Elizabeth City, N.C.—Today, Elizabeth City State University Chancellor S. Keith Hargrove, Sr. announced that ECSU received $42 million from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. The announcement came during the university’s Founders Day Convocation, where Hargrove provided the keynote address.

The gift was the largest dollar per student enrolled gift of any historically black college and university (HBCU) among Ms. Scott’s recent gifts, and almost triple what ECSU received from Ms. Scott in 2020. More importantly, it comes at a pivotal time at the university, as ECSU just launched its five-year strategic plan—ASCEND 2030.

“I want to express our deepest gratitude to MacKenzie Scott for this remarkable act of generosity and for her recognition of the critical role that HBCUs play in expanding opportunity and strengthening communities,” said Hargrove. “Her investment affirms what we already know: that institutions like ECSU are powerful catalysts for change.”

Chancellor Hargrove shared the gift will have a transformative impact across campus playing an integral role in the implementation of ASCEND 2030. It will be used to create endowed scholarship programs to support student learning and success; establish endowments to support innovative academic programs and growth; and support academic, athletic and residential infrastructure that aligns with making ECSU a great place to live, work, and learn.

“Gifts like this do more than provide resources; they accelerate momentum,” Hargrove said. “This gift allows institutions like Elizabeth City State University to move boldly toward the future while remaining grounded in the mission that has guided us for 135 years.”

The university celebrated its 135-year anniversary during the March 13 Founders Day Convocation. Founded in 1891 to expand access and opportunity, ECSU has stood as a beacon of hope and possibility for generations. From its earliest days as a teaching institution to its evolution as a dynamic, student-centered university, ECSU has remained grounded in its mission to educate, empower, and elevate. 

To learn more about ASCEND 2030, visit https://www.ecsu.edu/about/strategic-plan/index.php. You also can watch the recording of the convocation on ECSU’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/ECSUVikings.