Brazosport College to receive $3 million donation

LAKE JACKSON — Brazosport College will receive $3 million from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott, one of the largest donations in the college’s history, officials announced Tuesday.

“We are truly humbled by the generosity from MacKenzie Scott and Dan Jewett with this amazing gift,” Brazosport College President Millicent Valek said in a news release.

Scott and Jewett, a teacher, married in March; Scott’s divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in 2019 left her one of the richest women in the world.

Scott made the contribution announcement Tuesday in a blog post on Medium, titled “Seeding by Ceding.”

“Me, Dan, a constellation of researchers and administrators and advisors — we are all attempting to give away a fortune that was enabled by systems in need of change,” Scott said in the post. “In this effort, we are governed by a humbling belief that it would be better if disproportionate wealth were not concentrated in a small number of hands.”

Scott and her team spent the first quarter of 2021 identifying and evaluating equity-oriented nonprofits working in neglected areas, she wrote in the post. They’ve decided to give away more than $2.7 billion to 286 organizations in categories and communities which have been historically underfunded and overlooked, Scott said.

“Higher education is a proven pathway to opportunity, so we looked for two- and four-year institutions successfully educating students who come from communities that have been chronically underserved,” she said.

Brazosport College was among the listed recipients.

“This gift will make a significant difference in the lives of many students,” Valek said. “A great deal of thought will go into how the funds will be distributed, but a gift of this greatness will no doubt be beneficial to our students and our community.”

Recipients are encouraged to spend the money however they choose, Scott said.

“We believe that teams with experience on the front lines of challenges will know best how to put the money to good use,” she said. “Generosity is generative. Sharing makes more.”

Corinna Richardson is the content editor for The Facts. Contact her at 979-237-0150. ​