*Kwanza Jones, the artist, investor and new principal owner of the San Diego Padres, says Princeton University repeatedly failed to respond when she approached her alma mater about making a major donation — before she and husband José E. Feliciano ultimately committed $20 million.
Jones shared the story during an appearance on T.I.’s “expediTIously” podcast, discussing wealth, philanthropy and her path to Major League Baseball ownership. As EURweb recently reported, Jones and Feliciano are part of the Padres’ new ownership group following a record $3.9 billion sale.
Jones told T.I. she contacted Princeton about contributing toward a residential college or dormitory.
“No one got back to me,” Jones recalled, saying months passed without a response.
Then came the $20 million.
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New Padres owner and artist Kwanza Jones tells T.I. how Princeton University IGNORED her for MONTHS when she tried to donate, until she dropped a massive $20 MILLION donation and they suddenly came asking HER how to find more donors like her 🤯💰
— Killa 🌺 (@KillaKreww) August 25, 2026
She went on to become the FIRST… pic.twitter.com/jBVtGanjQP
After Jones and Feliciano made the historic commitment, she said Princeton officials asked how the university could find more donors like them.
“We’ve been here, but you haven’t seen us,” Jones recalled telling them.
Princeton Alumni Weekly previously documented Jones’ frustration with the university’s donor outreach, including her contention that Princeton “left a lot on the table” by failing to cultivate the couple earlier.
Princeton announced the couple’s $20 million gift in 2020, calling it the university’s largest contribution at the time from Black and Latino donors.
The money supported undergraduate expansion and two adjoining dormitories, now named Kwanza Jones Hall and José E. Feliciano Hall — Princeton’s first dormitories named for Black and Latino alumni.
Jones and Feliciano’s philanthropy hasn’t been limited to the Ivy League. They also donated $1 million to Bennett College, the historically Black women’s college attended by Jones’ mother and aunt.
Now Jones, who says Princeton once didn’t return her inquiries about giving the university money, sits among the principal owners of a Major League Baseball franchise.
That’s quite a change in who’s waiting for whom to call back.
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MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: José E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones Set to Lead Padres After $3.9 Billion Sale
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