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MacKenzie Scott Donates $50 Million to Cal State East Bay in Record Gift

University leaders say the funding will seed a lasting endowment to bolster student success.

Overview

  • The $50 million contribution is the largest single gift in the 68-year history of the Hayward campus, President Cathy Sandeen said.
  • Cal State East Bay plans to place most of the money into a permanent endowment, using investment earnings for scholarships, new programs and on-campus jobs for students.
  • The university has lost about 3,090 students since 2019, part of a 27,881-student decline across the 23-campus California State University system.
  • The call from the MacKenzie Scott Foundation notifying the campus of the grant came unexpectedly, according to Sandeen.
  • Scott has recently given major gifts to other California institutions, and Cal State East Bay is reported as the first Bay Area university to receive one of her grants.