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Mount Saint Mary’s University has received a generous $15 million gift from author and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The unrestricted donation, the largest in the University’s history, will support the Mount's mission of expanding educational opportunity and student success.

“I am thrilled Mount Saint Mary’s is the recipient of this generous gift. Ms. Scott has been strategic with her philanthropy and focused on organizations that expand educational opportunity and strengthen communities. Mount Saint Mary’s has a long tradition of being on the forefront of women’s education and leadership development,” said Ann McElaney-Johnson, PhD, president of Mount Saint Mary’s University. “This donation will allow us to grow programs to help our students succeed, especially during these difficult times. These funds will be instrumental as we implement new and creative ways to continue graduating future leaders, who are ready for any challenge.”

Mount Saint Mary’s is among 384 leading non-profit institutions selected to receive a charitable gift from Scott, including more than 30 colleges across the country. Her team carefully selected organizations and organizational leadership for their transformative work across education, economic mobility, public health, community development and other areas of societal impact.

In a public announcement, Ms. Scott said that her team “took a data-driven approach to identifying organizations with strong leadership teams and results” that are “addressing long-term systemic inequalities that have been deepened by the crisis”, including “education for underserved communities.”

Mount Saint Mary’s is ranked #1 in Social Mobility by the 2020-21 US News & World Report Best Colleges list, and #3 by MONEY Magazine on the Most Transformative list nationwide, reflecting the high value of a Mount education, and the impact it has on the lives of its students and families. The University serves one of the nation's most representative undergraduate student populations and has long been recognized for expanding access to higher education. The Mount is also home to the first women's leadership program on the West Coast. For the past 95 years, the university has been graduating leaders poised to create positive change in their communities and around the world.

This donation comes at an important time for the University, which is launching a new five-year strategic plan that will further promote educational excellence, innovation, creativity, and student success. The funds from this gift will allow Mount Saint Mary’s to create new academic programs that meet the needs of our students and society; expand women’s leadership initiatives that prepare students to lead and serve their communities; establish cutting-edge learning technologies and educational spaces; build a healthy and vibrant learning environment; and invest in intensive experiential opportunities so our students can graduate prepared to lead with confidence, integrity and purpose. 

“Many of our students are the first in their families to attend college or face significant financial challenges, and their lives are transformed at Mount Saint Mary’s. They graduate and lead lives filled with purpose. Our faculty and staff are integral to their success. This gift is a testament to the hard work and determination of our entire community. It will make an immediate difference in our students’ lives,” said Linda McMurdock, PhD, Vice President for Student Affairs at Mount Saint Mary’s University.