Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott recalled a college roommate’s $1,000 loan that prevented her from dropping out—an anecdote she says shaped her approach to large-scale giving. Scott’s Yield Giving platform has donated more than $19 billion to thousands of organizations, with recent multi‑hundred‑million gifts to education and DEI initiatives. Her personal story underscores the tangible impact small, timely interventions can have on students’ trajectories and how major donors are prioritizing higher‑education access and institutional diversity funding.