(News4usonline) – MacKenzie Scott is back in the giving spirit. When it comes to charitable donations, Scott has a big heart. She also has a pretty big pocketbook. The noted philanthropist continued her charitable ways with a $20 million donation to Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, the school announced.
“CDU has been on a tireless pursuit to cultivate diverse health professional leaders dedicated to social justice and health equity for underserved populations,” noted Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science CEO and President Dr. David M. Carlisle. “This investment will advance that goal by providing resources to support and enhance our outstanding education, research, clinical service, and community engagement. We are truly grateful for MacKenzie Scott’s generosity and dedication to important issues around social justice.”
Scott’s donation, according to the university’s spokesperson, John Zaleski, is the largest donation from a private entity that the school has ever received. According to Zaleski, prior to Scott’s extremely large financial gift, the two largest donations the university had received came courtesy of the state ($50 million) and from Bloomberg ($7.7 million).
The award from Bloomberg Philanthropies was a private donation to the school. In the fall of 2021, CDU was given the biggest public donation from the State of California in an effort to support a new university four-year medical degree program.
“CDU believes in the ability of education advocacy and empowerment to change lives and create opportunities,” Dr. Carlisle said last October. “I stand a little bit prouder as we gather to acknowledge and celebrate one of this university’s most significant funding awards to date, a one-time $50 million allocation from the state of California to support our new four-year medical degree program.”
The recent allocation of large financial gifts to CDU has raised the national profile of the university, which was founded in the aftermath of the 1965 Watts Riots. The school, twinging on the borders of Compton and South Los Angeles, was first established in 1966. The university, designated as a member of the historically black college and university, formally opened its doors in 1970.
Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is the only HBCU this side of Texas. Donating to historically black colleges and universities is nothing new to Scott. Over the last several years, Scott has donated large sums of monies to various nonprofits and HBCUs such as Howard University, Hampton University, Morehouse College, Spelman College, and Tuskegee University, among others.
Her generous gift to CDU is certainly welcomed.
“The mission of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science is noble, and it takes noble people like MacKenzie Scott to help bring it to fruition.” stated Benjamin Quillian, PhD, Chair of CDU’s Board of Trustees. “This kind act will have a ripple effect that starts with our students and ends with improved health outcomes in under-resourced neighborhoods.”
This article originally appeared in the Compton Bulletin
Dennis is the editor and publisher of News4usonline. He covers the NFL, NBA, MLB, racial and social justice, civil rights, and HBCUs. Dennis earned a journalism degree from “The Mecca” aka Howard University. “I write on what I am passionate about.”