HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) – College students know the only thing more scary than exams is dealing with college finances. Loans, scholarships, and grants become a student’s best friend. But the purchase of a well-known gift store aims to take some of the burden off students.

New management at the Edible Arrangements on Whitesburg Drive is ready to take your business. But the purchase of these fruit displays serves a scholarly purpose.

“We are returning to our roots, which are simply to support our students through the use of industry,” said Oakwood University president Leslie Pollard.

The historically black college has purchased the fruit gift store as a sweet way to decrease dependency on tuition.

“We don’t have legislators, as a private institution, voting huge sums of money to our institution,” explained Pollard. “So we’ve got to get out and do it the old fashioned way. We have to work for it.”

Profits from the store go toward scholarship funds for Oakwood students, who also have the opportunity to work in-store.

“The great thing is we can work around their schedule,” said recent Oakwood graduate Cierra Taylor. She is the operations supervisor for the store, and looks forward to giving back to her alma mater by providing job opportunities for undergraduate students. “If they need to go to class, homework, whatever the case may be, we make sure that everything is in the right order for them.”

The location was independently owned, but will now help the school grow their base of revenue.

“One of the main reasons why students can’t attend school is always financial,” said student body president Tahjai Conkerite. “Providing the school another way to get revenue is a great thing, and also giving students the opportunity to work through school is a blessing in itself.”

It’s uncommon for a school to own a business. Oakwood is the first institution to own and Edible Arrangements franchise.