Tougaloo College receives a $6 million donation from Mackenzie Scott

Tougaloo College received a $6 million donation Wednesday from philanthropist Mackenzie Scott.

The donation was the biggest in the college’s history from a single individual, and the school was happy to accept.

“We are deeply grateful to philanthropist MacKenzie Scott for her generosity that enables us to advance major initiatives at Tougaloo College,” said President Dr. Carmen J. Walters in a statement. “This remarkable gift is impactful and ensures the College continues its forward momentum. Furthermore, it will encourage others to join us to further our mission of educating and preparing self-directed leaders capable of navigating a rapidly changing global landscape. This is an incredibly exciting time for Tougaloo College.”

The one-time, $6 million gift will be placed in the recently established Preserving and Advancing Excellence Fund and will be used to support major initiatives at the college.

“We are extremely excited and thankful to receive such a generous gift from writer and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.  This generous gift will allow us to continue and sustain our history of academic excellence and social justice,” said Sandra L. Hodge, vice president for institutional advancement. “These types of investments into Tougaloo College ensures a bright future for the institution to educate the next generation of scholars and leaders.”

Tougaloo was not the only Historically Black College or University in Mississippi to receive a gift from Scott. Tuesday, Alcorn State University received a $25 million donation.

Scott, the former wife of Amazon tycoon Jeff Bezos, has reportedly donated some $4.2 billion of her vast fortune this year to schools and other worthy causes. By some accounts, she is the 18th wealthiest person in the world.