Philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott has donated a $10 million unrestricted gift to the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation, which seeks to provide Cook County students with access to higher education.
The donation was made in late October and supports the nonprofit in giving Pullman Scholars more resources, such as scholarships of up to $40,000 over four years, and services to help students graduate on time with little to no debt.
The nonprofit also supports students with individual monthly check-ins, seminars, career guidance and alumni who mentor current scholars. Recipients also have access to on-demand mental health services as of this school year.
“We designed it organically, yet also intentionally, to not only fund higher education but also to prepare students for success in work and life,” said Eric Delli Bovi, executive director for the George M. Pullman Educational Foundation, in a press statement.
Scott. the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has a net worth of around $34 billion, according to Forbes. She has donated more than $19 billion of the wealth she amassed mostly through Amazon shares as part of her 2019 divorce from Bezos.
Scott’s award comes at a time when higher education prices have skyrocketed and the student debt crisis has a stronghold on the country. In August, a Sun-Times review found that college costs at Chicago-area universities ranged from over $22,000 to nearly $100,000 per year.
The philanthropist, the ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, has supported local Chicago nonprofits over the years, most recently donating a record-breaking $15 million to Community Investment Corp., which helped fuel its affordable housing efforts. Scott donated to 19 other Chicago-area organizations in March 2024 through her “Yield Giving” venture, where she allocated $640 million in donations to nonprofits across the country.
While some scholarship programs have restrictions regarding where students can enroll, what major they pursue or how aid must be used, through the Pullman Foundation, scholarship recipients are able to attend any four-year accredited college or university. Eligibility is limited to Cook County students.
Currently, 109 Pullman Scholars are enrolled at 40 colleges across the country, with five near Chicago at the University of Illinois at Chicago, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, the University of Michigan, DePaul University and Northwestern University.
“This award gives us the breathing room to sustain and deepen our programming while maintaining our commitment to being interactive and responsive to Scholars’ needs,” Delli Bovi said in the statement. “It ensures we can meet students where they are by providing financial support, community and critical skills that allow them to thrive.”
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