Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine employees can brighten children's lives through Project Fellowship, a Milton Hershey School (MHS) program.

Through Project Fellowship, employees in a Medical Center or college department can "adopt" a student home. That means that the employees and the students get together for picnics, pizza and other informal outings. The program is designed to connect community members and students.

Milton Hershey School is a residential school for children in prekindergarten through 12th grade that come from families in social and financial need. The students live in student homes of between nine and 13 children of the same gender and age range. A married houseparent couple oversees the home.

Many students do not have any family or support network nearby, so relationships built through Project Fellowship help them feel rooted and offer a sense of belonging.

"These real-world relationships and exposure to a caring, authentic community are vital to our student's success as graduates," said John O'Brien said, school president.

Adults from other companies who have participated in the program speak of the intangible rewards they receive through these friendships. The program, began as a joint effort between the Hershey Co. and the school, now has grown to include other Hershey entities.

It takes about 10 people in a given workgroup for a successful pairing. All participating adults must complete appropriate background checks to participate in activities with students.

"I encourage our Medical Center and college community to get involved in Project Fellowship," said Harold Paz, senior vice president for health affairs, dean of the College of Medicine, and Medical Center chief executive officer. "This is an excellent opportunity to make a difference in the lives of young people in our community."

Those interested in getting involved in Project Fellowship may contact Michael Kinney at (717) 520-2203.