- Billionaire Ken Griffin donated $20 million to Miami Dade College to launch a new scholarship.
- In a commencement address at the college, he told graduates to find solutions to America's problems.
Ken Griffin's South Florida spending spree has now benefited a college where more than half the students are from low-income households.
On Saturday, the billionaire founder of hedge fund Citadel donated $20 million to Miami Dade College, one of the country's largest and most diverse schools.
Griffin — who took home $4.1 billion in earnings last year, according to Institutional Investor — has donated hundreds of millions to education. Earlier this month, Griffin gave $300 million to Harvard University, his Ivy League alma mater, where he has now donated more than $500 million.
The billionaire, whose $54 billion hedge fund had its most successful year in 2022, has also been making significant charitable gifts to South Florida organizations since moving his firm's headquarters to Miami last year.
According to a statement, Miami Dade College will use the money to establish the Griffin Scholarship Fund, which will give all qualifying students graduating from high school in Miami-Dade County a chance at a college education. It's the largest single philanthropic gift in the college's history.
Schools like Miami Dade are "the on-ramp to the American Dream," said Griffin in a commencement speech to Miami Dade College graduates on Saturday afternoon.
The Florida native encouraged them to "find the solutions" to the country's many issues, like developing clean energy, educating children, addressing the housing crisis, and combating the health issues of an aging society.
"More than ever, America needs leadership," he said. "We need it in our business, in our government, in our civic society. And you will be the future leaders of America."
Other Sunshine State donations include a $25 million gift to Nicklaus Children's Hospital to build a new state-of-the-art surgical tower. Griffin, a soccer fan, also gave $5 million to develop 50 million new mini-pitches in Miami-Dade County.
He's also become a significant political donor, especially as a notable backer of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. During the 2022 election cycle, he donated more than $71 million to conservative political groups.
In an interview with Insider's Dakin Campbell in 2022, Griffin said he wants to give most of his $35 billion fortune away during his lifetime.
"I'm going to give my money away in a way that I think has a real impact for our country," he said. "I hope that the gifts I make will have an impact on America and the world for many years to come."