It’s been a good few days for Alabama State University.
After trouncing in-state rival Alabama A&M in the Magic City Classic on Saturday, ASU president Quinton Ross announced in a letter to alumni on Monday that the school was the recipient of a $38 million donation from Mackenzie Scott.
Scott, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has gifted billions of dollars in recent years to various organizations and universities, and she has been particularly generous to historically Black colleges and universities. The $38 million donation to ASU is the school’s single largest donation, according to Ross’s letter.
“Today marks a defining moment in the history of Alabama State University,” Ross wrote in his letter. “I am filled with immense gratitude and proud to announce that Alabama State University has received the largest single donation in its 158-year history. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated an extraordinary $38 million gift to our great University. Ms. Scott’s generosity affirms Alabama State University’s reputation as a catalyst for excellence and innovation in higher education. This is truly a pivotal moment in ASU’s history.”
Scott has given to a number of organizations and universities in Alabama and around the country. Last year, as part of more than $640 million in donations through her Yield Foundation, Scott donated to the First Light Foundation in Birmingham and the Alabama ACLU. She also previously donated $20 million to Tuskegee University.
Last week, Scott gave Morgan State University, another HBCU, $63 million, and earlier gave Maryland-Eastern Shore a donation of $38 million.
