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This gift will enable us to secure our mission long into the future and give us the flexibility and foundation to deliver on our promise to our students.
In 2020, the MacKenzie Scott Foundation awarded Lehman $30 million, bringing its total investment in Lehman students to $80 million.
This is an extraordinary affirmation that doubles down on the decision the Scott Foundation made just five years ago. As higher education, in general, works to find its way in an uncertain environment, this gift is a major source of encouragement that we are on the right path.
CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez also thanks MacKenzie Scott for her generous support to CUNY, totaling more than $125 million over the last five years across five campuses, including Lehman College. He shares that "these record-setting gifts are an investment in CUNY’s work to propel our students into successful careers and accomplishment long after they’ve graduated. As we look forward to a new year, we are excited to put this support to good use, deepening the impact on our students and meeting their needs in and out of the classroom.”
Specific details of how the gift will be used will be worked out over time, focusing on areas like scholarships, supporting career pathways under CUNY Beyond, and other initiatives that provide direct support to students. To start, we will establish a $45 million endowed fund, a permanent resource whose earnings will secure our future and provide ongoing funding for student support, scholarships, and programs that promote academic excellence for generations to come. Additionally, we will designate $5 million for immediate use, allowing us to act now to address the most pressing needs of our students and campus.
The success of Lehman graduates is recognized every year across a number of media and educational platforms, naming the College a perennial national leader in various categories, including social mobility (Wall Street Journal, U.S. News & World Report), best value (Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Washington Monthly, Niche), and best outcomes (Money, Forbes, Colleges of Distinction).
The accolades come despite Lehman educating a population often overlooked. More than half the families of Lehman students earn less than $30,000 a year. Many are the first in their families to attend college. And two-thirds come from The Bronx, the county with the lowest per capita income in New York.
The MacKenzie Scott gift adds to the momentum Lehman College has built over the last several years.
- The School of Business, launched in 2022, brings Fortune 500 leaders to campus each semester to meet with students and has already built a reputation placing students at Big Four accounting firms, private corporations, and public institutions.
- The School of Health Science, Human Services, and Nursing opened a $95 million Nursing building in 2024, giving hundreds of students the opportunity to learn and train in an environment that mimics a real hospital with an ICU, maternity suite, surgical and exam rooms, and more than 20 programmable patient simulators.
- In the fall, Lehman plans to open its first dormitory, just a few minutes from campus on the Grand Concourse, which will house more than 180 students.
We are enormously grateful to be trusted to steward this gift and help the people of The Bronx and beyond.
Sincerely,
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