At Friday’s grand opening ceremony for the new home of Temple University’s College of Public Health, President John Fry announced the largest gift in the university’s history: a $55 million donation from alum and trustee Christopher Barnett to support the CPH.

The opening of the college in the newly renovated, 306,000-square-foot Paley Hall means that all public health students, faculty and staff will be united under one roof, now known as the Christopher M. Barnett College of Public Health. Previously, they were spread across 11 buildings on campus, the announcement said.

“At a time when public health is under attack by misinformation and funding cuts, my family and I asked ourselves how we could be part of the solution—and how we could help create the change we wish to see in the world,” said Barnett, founder and chair of ABA Centers, which provide autism care, and ICBD Holdings, which oversees a variety of health-care companies. “This gift reflects our belief that education is the most powerful force for progress and that, by strengthening the public health workforce, we can help shape a healthier, more equitable future for all.”

For Barnett, the gift helps fulfill a promise he made to Temple long ago. When he first applied, he was rejected. But he pleaded his case to admissions officers, promising to earn a 4.0 GPA and give back as soon as he could. They relented, and Barnett kept his word, becoming a regular benefactor.

“The word ‘philanthropy’ comes from the Greek, meaning ‘love of humankind.’ Chris’s gift is a true expression of that love,” Fry said at the CPH opening. “It will create many more opportunities for students to join the vanguard of future healers, researchers, and leaders across the health sciences and professions.”