Penn State was founded as the Farmer’s High School in 1855.  The largest campus is at University Park (State College), Pennsylvania, with 24 other campuses located throughout the Commonwealth, including the Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center located in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  The University includes ten undergraduate colleges, the Graduate School, the College of Medicine and several other components.  The University is accredited by the Middle States Association and is a member of the Association of American Universities.

As a whole, Penn State offers more than 160 baccalaureate and 25 associate degree majors, 140 graduate fields of study, 5,000 undergraduate courses, and 3,000 graduate courses.  There are over 5,000 full-time faculty members, including approximately 3,000 at University Park.  Total enrollment for the entire PSU system in the Fall of 2005 was 80,124 including approximately 40,709 at the University Park campus.  General operations of the University are supported by appropriations from the Pennsylvania legislature, grants from the federal government, research grants and contracts, and income from endowment and tuition.  The total annual operating budget of the University is approximately $3 billion including $638 million in sponsored research programs, $99 million in NIH funding.  PSU is ranked 11th in the nation in total R & D expenditures, and 19th in Federal R & D expenditures.  Penn State is also the 3rd ranked institution in the nation in industry-sponsored research.

During the academic year 2000-2001, cancer was designated in the Strategic Plan of the Penn State College of Medicine/Hershey Medical Center as the research area to be aggressively developed with the ultimate goal of being able to become a National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center.  In June 2000, a Cancer Center Advisory Committee consisting of Drs. Jack Ruckdeschel, Michael Gallo, and Paul Carbone was convened to assess the Penn State Cancer Center and provide opinions regarding its current activities and what would be required to make NCI-designation a viable goal.  They concluded that while quality scientific research was being performed, the Cancer Center lacked organizational structure, and its central leadership lacked authority within PSU and HMC. 

The consulting firm of Crossroads Cancer Consulting was hired in May 2001, and its initial assessment report regarding cancer strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities was completed in August 2001.  Dean Darrell Kirch formed a Cancer Steering Committee to guide the development of the implementation of the recommendations made by the consultants.  In addition, three committees were formed to work with the Steering Committee to implement the plan.  The committees were charged with moving the total cancer program forward toward the goal of NCI-designation, as well as optimizing medical oncology operational efficiency and effectiveness, upgrading the infrastructure for clinical care, improving links with member organizations, optimizing clinical trials operations, and advancing outreach and education.

To achieve this goal, a single entity designated as the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute (PSHCI) was established.  PSCI consists of Penn State University; Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in Hershey, PA; St. Joseph Medical Center in Reading, PA; and Mount Nittany Medical Center (MNMC), in State College, PA.  According to registry data, the integrated entity treats about 5,000 new cancer patients per year.  This accounts for nearly 25% of the total cancer patients in PA, according to an analysis of six cancer-related DRGs.  A Clinical Trials Network has been established for cooperative group trials between the partnering hospitals and affiliate.  In addition, a Tumor and Tissue Bank has been developed at Penn State Hershey Medical Center.  Other PSHCI affiliates include Wyoming Valley Health System, based in northeastern PA, Susquehanna Health System, serving patients in north central PA, and Lewistown Hospital, located in Lewistown, PA.

The PSHCI catchment area includes 27 counties in PA, many of which are considered rural.  The ten counties immediately surrounding the Hershey campus account for 70% of the patients seen at PSHCI.  PSHCI is a founding member of the Appalachian Cancer Network, a consortium of regional, state, and local partners in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland, Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee.  The ACN is funded through the NCI and is designed to link rural health sector partnerships with cancer research centers in addressing critical cancer control issues in medically underserved populations.

In 2006, The Penn State Board of Directors  approved a new 165,000 square foot, free-standing facility to house both clinical and research functions of the PSHCI. 

This building is now open, and the Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute is truly the new face of cancer care in Central Pennsylvania.