MacKenzie Scott gives Meharry Medical College $20M donation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) —

Meharry Medical College has received a $20 million donation from philanthropist and author MacKenzie Scott, the school said in a statement.

The historically Black college in Nashville said Scott’s gift will help it move forward as it experiences unprecedented growth, news outlets reported. The gift will help with several goals including developing a more diverse health care workforce, improving health equity and delivering patient-centered care, the statement said.

“Meharry has been catapulted into the national spotlight in the last two years for our efforts in the fight against COVID-19,” college President James E.K. Hildreth said in a video. “But as you know, we have been working to address health disparities and improve health equity nationwide for a very long time.”

Scott was previously married to Amazon founder and executive Jeff Bezos.