ATLANTA — Clark Atlanta University received a $15 million gift from a philanthropist. The school was gifted this hefty donation by Mackenzie Scott, an author, philanthropist and the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
Clark Atlanta is just one of the crown jewels that forms the rich and proud history of the Atlanta University Center. The other schools that make up the unique and powerful grouping are Morehouse College and Spelman College.
[RELATED: 6 historically Black colleges receive millions in record donations from MacKenzie Scott]
This substantial financial gift is the largest single-donor gift in the university’s history.
“I am extremely honored to receive this gift and would like to thank Ms. MacKenzie Scott for her generosity and investment in Clark Atlanta University. This transformational gift will enable the University to strengthen our academic programs; support academic innovation initiatives; enhance our campus infrastructure; provide scholarship support to students; and, build on our endowment,” said George T. French Jr., President of Clark Atlanta University, JD, Ph.D.
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The university hopes that word of this donation gets others talking and taking actions to support the school. CAU has added many unique programs to its curriculum that would greatly benefit from the support of others.
“We have put in place several innovative programs, such as Cyber Physical Security in the School of Arts and Humanities, and The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurial Development in The School of Business. Our enrollment is strong and growing across all four schools, particularly at the graduate degree level. With additional financial resources, the University can continue to strengthen academic programs, retain and recruit talented faculty, provide more scholarships to students, and renovate several historic buildings and residence halls on campus,” French said.
CAU is the largest private Historically Black College and University in Georgia. Earlier this year, Scott granted millions of dollars to several HBCUs including Morehouse and Spelman.
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