MacKenzie Scott is continuing her unprecedented philanthropic streak, directing two major gifts to historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) this week.
In two separate news reports, Bowie State University and North Carolina A&T State University both confirmed multi-million-dollar donations from Scott—deepening her already substantial investment in HBCU communities nationwide.
For Bowie State University, the announcement arrived late on Friday, November 14—a $50 million unrestricted gift, the largest single donation in the Maryland institution’s 160-year history, per WTOP. It follows the $25 million contribution Scott made in 2020. With this latest investment, her total support for Bowie State rises to $75 million.
President Aminta Breaux said the moment was emotional. “I was truly at a loss for words, and it brought tears to my eyes,” she told WTOP, adding that she was “overjoyed” by the scale of the gift.
She noted that the university will prioritize financial aid, explaining that while Bowie State remains one of the country’s most affordable four-year schools—with undergraduate tuition and fees just under $9,000—many students still face significant financial barriers.
“We serve some of the highest-need students,” she said. “This gift… will be used to help close in on the financial needs for our students.”
The university also confirmed that part of the funding will support expanded research initiatives. Brent Swinton, vice president for philanthropic engagement, said the contribution will help inspire future donor support for “brilliant, yet often underresourced students and faculty.”
North Carolina A&T State University, meanwhile, announced a separate record-breaking donation in a news release—a $63 million unrestricted investment from Scott. It now stands as the largest single gift ever received by the university, lifting her cumulative support for A&T to $108 million.
“This is an investment in A&T’s capacity to solve society’s most pressing challenges,” said Chancellor James R. Martin II. He added that no donor in higher-education history has had such “a broad and transformational impact” across so many institutions.
The gift directly supports A&T’s Preeminence 2030 plan, a strategic blueprint aimed at elevating the university to the Carnegie Research 1 designation and expanding its leadership in fields such as engineering, agriculture, life sciences, artificial intelligence, and advanced manufacturing.
With Scott’s unrestricted support, A&T’s endowment is expected to exceed $300 million. The university states that growth will enhance its long-term capacity to attract top faculty, enhance student success pathways, and scale research essential to national innovation efforts.
The latest wave of support continues Scott’s multiyear pattern of investing heavily in HBCUs. In total, she has donated more than $400 million to historically Black institutions—including Howard University, Morgan State, Winston-Salem State, and now Bowie State and North Carolina A&T.
A&T Board of Trustees chair Gina L. Loften described the newest gift as “transformative,” saying it will expand opportunities for students and reinforce the university’s mission of “exemplary teaching, transformative research and impactful public service.”