4 million scholarship in Boseman’s name that will cover the full cost of four years of tuition.

Variety says that the first scholarships will be granted to one student in each class (so one freshman, one sophomore, etc.), and after that a new freshman recipient will be named every year. The first recipients have already been chosen, so if you’re a Howard University student currently crossing your fingers, you can probably stop.

As for how future recipients will be chosen, Variety says the scholarship will focus on “students who exemplify exceptional skills in the arts and who demonstrate financial need” (standard stuff), as well as students who “exemplify Boseman’s values, specifically demonstrating a drive for excellence, leadership, respect, empathy, and passion.” Bad news for any prospective Howard students who have exceptional skills in the arts and also need the money but don’t have a drive for excellence, then.

In a statement, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said that, while Boseman “was taken from us too soon,” his “spirit is with us always in his work and the good that he has inspired.” Sarandos also said that the scholarship is an opportunity to “give many future superheroes” a chance to have the same kind of life-altering experience that Boseman had at Howard. (The superhero reference is interesting coming from Sarandos, since he’s not the guy who Boseman played a superhero for, but that’s hopefully because this is actually Netflix trying to do a good thing and not some cynical marketing ploy.)