Adding to her more than $600 million invested in historically Black colleges and universities over the past two months, MacKenzie Scott has bestowed record-breaking gifts to four more universities, all of which are celebrating the largest single donations in their institution’s history. Notably, like Scott’s previous donations, each new gift is unrestricted, meaning university leaders can direct the funds as they see fit.
North Carolina A&T State University, the largest HBCU in the United States, received a $63 million donation from Scott. In 2020, the billionaire donated $45 million to NCA&T, bringing her total investment in the university to $108 million in just five years. The new donation will be used for strategies outlined in the HBCU’s “Preeminence 2030: North Carolina A&T Blueprint,” which focuses primarily on the university’s pursuit of the prestigious R1 Carnegie Classification.
“No investor in higher education history has had such a broad and transformational impact across so many universities,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. “North Carolina A&T is deeply grateful for Ms. Scott’s reaffirmed belief in our mission and for the example she sets in placing trust in institutions like ours to drive generational change through education, discovery, and innovation.”
Following Scott’s $25 million donation in 2020, Bowie State University in Maryland recently received a $50 million gift. Leaders at Bowie State plan to use the latest investment to strengthen the university’s endowment and advance key priorities in the HBCU’s “Boldly Forward” strategic plan.
“We are profoundly grateful to MacKenzie Scott for her visionary commitment to education and equity,” said President Aminta H. Breaux. “Her generosity arrives at a pivotal moment in our 160-year story. It empowers us to expand access, elevate our research and academic excellence, and uplift generations of students who will lead, serve, and innovate. Higher education is the pathway to upward social mobility for our students and the communities we serve, and, with this gift, their futures are brighter than ever.”
Philander Smith University in Little Rock, Arkansas, received a $19 million donation from Scott, marking her first donation to the HBCU. Administrators plan to use the record-breaking investment to expand student scholarships and financial aid, invest in faculty excellence and academic innovation, enhance campus facilities and technology, and strengthen the university’s endowment.
“This gift is a resounding vote of confidence in our mission and our momentum,” said President and CEO Maurice D. Gipson. “It positions us to invest boldly in student success, facilities enhancement, and programs that prepare the next generation of Philander Smith leaders. We are profoundly grateful for this transformational support, which allows us to move Philander First with renewed purpose and vision.”
Prairie View A&M University in Texas was gifted $63 million. Combined with Scott’s $50 million donation in 2020, she has now invested $113 million in PVAMU. Administrators at the university will use the new donation to enhance scholarships and academic support, advance faculty research, and grow the HBCU’s endowment.
“This gift is more than generous — it is defining and affirming,” said President Tomikia P. LeGrande. “MacKenzie Scott’s investment amplifies the power and promise of a Prairie View A&M University education as we advance our vision of becoming a premier public, research-intensive HBCU that serves as a national model for student success. We are deeply grateful for her profound endorsement of our mission, our momentum, and our impact on the world.”
