HERSHEY - U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, D-17, was awarded the seventh annual Friend of Penn State legislative award Friday at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Holden received the award for the significant role he played in the continued improvement of Penn State, the center said in a press release.
"It was a great honor to receive the award," Holden said in a telephone interview Friday.
Holden said that he remembered 10 years ago when the last redistricting process occurred and officials from the medical center came to him in need of a state-of-the art cancer institute.
They told him that people have to travel out of the area to places like Pittsburgh and Baltimore for cancer treatment, so a local institute was badly needed.
"They are a world-class medical facility that was already doing wonderful deeds throughout their campus," Holden said.
Through defense bill earmarks over more than seven years, Holden was able to secure $40 million to build the cancer institute.
Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute opened to patients in July 2009.
According to the Penn State Alumni Association website, the Friend of Penn State award is given to no more than two recipients per year and eligibility is limited to current members of the state General Assembly.
Nominations are solicited from the Penn State Grassroots Network, Ag Action Network, chapter leaders, Office of Governmental Affairs and Alumni Association and the selecting body is the Grassroots Network Committee of Alumni Council.
The 2011 recipient was state Rep. Samuel H. Smith, D-66.