Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott is the gift that keeps on giving. Scott has gifted Morgan State University with a $63 million unrestricted gift, her second multimillion-dollar gift to the Maryland HBCU in five years.
This recent donation brings the total amount donated by Scott to $103 million. Scott first donated $40 million to the university back in 2020. Morgan State has made major strides in the past few years. After seeing significant growth in enrollment, obtaining several new degree and certificate programs, and becoming a leading institution in research, Morgan State is the third-largest HBCU in the country.
A benefit to Scott’s unrestricted gift is that Morgan State can use the donation any way it sees fit. According to an article by the university, the $63 million donation will go toward the university’s endowment in hopes of further supporting students and funding initiatives that contribute to the university’s growth. Morgan State President David K. Wilson spoke on how Scott’s donation solidifies Morgan State’s commitment to academic growth.
“MacKenzie Scott’s renewed investment in Morgan is a resounding testament to the work we’ve done to drive transformation, not only within our campus but throughout the communities we serve,” said Wilson. “To receive one historic gift from Ms. Scott was an incredible honor; to receive two speaks volumes about the confidence she and her team have in our institution’s stewardship, leadership, and trajectory. This is more than philanthropy—it’s a partnership in progress.”
The funds initially donated by Scott in 2020 helped launch the “Leading the World Endowment Fund,” the university’s first unrestricted endowment. Scott’s generosity led to Morgan State alumnus Calvin Tyler and his wife, Tina, donating $20 million to the university, the largest donation ever made by an HBCU alumni at the time.
Morgan State has been able to create and fund initiatives on campus that provide benefits for both students and staff. These initiatives include the Center for Urban Health Equity (CUHE), the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities (NCEED), endowed faculty chairs in Brain Science, Psychometrics and Predictive Analytics, and Cybersecurity Engineering, and support for Morgan State’s Center for Religion and Cities.
“Morgan is on an extraordinary journey,” said Wilson. “This investment will allow us to accelerate that momentum, breaking barriers, advancing equity, and fulfilling our vision to become one of the top public research universities in the country—without losing our soul.”
This generous donation comes a few weeks after Scott donated $70 million to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). Like Morgan State, the money given by Scott will also go towards the organization's endowment to help fund the 25 institutions they currently serve.
“This extraordinary gift is a powerful vote of confidence in HBCUs and in the work of UNCF,” the nonprofit’s President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax told The Associated Press in a statement. “It provides a once-in-a-generation opportunity for our member institutions to build permanent assets that will support students and campuses for decades to come.”
