Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott recounted a $1,000 college loan from a roommate that kept her in school and inspired her large-scale giving, publishing an essay that frames her donations as responses to early-life support. Scott’s Yield Giving platform has disbursed more than $19 billion to thousands of organizations, many focused on education and equity. Universities and colleges continue to see Scott’s grants as catalytic for capacity-building and DEI initiatives; her approach—no-strings, high-volume gifts to organizations led by people close to communities—remains influential in shaping institutional fundraising strategies.