Norfolk State Receives $40 Million Donation From MacKenzie Scott

Norfolk State University received its biggest donation in the school's 85-year history, just in time for the holidays. Writer and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and fourth wealthiest woman in the world, recently gave the university $40 million as part of her mission to help those suffering through the pandemic.
Over the past four months, Scott has donated more than $4.1 billion to 384 organizations across all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico and Washington D.C.

Accepting the donation on the school's behalf, President Javaune Adams-Gaston said it will help "advance the mission of NSU in support of access, student achievement, and academic excellence."

"We are pleased to receive this level of support for transforming the curious thoughts of our students into the brightest minds of our world," said Adams-Gaston.

According to the university, the school was identified as an institution that has "strong leadership teams and results, with special attention to those operating in communities facing high projected food insecurity, high measures of racial inequity, high local poverty rates, and low access to philanthropic capital..."

Norfolk State recently initiated new guiding principles for the university, including student success; external engagement and partnerships; fundraising and endowment growth; shared governance and professional development; and institutional alignment, operational excellence, and strategic planning.

A full list of the organizations to which Scott donated can be found here.

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