Padres Co-Owner Kwanza Jones Says Princeton Ignored Her Until She And Her Husband Donated $20 Million

The artist, investor, and Princeton alum told T.I. that her outreach was overlooked until she and her husband cut the Ivy League a large check.

Kwanza Jones says it took a hefty gift to get her alma mater’s attention.

The entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist recently revealed that Princeton University repeatedly failed to respond when she initially expressed interest in funding a major campus project. Years later, Jones and her husband and business partner, José E. Feliciano, made a $20 million gift to the Ivy League institution.

“No one got back to me,” Jones said during an appearance on T.I.’s ExpediTIously podcast. “I asked again. Waited a few months. Asked again. Still, no one got back to me.”

At the time, Princeton noted that the couple’s 2020 donation was the largest gift to date by Black and Latino donors. It supported the university’s efforts to expand access and inclusion for undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds. It also helped fund the construction of two dormitories, which were each named after Jones, a member of the Class of 1993, and her husband, who graduated in 1994. Jones, however, pointed out that the experience underscored how institutions can underestimate people who built wealth outside traditional networks or are not loud about their success.

When asked whether the donation finally got Princeton’s attention, Jones put it plainly, stating, “So, $20 million was just to get the answer.”

After receiving the couple’s gift, she said university officials asked her how they could identify more donors like them. She responded, telling them that they “left a lot on the table,” adding, “we’ve been here, but you haven’t seen us.”

Today, Jones’ presence is impossible to overlook. Earlier this month, she made history as the first Black woman to own a Major League Baseball team after she and Feliciano were approved to purchase the San Diego Padres. The transaction, which is valued at $3.9 billion, marks the largest franchise sale in MLB history, according to Yahoo Sports.

Under MLB governance rules, Feliciano serves as the Padres’ designated control person, while he and Jones jointly lead the ownership group. Major League Baseball said the couple will bring their shared experiences and long-term approach to the franchise’s stewardship.

“José and Kwanza understand the unique place the Padres hold in San Diego and the powerful bond between the club and its fans,” MLB Commissioner Robert D. Manfred, Jr. said in a statement. “We look forward to their leadership of the Padres and to working with them to build on the club’s strong foundation in a market that is so important to Major League Baseball.”

In a joint statement, the couple said, “We are a family first, and becoming owners of the San Diego Padres means joining an even larger one.”

The pair added that they are “committed to winning.”

“We have built our life and our work together, and we will bring that same shared purpose, commitment, and determination to our stewardship of the Padres,” they said.