As MacKenzie Scott rewrites the landscape of philanthropy through her historic donations, she’s reflecting on the small acts of generosity that altered her life's trajectory — including the $1,000 from a roommate that prevented her from dropping out of college.

“Whose generosity did I think of every time I made every one of the thousands of gifts I’ve been able to give?” wrote Scott, 55, in an essay published on the Yield Giving website , the philanthropic foundation she launched in 2022. “It was the local dentist who offered me free dental work when he saw me securing a broken tooth with denture glue in college.”

She continued, “It was the college roommate who found me crying, and acted on her urge to loan me a thousand dollars to keep me from having to drop out in my sophomore year

See Full Page