UC Merced faces big decisions on how to allocate $38M donation from MacKenzie Scott
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- UC Merced received a $38 million gift from MacKenzie Scott to expand programs
- Administration will prioritize student success, research, and capital projects
- University will align spending with equity and social mobility goals amid budget limits
UC Merced leaders say they were surprised by the $38 million donation from MacKenzie Scott, the biggest gift in the university’s history. The donation was announced Monday.
One official said it feels like “a Christmas gift” to UC Merced.
“They don’t take applications,” said Tonantzin Oseguera, UC Merced’s vice chancellor for student affairs and engagement.
University spokesperson Alyssa Johansen wrote in a news release that funds will be used to “accelerate programs that deepen its commitment to access and opportunity,” including student success initiatives, faculty research programs and critical capital projects.
Oseguera added that while the university community is focused on finals and fall commencement this month, she and other members of campus leadership will “take some time to think about … (how) we are going to be very strategic about where we spend those funds.”
Social mobility is important to UC Merced
Oseguera emphasized that while university leaders haven’t yet selected specific programs to receive funds, the administration intends to focus on programs that help make UC Merced an “engine of social mobility, research innovation.”
In September, U.S. News & World Report named UC Merced one of the top colleges in the nation for social mobility.
According to Oseguera, the university is able to accelerate students into high-paying careers through a combination of careful selection, career counseling and an emphasis on industry internships.
She said the university’s goal is to talk to students about career goals from Day 1. “If they waited until their senior year, we failed,” Oseguera said, “because we want them to make sure that immediately they’re connected.”
UC Merced also boasts that its students have research opportunities from their first semester and often work directly with tenured faculty.
Honoring MacKenzie Scott’s principles of equity, access
While there is no specific direction from Scott, Oseguera said, “we know that her philanthropy is based on equity, access, inclusion and student success, and so we want to honor those tenants.”
The gift is a major boost to Boldly Forward, the University’s comprehensive fundraising campaign, which aims to raise $200 million by June 30, 2030.
Forbes estimates Scott’s net worth at $34.2 billion. She was previously married to Amazon founder and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos. According to Yield Giving, a website operated by Scott’s team, she has given over $26 billion to various organizations since 2020.
Oseguera noted that while this donation is a huge win for UC Merced, federal and state budget challenges remain an issue. “The first thing that they tell folks when they win the lottery is: ‘Don’t go crazy. Be thoughtful.’ And so we’re definitely taking a page out … of that, and kind of realizing this is great, and now let’s think about where we want to spend this.”
This story was originally published December 10, 2025 at 3:18 PM.
