Tom Golisano commits $50 million to Penn State Health Children’s Hospital

HERSHEY, Pa. — Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine announced today (Oct. 28) a transformative $50 million gift from philanthropist, entrepreneur and civic leader Tom Golisano to name the health system's nationally recognized Children’s Hospital and propel its vision to expand the cutting-edge, multidisciplinary pediatric care hub. This landmark contribution will also help fuel education, innovation and discovery with the aim of setting a national standard for excellence and compassion in caring for children and their families. It comes as Penn State prepares for the 2026 announcement of a new fundraising campaign, which includes a focus on the health of the commonwealth.

This support will connect the newly named Golisano Children’s Hospital at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center with nine other leading institutions across the country as part of the Golisano Children’s Alliance — a collaborative network designed to share resources and expand access to essential pediatric care. Golisano announced formation of the alliance — which will comprise six newly funded and four existing Golisano Children’s Hospitals — on Tuesday, Oct. 28.

Golisano is the founder of Paychex Inc., the nation’s largest human-resource company for small to medium-sized businesses. His philanthropic contributions to education and hospitals — including multiple hospitals across the country that bear his name and numerous other organizations — exceeds $1 billion.

“I am fortunate to be able to help others in this way, and I’m looking forward to seeing what these hospitals can achieve together,” Golisano said. “Also, I plan to continue making similar transformative gifts that will strengthen this new alliance.”

Located on the Hershey campus of Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine, Penn State Health Golisano Children’s Hospital delivers exceptional care for children, including advanced treatments for complex medical conditions like heart disease and cancer. The Children’s Hospital is the most comprehensive pediatric facility between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It features the region’s only Level IV neonatal intensive care unit and Level I pediatric trauma center.

Patients benefit from the highest quality of care close to home. Beyond the hospital, child-friendly facilities provide outpatient access to expert pediatric specialty services within communities throughout central Pennsylvania.

“This historic gift represents a profound investment in children’s health and the future of Penn State’s integrated academic health system,” said Penn State President Neeli Bendapudi. “We are incredibly grateful for Mr. Golisano's support, which builds upon our founding vision and propels us forward in our commitment to improving health outcomes for the people of our commonwealth and beyond through education, research and compassionate care.”

Golisano’s landmark contribution represents the largest single philanthropic gift to Penn State Health since the “$50 million phone call” placed by the M.S. Hershey Foundation to The Pennsylvania State University in 1963, a visionary gift which led to the founding of Penn State College of Medicine and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. The new gift from Golisano will significantly enhance pediatric care, research and community outreach across central Pennsylvania, and it is expected to inspire further commitments during the University’s new fundraising campaign.

“Tom Golisano’s extraordinary generosity will elevate our ability to care for families across the region,” said Michael Kupferman, CEO of Penn State Health. “This gift will help catalyze meaningful growth for our system and accelerate our drive toward the highest levels of care, service and discovery — all leading to a healthier future for children across Pennsylvania and beyond.”

Areas of future investment include:

• Advancing health equity in rural communities
• Enhancing behavioral health care for children and adolescents
• Strengthening pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery programs
• Enriching pediatric neuroscience care
• Expanding and enhancing neonatal intensive care units across the health system
• Training the next generation of pediatricians and specialty providers
• Fueling research and discovery to find new treatments and cures
• Enhancing a fully integrated outpatient care program for pediatrics

“This investment reflects an unwavering belief in our mission to transform health through groundbreaking research and education,” said Karen Kim, dean of Penn State College of Medicine. “It empowers us to uncover new cures and nurture the next generation of pediatric specialists to benefit our communities, our region and beyond.”

Golisano’s generous gift builds on a strong foundation of philanthropic support at the Children’s Hospital, including Four Diamonds and its mission to conquer childhood cancer, and Children’s Miracle Network, which funds life-saving equipment, vital programs and innovative research to benefit children across central Pennsylvania.

“We are deeply grateful for Mr. Golisano’s support,” said Sarah Iriana, interim chair of pediatrics at Penn State Health and Penn State College of Medicine. “His gift will have a lasting impact on the lives of countless children and families who rely on our care.”

About Penn State Health

Penn State Health is an integrated academic health system serving patients and communities across 15 counties in central Pennsylvania. It employs more than 20,300 people systemwide. The system includes Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State Health Children’s Hospital and Penn State Cancer Institute based in Hershey, Pennsylvania; Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center in Enola; Penn State Health Holy Spirit Medical Center in Camp Hill; Penn State Health Lancaster Medical Center in Lancaster; Penn State Health St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading; Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, a specialty provider of inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services, in Harrisburg; and 2,485 physicians and direct care providers at 186 outpatient practices. Additionally, the system jointly operates various health care providers, including Penn State Health Rehabilitation Hospital, Hershey Outpatient Surgery Center, Hershey Endoscopy Center and Lancaster Orthopedic Group. In 2017, Penn State Health partnered with Highmark Health to facilitate creation of a value-based, community care network in the region.

Penn State Health shares an integrated strategic plan and operations with Penn State College of Medicine, the University’s medical school. With campuses in State College and Hershey, the College of Medicine boasts a portfolio of more than $159 million in funded research and more than 1,700 students and trainees in medicine, nursing, other health professions and biomedical research.

About Tom Golisano

Tom Golisano, entrepreneur, philanthropist and civic leader, is the founder of Paychex Inc., the nation’s largest human-resource company for small to medium-sized businesses. Golisano’s vision, perseverance and action have left an indelible mark on a broad spectrum of issues that touch our lives — in business, healthcare, education, animal welfare, voter policies, politics, and tax reform. His investments are advancing entrepreneurship and driving the success of numerous businesses and start-ups. His philanthropic contributions to education, hospitals — including multiple hospitals across the country that bear his name and numerous other organizations — exceeds $1 billion. 

A fierce advocate for dignity and inclusion, in 1985 Golisano applied his pioneering spirit to establish the Golisano Foundation to make the world a better place for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With more than $120 million in gross assets, it is one of the largest private foundations in the U.S. devoted to supporting programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities awarding grants to non-profit organizations in Western New York and Southwest Florida.

Golisano formed and financially supports the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship, where students receive a high-quality business certificate and write their own entrepreneurial success stories, without having to take on enormous debt.

He is the author of two books: “Built Not Born,” a Wall Street Journal-bestseller; and “The Italian Kid Did It!”

Connect with Golisano at Golisanofoundation.org; Facebook: @GolisanoFoundation; X: @GolisanoFdn; Instagram: @golisanofdn; and YouTube: @GolisanoFoundation.

About Philanthropy at Penn State

This gift advances the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends are helping students to join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success; driving research, outreach and economic development that grow our shared strength and readiness for the future; and increasing the University’s impact for families, patients and communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more by visiting raise.psu.edu.