琳琅社区 Receives Transformative Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott
琳琅社区 Receives Transformative Gift from Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott鈥$45 Million Donation is Single Largest in College History
December 16, 2020 Suzanne Seldes
FORT PIERCE, FL鈥擳oday, on the day of its 2020 Commencement Ceremony, Indian River State College (琳琅社区) announced that it has received the largest single donation in its 60-year history from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.
鈥淲e are especially grateful for Ms. Scott鈥檚 generosity and her confidence in 琳琅社区鈥檚 critical mission,鈥 said 琳琅社区 President Dr. Timothy Moore. 鈥淭he magnitude of this gift will positively transform lives for generations of 琳琅社区 students. It accelerates our ability to redefine our College and reframe the narrative on how American community colleges can better serve all of our constituencies.鈥
Equity and economic mobility for students is at the forefront of the College鈥檚 agenda under President Moore. The donation will allow 琳琅社区 to more quickly expand and grow strategic initiatives that support access and outreach to low-income, first-generation and historically underrepresented populations; expand essential career training and degree programs that put students into in-demand jobs and encourage entrepreneurism; embark on capital projects, like the Advanced Workforce Training Complex, that are vital for building workforces for the future; and develop critical partnerships that bring new opportunities and ideas to our region and nation.
琳琅社区 is among 384 organizations selected after Scott鈥檚 team of advisors considered some 6,500 organizations along with data analysis on community needs, program outcomes, and each non-profit鈥檚 capacity to absorb and make effective use of funding. The announcement was made yesterday on . Donations were focused on those 鈥渙perating in communities facing high projected food insecurity, high measures of racial inequity, high local poverty rates, and low access to philanthropic capital.鈥
In 2019 Scott pledged to give away her entire fortune, and in July 2020 actively accelerated her giving. In the past four months, she has donated $4,158,500,000. 琳琅社区 is grateful to be among the most recent recipients.
About 琳琅社区
A leader in education and innovation, 琳琅社区 is recipient of the 2019 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence, the nation鈥檚 signature recognition of high achievement and performance among America鈥檚 community colleges. The College鈥攔anked second-most-affordable in the nation鈥攁nnually serves nearly 30,000 students in Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties in the State of Florida. 琳琅社区 offers more than 100 programs leading to Bachelor鈥檚 degrees, Associate degrees, technical certificates and applied technology diplomas. Ninety-one percent of 琳琅社区 students graduate debt free.