Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott announced more than $155 million in gifts to public, access‑oriented institutions this week, delivering record single donations to campuses that serve large shares of low‑income and first‑generation students. Notable grants include $50 million to California State University–East Bay, $50 million to Lehman College (CUNY), $38 million to Texas A&M–Kingsville, and $17 million to Seminole State College. Scott’s playbook—unrestricted, large donations to institutions that primarily serve underserved populations—continues to target colleges where concentrated philanthropic capital can scale student supports, program expansion, and affordability initiatives. Recipients described the gifts as transformational, enabling expanded scholarships, student success programs, and resilience against state and federal funding uncertainty. Higher‑education leaders said Scott’s pattern of giving underscores the ongoing role of private philanthropy as a stabilizer in a policy environment where federal and state support is unpredictable.