Continuing her support for HBCUs, philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has awarded Morgan State University an unrestricted $63 million gift, marking the largest single private donation in the Baltimore-based institution’s history.
Last month, Scott made one of her largest single donations ever, committing $70 million to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).
This latest gift comes just five years after Scott’s first $40 million donation to Morgan, bringing her total contributions to the university to $103 million over that period.
“Her continued generosity strengthens our mission to produce outstanding, diverse graduates prepared to lead the world,” Morgan State said in a statement. “Thank you, Ms. Scott, for believing in our work and helping us keep history alive for generations to come.”
Given without restrictions, the $63 million donation empowers Morgan State to invest according to its strategic priorities.
Morgan State University leaders shared that the $63 million donation will be used to strengthen the university’s long-term foundation and further its impact.
The funds will bolster Morgan’s endowment, enhance student success programs, and support initiatives that reinforce the university’s role as a key anchor institution in Baltimore.
Additionally, the investment will advance Morgan’s standing as a Public Impact Very High Research University, helping expand its research capacity, community engagement, and ability to attract and retain top-tier talent across disciplines.
Morgan’s president, David K. Wilson, called this second gift “a resounding testament” to the confidence Scott and her team have in the institution’s leadership and trajectory.
He added that receiving two transformational gifts “speaks volumes” about Morgan’s stewardship and its ability to scale with excellence.
The 2020 $40 million gift laid foundational work at Morgan. It seeded the Leading the World Endowment Fund, inspired subsequent gifts (including a $20 million donation by alumni), and fueled key programs like the Center for Urban Health Equity, endowed faculty chairs, and interdisciplinary research centers.
Morgan has seen record enrollment growth, new degree programs, and enhanced research output. It now ranks as the third-largest HBCU in the U.S.
This latest investment helps Morgan accelerate toward even greater impact, such as its ambitious plans to establish the first public, nonprofit medical school at an HBCU.
Photo Credit: Morgan State University Website
