MacKenzie Scott’s giving spree continues, and Winston-Salem State University is the latest beneficiary. This week, the North Carolina HBCU announced a transformational $50 million gift from Scott.
This marks the philanthropist’s second gift to WSSU, surpassing her initial donation of $30 million in 2020. Making her total financial contribution to the university $80 million, Scott’s donations are some of the largest single gift in the university’s 133-year history.
“This gift is truly life-changing for our students and our community,” said WSSU Chancellor Bonita J. Brown in a press release. “MacKenzie Scott’s confidence in Winston-Salem State University enables us to transform lives, not just today, but for generations.”
In 2020, Scott’s gift was invested into WSSU’s endowment, allowing the university to enhance student access, fuel scholarship opportunities, and strengthen its long-term financial sustainability. The remaining funds were used to expand WSSU’s real estate footprint, an essential step for a land-locked campus experiencing record demand.
Now, the HBCU’s leadership is actively developing a plan to allocate Scott’s unrestricted $50 million donation in a way that prioritizes student success and creates a lasting impact.
“Her investment empowers us to make a high-quality education accessible, affordable, and within reach for students who never believed college was possible, and for that, I want to say thank you,” Chancellor Brown added. “We are all profoundly grateful for her choosing to invest in the future of our students and this institution.”
WSSU is the latest university to receive unrestricted financial support from Scott. Through the years, the billionaire philanthropist has and continues to give record amounts of money to historically Black colleges, universities, and organizations supporting underserved communities. This year alone, she’s given $70 million to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), $42 million to Alcorn State University, $63 million to Morgan State University, $50 million to Virginia State University, $38 million to Alabama State University, $80 million to Howward University and $38 million to Spelman College, among others. She gifted $50 million to Norfolk State University the same day as the gift to WSSU.
