NEO announces $19 million gift from MacKenzie Scott through Yield Giving
Miami, Okla. — Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College (NEO) celebrates historic news that marks a defining moment for the institution. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and her foundation, Yield Giving, have selected NEO to receive a $19 million philanthropic gift—the largest single gift ever awarded to NEO A&M College.
This unprecedented investment represents a powerful endorsement of NEO’s mission, impact, and longstanding commitment to student success and community advancement. The generosity of this gift reflects national recognition of NEO’s role as a leading rural, residential community college.
“This gift is transformational for NEO,” said President Kyle J. Stafford. “We are incredibly grateful for this generosity. It will allow us to support more students, strengthen our campus, and move our goals forward in ways that will benefit Norsemen for years to come.”
The $19 million gift is unrestricted and will be managed by the NEO Development Foundation. Dr. Stafford emphasized that NEO will be thoughtful and deliberate in its approach to deploying the funds. “Our leadership team will be strategic in using these funds to support NEO and our strategic priorities, including scholarship support, long-term stability, improvements to campus facilities, and evaluating opportunities for new academic programs that meet workforce needs,” Stafford said. “This gift provides an unprecedented opportunity, and we are committed to ensuring that every dollar strengthens NEO for years to come.”
“This investment affirms what we already know—NEO is changing lives,” said Rick Walker, Chairman of the OSU/A&M Board of Regents. “We have great confidence in President Stafford and the leadership team as they steward these funds thoughtfully and strategically. Their work will ensure this gift has a lasting impact for generations of Norsemen.”
Additionally, the gift will advance major initiatives within NEO’s Strategic Plan and complement ongoing efforts that directly benefit students and campus programs. Together, these efforts move NEO toward its institutional vision:
“This is a moment of incredible opportunity for NEO,” Dr. Stafford said. “We look forward to continuing our work to build a stronger future for our students and our community.”
NEO is deeply grateful for this generosity and excited for the many ways it will enrich the experience of current and future Norsemen. With this support, the College is committed to ensuring these one-time funds are used wisely to make NEO A&M College even better—for our students, our campus, and our community.