Clark Atlanta University announced Monday that it has received a $53 million philanthropic gift from MacKenzie Scott, the billionaire philanthropist and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
University President George T. French Jr. said the total includes a previous $15 million contribution made by Scott in 2020, along with a new gift of $38 million.
“This marks the largest single gift from a private benefactor in our institution’s illustrious history,” French said in a statement. He added that the investment will enhance academic programs substantially and provide “critical resources” for students.
“Her investment will indelibly impact the lives of countless future scholars, ensuring that Clark Atlanta University remains at the forefront of higher education for generations,” French said.
Clark Atlanta’s announcement follows news from last Saturday from Howard University, which reported receiving an $80 million gift from the philanthropist. Combined with prior gifts totaling $52 million to Howard in 2020 and 2023, Scott’s contributions to that institution now amount to $132 million.
Scott established her charitable organization, Yield Giving, to manage and distribute her wealth to nonprofits. According to its website, Yield Giving has donated $19.25 billion to 2,450 organizations.
In a 2019 essay titled, The Giving Pledge, Scott wrote, “In addition to whatever assets life has nurtured in me, I have a disproportionate amount of money to share. My approach to philanthropy will continue to be thoughtful. It will take time and effort and care. But I won’t wait. And I will keep at it until the safe is empty.”
