Dickinson College Presents Epic's Judy Faulkner with Honorary Degree for Civic Engagement

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Apr 20, 2022, 10:12 ET

CARLISLE, Pa., April 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Dickinson College will present Judy Faulkner, founder and CEO of Epic, with an honorary doctor of civic engagement degree during commencement on May 22. Faulkner, named by Forbes as "the most powerful woman in healthcare," is a 1965 Dickinson graduate. Her work—in business and philanthropy—has focused on helping sick people recover and creating a world where children can reach their full potential.

"We are delighted to recognize Judy's vision and commitment to serving others," said Dickinson President John E. Jones III. "Her professional and philanthropic work are inspiring, making her a truly exceptional choice for an honorary degree."

Epic is a privately owned healthcare software company and the leading medical-record software company in the U.S. Faulkner founded Epic in 1979 in the basement of an apartment house with $70,000 in start-up money and two half-time assistants. Epic has grown by its bootstraps, without venture capital or going public. It develops all its software in house. Based in Verona, Wis., Epic has over 10,000 employees, holds the medical records of more than 250 million Americans—more than half of all American medical patients—and is used by 2,400 hospitals worldwide. During the pandemic, Epic declined to charge its customers for COVID-19-related software or services, forgoing approximately $1 billion in revenue.

Faulkner and her family have also established the Roots & Wings Foundation to provide vital support to low-income children and families at pivotal times, when better healthcare, education, shelter and nutrition could mean the most for children's future. By providing assistance that impacts children's development, the foundation is taking steps to address societal problems before they emerge. In 2020, the foundation donated $15 million in grants to 120 different organizations, spanning the fields of basic needs, early childhood, healthcare and human rights.

She has also signed The Giving Pledge, committing that 99% of her assets will go to philanthropy. Faulkner has said that she signed the pledge because she wanted "to help others with roots—food, warmth, shelter, healthcare, education—so they, too can have wings."

Faulkner is a member of the National Academy of Medicine's Leadership Roundtable and of the Aspen Health Strategy Group. She earned a master's degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1967. She is married to Gordon Faulkner, a retired pediatrician, who also graduated from Dickinson in 1965.

SOURCE Dickinson College