MacKenzie Scott, a philanthropist who has donated billions of dollars to colleges and nonprofits, gave $24 million to Robeson Community College and $12 million to Bladen Community College.
The no-strings-attached gifts this month are the largest in each school’s history.
“Miss Scott’s generous gift is far more than a financial contribution,” Melissa Singler, RCC president, told about 65 people who gathered at the college’s workforce development center in Lumberton for the donation announcement on Thursday. “It is a profound affirmation of our students, our faculty and staff, and the limitless potential of Robeson County.”
Amanda Lee, president of Bladen Community College, said such large donations can have “ripple effects.”
“We hope that this will be a sign to so many other people that we’re worthy of this, and will inspire additional gifts and additional support,” Lee said.
Both colleges are still figuring out how to spend the money and plan to seek input from faculty, staff, students, and board members. Lee said Bladen Community College could renovate the county’s only auditorium, which is at the school’s Dublin campus. It could also create new classes and update equipment, she said.
Singler said the money could help Robeson Community College expand existing programs and develop new ones. It’s crucial, she said, to increase access to college in the economically distressed region of southeastern North Carolina.
The issue is personal for Singler, who grew up in Columbus County and dropped out of high school to help support her family’s finances. She eventually went to college to chase her career dreams.
“I tell students all the time, ‘Don’t let money be an issue,’” Singler said. Scott’s donation makes her more confident than ever that more students can avoid financial barriers.
Scott, an author and the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has donated more than $7 billion this year. Other recipients in North Carolina include N.C. A&T State University and Winston-Salem State University.
Lee and Singler said they didn’t know how their community colleges got on the billionaire’s radar. Singler said it shows “that rural colleges like ours are transformative places.”
Both said the donations will be life-changing for their communities.
“We are getting ready to change generations, and I don’t say that lightly,” Lee said. “This gift, as we work to invest it wisely, has the opportunity to change generations and leave a legacy that will be felt forever in Bladen County.”
Scott also gave $50 million in September to the Native Forward Scholars Fund, which provides American Indian students with scholarships for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees.
Thirty-two percent of the 9,500 students enrolled at Robeson Community College last school year identified as Native American or Alaskan Native, according to North Carolina Community Colleges. The county is home to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, the largest Native American group on the East Coast.
About 10% of the 3,400 students at Bladen Community College were Native American or Alaskan Native.
The donations come as President Donald Trump’s administration plans to cut spending for higher education. UNC-Chapel Hill has spent months preparing for federal funding losses.
Singler said the cuts haven’t impacted Robeson Community College, but she’s grateful for the timing of the donation.
So is Lee. “It gives us an opportunity to relax a little bit,” she said, “to know that we have some resources that we can lean on.”