The goal of the Trustee Scholarship Program is to raise $100 million in endowed scholarships over five years.

Penn State spokeswoman Laura Stocker said the scholarship is being set up for students who demonstrate financial need. "The scholarship has been set up with the goal that a Penn State degree stays within the reach of all qualified students," she said.

She said the $1.8 million will be invested, and the money generated from this investment will go toward the scholarship. In addition, Penn State will donate money on top of the actual scholarship fund so students will receive aid immediately, before the revenue from the investment comes in.

"The university contributes an additional 5 percent of the gift, which becomes available as soon as the scholarship is set up," she said.

Kelly Snyder, director of scholarships in the Office of Student Aid, said the scholarships would be in effect beginning in the fall. She said students do not apply for the trustee scholarships. Once they show financial need, they are automatically eligible for the scholarships.

However, Snyder said the average award from a trustee's scholarship ranges from $1,250 to $2,500 per student, which is supplemented with other aid packages. "We aim to give meaningful awards to as many people as possible."

Stocker said the scholarships are designated to 20 Penn State campuses. Endowments of $50,000 will be established at 19 different campuses statewide, with the remaining $850,000 being set up at University Park.

She said the money is coming from a contract established in 1994 between the bookstore and Barnes & Noble. The agreement included additional funding for initiatives to be decided by the university. The bookstore has decided to create the scholarship from part of this funding. "It isn't really Barnes & Noble giving money -- that is from a business contract. The bookstore has chosen to use this pool of money in this way," Stocker said.

Tom Fankhauser, assistant bookstore manager, said the bookstore has always given part of its revenue to scholarships.

In the past, money has gone into the general scholarship fund the university has set up. The new scholarship is to highlight the money the bookstore gives in scholarships, he said. "We're trying to give money back," Fankhauser said. "Revenue generated has always gone to scholarships. It's not anything new, but just a different way of going about giving the money."