MacKenzie Scott Donates to Howard University

MacKenzie Scott, billionaire philanthropist and ex-wife of Amazon (company) founder Jeff Bezos, has made an $80 million donation to Howard University, one of the largest in the institution's 158-year history. This unrestricted gift, comprising $63 million for general operations and $17 million for its College of Medicine, aims to enhance student financial aid, faculty support, and campus development, arriving at a critical time due to a federal government shutdown impacting the university's funding. This donation is part of Scott's broader philanthropic efforts, which include recent contributions of $42 million to 10,000 Degrees and $70 million to the UNCF (UNCF), supporting racial equity and underrepresented communities in higher education. Concurrently, Scott has reduced her stake in Amazon (company) by approximately 42%, selling about $12.6 billion worth of shares over the past year, though she still retains a significant holding. Since her 2019 divorce from Jeff Bezos, Scott has donated over $19 billion to various causes, solidifying her reputation as a major philanthropist.