ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — California State University, Fullerton has received a $40 million donation, calling it a “generational gift” in a Tuesday announcement. 

The donation came courtesy of MacKenzie Scott who, after her divorce from Amozon founder Jeff Bezos, pledged to donate the majority of her money to charity. She announced the gift in a Medium post along with $2.7 billion in other philanthropic spending.


What You Need To Know

  • California State University, Fullerton has received a $40 million donation

  • The money came from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, who donated more than $2.7 billion to 286 total institutions

  • Scott took roughly $60 billion in her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and has pledged to donate the majority of her fortune

  • Cal State Fullerton will put some of the money toward its endowment

Throughout her mission to donate, Scott has pointed out her concern over vast wealth accumulating among a small group of people.

The money covers 286 separate donations including many city colleges and public universities. Other nearby institutions received similarly generous donations. They include Cal State Northridge ($40 million) and Long Beach City College ($30 million).

“Higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity, so we looked for 2- and 4-year institutions successfully educating students who come from communities that have been chronically underserved,” Scott wrote.

This round of donations focused on delivering money to institutions with leaders of color, the Medium post said. The money was donated to each group with no strings attached, with Scott writing in her post they “can spend it however they choose.”

Scott also noted that she didn’t want the focus to be on the wealth donated, but instead on the programs and causes of the recipients.

Fram Virjee, president of Cal State Fullerton, announced the gift in a letter to students. He said it would go toward the school’s strategic plan.

“Of course, to ensure the enduring power of this gift, a large portion of it will be placed in our endowment where it will continue to generate funds to benefit future Titans and have transformative effects around the world for generations to come,” Virjee added in the letter.