MacKenzie Scott invests $118 million in the education of Howard University and Spelman College students

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has gifted $80 million to Howard University and $38 million to Spelman College.

MacKenzie Scott is making it rain on HBCUs, and this week, Howard University and Spelman College were some of the latest additions to her giving list. The philanthropist, who has been on a year-long mission to give back, has gifted Howard University $80 million and Spelman College $38 million in unrestricted funds.

Giving the university leadership the freedom to use the donation how they see fit, Spelman College plans to use Scott’s gift to expand “financial aid and scholarship support to ensure that talented scholars, regardless of their financial background, can complete their education and thrive, and investing in a state-of-the-art technology infrastructure to enhance the academic experience, improve administrative efficiency, and prepare students for a digitally driven world.” 

Meanwhile, Howard’s interim president, Wayne A.I. Frederick, says $63 million will be allocated to Howard University, and $17 million to the Howard University College of Medicine “to train more medical professionals, upgrade facilities for the growing university, and to stave off the effects of the government’s more than month-long shutdown,” per the Washington Post. 

“On behalf of the entire Howard University community, I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Ms. MacKenzie Scott for her extraordinary generosity and steadfast belief in Howard University’s mission, demonstrated global impact, and unparalleled legacy of educating, inspiring, and empowering generations of leaders,” Frederick shared in a press release. “This historic investment will not only help maintain our current momentum, but will help support essential student aid, advance infrastructure improvements, and build a reserve fund to sustain further operational continuity, student success, academic excellence, and research innovation.”

Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, Spelman’s interim president, explained in a statement: “This investment is a powerful affirmation of our mission and our commitment to educational excellence and equity. The flexibility of this gift allows us to move more swiftly to strengthen the entire student experience, modernize our technology infrastructure, and expand financial opportunity for scholars who call Spelman home. It is an investment in both our present and our future as we continue to advance our legacy of producing change-making global leaders.”

For Howard, a university that receives an annual federal allotment of approximately $55 million, Frederick notes that the federal shutdown has held up a significant portion of its funding. And given the financial strain this political uncertainty has sparked for many students and their families, the university will reportedly launch a “temporary relief plan” that allows students with past-due balances to defer payments until the spring semester without incurring late fees or penalties. 

Additionally, Scott’s gift will help support one of the four HBCU medical schools in the country. 

“This $17 million unrestricted gift will help accelerate the expansion of our new Academic Medical Center, which will enhance our ability to train future generations of physicians and health professionals while improving access to quality care for the patients and communities we serve,” said Dr.  Andrea A. Hayes Dixon,  dean and senior vice president of Health Affairs of Howard University College of Medicine. “Ms. Scott’s generosity will have a lasting impact on medical education, research, and health equity.”

With this donation, Scott not only showcases her commitment to investing in historically underserved communities, but also increases her total contributions to HBCUs to roughly $381 million in the last few months. Since September 2025, Scott has 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.