The College of Medicine at Howard University has been given a $12 million by philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott.
The money stems from a $2.2 billion grant allocated to organizations across the country by Scott, who previously gifted the university its largest donation: $40 million in 2020. The school announced the news on Dec. 13, noting the donation for its “unrestricted nature,” allowing the school to allocate the funding as it best sees fit.
“The unrestricted nature of the gift, which is unusual for donors, allows Howard and the College of Medicine to determine how to make the greatest impact with these new resources,” shared the school’s news platform, The Dig.
The money will be used to establish an innovation center that will also aid the College of Engineering and Architecture students. The facility will be available for students of both colleges to dive deeper into medical technology and embark on new developments for patients.
“The center will allow Howard University students, through the support of MacKenzie Scott, to be leaders in medical technology innovation,” said Andrea A. Hayes Dixon, dean for the College of Medicine, in a statement. “We intend to capitalize on the diverse knowledge base of our students—knowledge that could change how medicine is practiced throughout the world.”
The College of Medicine is the oldest medical school at an HBCU.
“My hope is that this gift will further solidify our College of Medicine as a world-class institution that attracts and retains future leaders in the field of medicine,” added Howard’s new president, Ben Vinson III, Ph.D. “We are extremely grateful to Ms. Scott for her amazing generosity and know that this gift will only strengthen us, and ultimately, the future of healthcare as our students learn to provide care that improves outcomes for all patients.”