Billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott dropped another huge bag on an HBCU.
Elizabeth City State University Chancellor S. Keith Hargrove, Sr., announced the school received a $42 million donation from Scott during the school’s Founders Day Convocation on Friday.
The gift marks the largest per-student award among Scott’s recent HBCU contributions—nearly triple the amount ECSU received from her in 2020.
“I want to express our deepest gratitude to MacKenzie Scott for this remarkable act of generosity and for her recognition of the critical role that HBCUs play in expanding opportunity and strengthening communities,” Hargrove said in a statement. “Her investment affirms what we already know: that institutions like ECSU are powerful catalysts for change.”
What gift means for ECSU
Hargrove outlined the gift’s campus-wide impact, including endowed scholarships for student success, innovative academic programs, and upgrades to academic, athletic and residential facilities.
“Gifts like this do more than provide resources; they accelerate momentum,” he added. “This gift allows institutions like Elizabeth City State University to move boldly toward the future while remaining grounded in the mission that has guided us for 135 years.”
MacKenzie Scott has donated hundreds of millions to numerous HBCUs since 2020, with many receiving multiple unrestricted gifts.
What other HBCUs has MacKenzie Scott donated to?
Scott’s contributions include over $1 billion across two dozen schools, often the largest single donations in their histories.
