Leah Barrett was skeptical — and understandably so — when an email landed in her inbox telling her a philanthropist was interested in making a contribution to Northeast Community College.
Something like that rarely happens, the college president said.
"I support the efforts of a philanthropist who is interested in contributing to Northeast Community College," the email read. "I was hoping we could schedule a quick 15-minute follow-up to discuss next steps."
Barrett, who is finishing her first year at Northeast CC, forwarded the email to the college's chief information officer, who suggested it could potentially be spam.
At the suggestion of the writer, however, Barrett decided to read more about the philanthropy of MacKenzie Scott, an author and former wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
People are also reading…
She's glad she did.
When she later hopped on the call, Barrett learned Scott planned to give $15 million to Northeast CC, which serves a 20-county area in northeast Nebraska from its primary campus in Norfolk.
The $15 million gift is the largest in Northeast CC's history. Previously, the largest charitable donation had been a $5 million gift from the Acklie Family Foundation to establish a farm on the campus.
"I started to cry, and I couldn't breathe," Barrett said. "Looking back at my notes, they are very shaky. I was overwhelmed."
Barrett said Northeast CC's foundation board will meet in the coming months to make plans to create an endowment with Scott's gift, which she said will be used for student scholarships and success initiatives.
"The important thing is this gift will last in perpetuity," Barrett said. "You spend the proceeds, so it's something that can be used every single year to support these efforts."
In a blog post Tuesday, Scott said she has given away nearly $4.2 billion to hundreds of organizations over the last few weeks, as part of an ongoing giving effort that she launched last year.
This year, Scott's team identified 384 organizations in 50 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., that address "long-term systemic inequities that have been deepened by" the coronavirus pandemic.
Those organizations provide debt relief, employment training, financial assistance and other help for underserved populations.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, about 45% of Northeast CC's students qualify for federal financial aid intended for low-income students, while 1 in 4 students are from minority groups.
Barrett said as a community college, Northeast CC serves as an introduction to higher education for those who may be exploring their career options or who may not be ready to attend a four-year institution.
It also trains students, both traditional and nontraditional, "who know exactly what they want to do" in two-year degree fields offered by the college.
"This is going to provide an opportunity for anyone in northeast Nebraska who wants to further their education," Barrett said. "We are honored to receive this gift."
Steve Anderson, the chair of Northeast CC's Board of Governors, called the gift "priceless."
"This unselfish gift is extraordinary in not only the magnitude of the dollars she is providing, but its impact will give students the opportunity to achieve their dreams and have a bright future," Anderson said.