In a landmark moment for higher education, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has awarded Morgan State University a $63 million donation, her second unrestricted gift to the Baltimore-based HBCU. The MacKenzie Scott Morgan State donation brings her total giving to the university to an astounding $103 million, reaffirming her confidence in the school’s leadership and mission to advance equity and innovation in higher education. According to Morgan State’s announcement, President David K. Wilson described the contribution as a “transformative act of faith in the university’s future.”
A Historic Level of Support for an HBCU
This latest MacKenzie Scott Morgan State donation follows her groundbreaking $40 million gift in 2020, which at the time was the largest private donation in the school’s history. That earlier funding helped Morgan establish its first unrestricted endowment and expand key programs such as the Center for Urban Health Equity and the National Center for the Elimination of Educational Disparities. These investments have become catalysts for Morgan’s national momentum as one of the fastest-growing and most research-active HBCUs in the country.
Scott’s new $63 million commitment gives Morgan the flexibility to strengthen its endowment, launch new research initiatives, and invest in student success programs without donor restrictions. “This type of unrestricted support allows us to think boldly and act strategically,” Wilson shared in the university’s statement.
Morgan State’s Financial Strength and Growth
In recent years, Morgan has achieved top financial ratings — including A+ from S&P Global and A1 from Moody’s — reflecting exceptional fiscal management. The university has also made major strides in enrollment growth, academic innovation, and community development, including plans for the first public, nonprofit medical school at an HBCU, supported by a $1.75 million planning grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
The MacKenzie Scott Morgan State donation strengthens that upward trajectory, positioning the university to attract top faculty, fund scholarships, and expand its footprint in Baltimore and beyond.
Philanthropy Driving Generational Change
Scott’s pattern of HBCU philanthropy has already reshaped how major donors engage with Black institutions. Her cumulative $103 million in contributions to Morgan State now stands as one of the largest gifts ever made to a historically Black college or university. As HBCUs continue to push for equity in funding and representation, this gift signals both recognition and responsibility — empowering Morgan to lead by example in research, access, and innovation.