On October 4th, Howard University and Netflix announced the launch of a new 5.4 million dollar scholarship in honor of Chadwick Boseman, a late actor and Howard University alumni.

Incoming students in the College of Fine Arts, which was renamed after the actor last month, will be eligible for the Chadwick A Boseman Memorial Scholarship, which will cover the full cost of university tuition for four years.

The 5.4 million dollar scholarship was founded in collaboration with the streaming giant and Simone Ledward-Boseman, the widow of Black Panther star Chadwick Boseman.

"It is with great pleasure and appreciation that we announce the establishment of an endowed scholarship in honor of alumni Chadwick Boseman, whose life and contributions to the arts continue to inspire," said Wayne Frederick, president of Howard University.

"Chadwick's love for Howard, his enthusiasm for storytelling, and his willingness to support future generations of Howard students are embodied in this scholarship." "I am grateful to Chadwick's wife, Mrs Simone Ledward-Boseman, for her unwavering support and partnership, as well as Netflix for this significant donation," Frederick added.

"We wish to support as many students as possible by removing the financial barrier to study," said Ledward-Boseman, who described the scholarship as an opportunity for young artists to pursue further learning.

"I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and awestruck by the love and devotion with which so many people continue to appreciate my husband's work." "I'm sure he'd be pleased," she added.

Students who earn the award will have shown a drive for success, leadership, respect, empathy, passion, and remarkable artistic skills "reminiscent of Boseman," according to the institution.

For his portrayal in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, Boseman, who died of colon cancer last year at the age of 43, received a posthumous best actor nomination at the 2021 Oscars.

"He was always proud of his time at Howard and how it affected his life and career in positive ways. Now we'll be able to provide many more future superheroes the same opportunity,” said Ted Sarandos, Netflix's co-CEO and chief content officer.

Howard University is a world-renowned seat of higher education and one of the most distinguished historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States.

Among the notable alumni are US Vice President Kamala Harris, star Taraji P Henson, late Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall (whom Boseman played in the 2017 film Marshall), late congressman Elijah Cummings, and artist Sean Combs.