MacKenzie Scott has added yet another significant investment to her expanding portfolio of support for historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), awarding $38 million to Xavier University of Louisiana—the largest private donation the New Orleans institution has ever received.
According to NOLA, the gift is unrestricted, marking Scott’s second significant contribution to Xavier and her latest in a long line of high-impact donations across the HBCU landscape.
Xavier, the nation’s only historically Black and Catholic university, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year while navigating budget pressures and recent staffing cuts.
The new funding arrives at a key moment. In 2020, Scott donated $20 million to Xavier, a contribution used to grow the school’s endowment, expand need-based scholarships, and create new faculty positions. The university said this latest $38 million gift will support those ongoing priorities while fueling its long-term vision.
“This generous gift from MacKenzie Scott fills us with profound gratitude,” said Xavier President Reynold Verret.
He shared that the donation will directly support the school’s mission-driven goals, including improving affordability for students from diverse backgrounds and strengthening programs aligned with Xavier’s legacy of preparing graduates for careers in medicine and service-driven fields.
The gift also aligns with Xavier’s current $500 million fundraising campaign, now in its third year. That campaign is intended to expand student financial aid, elevate student support services, improve campus facilities, and strengthen faculty recruitment. Verret noted that Scott’s support “affirms who we are — and who we are becoming — at a pivotal moment in our history.”
Scott’s growing commitment to HBCUs has been one of the most significant philanthropic trends in higher education over the last several years.
In addition to her gifts to Xavier, she has awarded significant contributions to institutions including Prairie View A&M University ($63 million), Howard University ($80 million), Bowie State University ($50 million), North Carolina A&T State University ($63 million), Norfolk State University ($50 million), Winston-Salem State University ($50 million), and Spelman College ($38 million).
She also directed $70 million to the United Negro College Fund to strengthen long-term endowment growth for nearly 40 HBCUs.
UNCF President Michael L. Lomax called Scott’s giving “a once-in-a-generation opportunity” for these institutions to build permanent financial foundations that will support students well into the future.
Scott’s philanthropic footprint extends beyond higher education. In Louisiana alone, she has donated nearly $220 million to about 50 organizations. Nationally, her giving totals an estimated $19 billion to nonprofits, universities, and community institutions—much of it unrestricted and unexpected.
For Xavier, which enrolls about 3,200 students and is developing a new medical school in partnership with Ochsner Health, the timing of Scott’s historic gift is significant. Despite recent layoffs tied to changing federal funding and financial aid structures, Verret has emphasized that the university remains stable.