PRINCESS ANNE, MD (Oct. 25, 2025)– The University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) today announced a $38 million donation from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott – the largest single gift in the institution’s history.
This gift, along with Scott’s $20 million to UMES five years ago, brings her total giving to the Historically Black, 1890 Land Grant university to $58 million.
Scott’s latest unrestricted investment is a powerful endorsement of UMES’s momentum and a clear show of support for the vision and leadership of President Heidi M. Anderson, whose student-centered agenda has driven record gains in student completion, research activity, and regional partnerships.
“This gift is a resounding vote of confidence in UMES and in the strategic direction President Anderson has set,” said University System of Maryland (USM) Chancellor Jay A. Perman. “MacKenzie Scott’s generosity will deepen the university’s capacity to serve students, strengthen communities across the Eastern Shore, and expand UMES’s national impact as a high-value, high-quality HBCU.”
Calling the gift “nothing short of transformational,” President Anderson added that: “MacKenzie Scott’s support affirms our mission and our progress. It recognizes the hard work of our students, faculty, staff, and alumni – and it validates the lofty goals we’ve set together: removing financial barriers to completion, elevating research that solves real problems, and ensuring UMES graduates launch into great careers and lives of purpose.”
Strategic priorities powered by the gift
UMES will steward the $38 million to advance high-impact priorities that sustain long-term excellence and student opportunity, including:
- Student Access & Affordability: Expanded need-based scholarships, emergency grants, and paid experiential learning to reduce time-to-degree and debt burden.
- Academic & Research Excellence: Seed funding for interdisciplinary research, labs, and faculty recruitment in areas such as agricultural innovation, coastal resilience, aviation science, health professions, and data science.
- Student Success Infrastructure: Strengthening advising, mental health services, tutoring, and career development; modernizing classrooms and student spaces for collaborative learning.
- Regional Engagement & Economic Mobility: Community-based initiatives and small-business partnerships that create internships, apprenticeships, and jobs across the Lower Eastern Shore.
A gift that amplifies momentum and leadership
Under President Anderson’s tenure, UMES has sharpened its strategic plan around affordability, student outcomes, and workforce relevance. The university has launched new academic programs aligned to Maryland’s growth sectors; expanded undergraduate research and internships; and deepened partnerships with K–12 schools, employers, and community organizations. Scott’s donation reinforces national confidence in that agenda and the president leading it.
“Transformative philanthropy reflects confidence in leadership and belief in mission,” said Linda R. Gooden, chair of the USM Board of Regents. “This extraordinary gift affirms both – and will enable UMES to expand its impact on students, communities, and the state’s economic vitality.”
About MacKenzie Scott
MacKenzie Scott is a philanthropist and author who has made significant, trust-based investments in organizations advancing equity, education, and community well-being.
About the University of Maryland Eastern Shore
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore, founded in 1886, is a historically Black, Carnegie-classified doctoral research, land-grant institution offering more than 90 academic programs and concentrations leading to degrees from the baccalaureate to the doctorate. UMES provides affordable access to higher education while developing innovative technology and research in key fields like agriculture, science, pharmacy, and engineering. For more information, visit www.umes.edu.
