The latest wave of contributions arrived Friday, with Prairie View A&M University in Texas receiving $63 million, Bowie State University in Maryland securing $50 million, and Philander Smith University in Arkansas obtaining $19 million.
Bowie State marks the 15th HBCU to receive an unrestricted gift from Scott since the current academic year began. University President Dr. Aminta H. Breaux said the contribution arrives at a critical juncture for the 160-year-old institution.
"It empowers us to expand access, elevate our research and academic excellence, and uplift generations of students who will lead, serve and innovate," Breaux said. "Higher education is the pathway to upward social mobility for our students and the communities we serve, and, with this gift, their futures are brighter than ever."
Scott's HBCU gifts this fall have averaged approximately $47 million, reaching institutions from Alabama to Virginia. Norfolk State University in Virginia recently received $50 million, which administrators said will accelerate the university's advancement.
Howard University received the largest single contribution from Scott this year—$80 million in early November. In September, Scott awarded the United Negro College Fund $70 million to strengthen member institutions.
UNCF President and CEO Dr. Michael L. Lomax praised Scott's approach to philanthropy as transformational.
"She is rewriting the book on philanthropy, not just in this country, but in the world," Lomax said.
The contributions come as HBCUs continue addressing chronic underfunding. Education policy experts trace the financial disparities to systemic racial inequality embedded in federal and state appropriations over decades.
The Department of Education recently redirected more than $400 million to HBCUs based on their educational outcomes, increasing total HBCU federal funding for fiscal year 2025 to $1.3 billion. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the institutions "pillars of excellence" that have served students since 1837.
Scott, formerly married to Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has become one of the nation's most prolific philanthropists since signing the Giving Pledge in 2019, committing to donate the majority of her wealth during her lifetime.
