MacKenzie Scott Donates Largest-Ever Gifts to VSU, ASU Totaling $88 Million

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has made historic donations to two historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in 2025, significantly boosting their financial resources. Virginia State University (VSU) received a record $50 million gift from Scott, surpassing her previous $30 million donation to the school in 2020, aimed at enhancing academic excellence, innovation, and student success. Alabama State University (ASU) secured its largest donation ever, a $38 million gift from Scott, which university officials described as a defining and pivotal moment in ASU's 158-year history, supporting initiatives such as student success, research, and community engagement. Scott's unrestricted donations have been praised by university leaders for affirming their institutions' reputations as catalysts for excellence and innovation in higher education. These gifts are part of Scott's broader philanthropic efforts, which include previous donations totaling hundreds of millions to multiple HBCUs nationwide. Both universities anticipate that these substantial donations will have a long-lasting impact on their missions and future generations of students.