LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Cornhuskers’ athletics department plans to fund a new scholarship program for nonathletes.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Ronnie Green and Athletics Director Shawn Eichorst announced the Husker Scholars program at the university system Board of Regents meeting Friday. Green says Nebraska Athletics will contribute $5 million annually to help keep an education from the university “affordable and accessible.”

He says the first scholarships will be awarded in time for the 2018-19 school year.

Eichorst says the scholarships are made possible through the loyal Husker fan base, which helped the department generate $112 million in revenue in 2015-16, compared with overall expenses of $104 million.