KEARNEY, Neb. (AP) — A new program at the University of Nebraska at Kearney is aimed at connecting aspiring entrepreneurs in settings outside the classroom.

The university’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Rural Development is launching a living-learning community next fall, hoping to foster creative thinking, introduce students to the local business community and get them thinking about starting their own businesses.

The community will have space for up to 16 freshmen and sophomores who will live together in a residence hall and take some classes together while being introduced to a range of entrepreneurial programs.

The living-learning community is modeled after a similar program at the University of Nebraska at Omaha that’s entering its third year.