Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship: A New Approach to Business Education

When nationally renowned entrepreneur Tom Golisano, the founder of Paychex, set out to create a new business school, his team turned to McDougall Communications for help. His vision: Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship, an accelerated, alternative education model with potential to be a disruptor in higher education. But breaking into a market dominated by established colleges and universities was anything but a sure bet. Within days of sharing his plans and only three weeks before the launch announcement, the agency quickly sprang into action.

That took root when McDougall expertly executed a high-profile press event at the site of the new campus—with standing room only attendance from community leaders—generating coverage from every major media outlet in the Finger Lakes region across broadcast, print, and digital.

Since then, McDougall has driven the Institute’s communications strategy, earning ongoing visibility through media relations, student storytelling, and thought leadership. The results: a successful opening, exceeded enrollment goals, launch of a new AI program, expansion into Buffalo, and growing national recognition. The successful promotion of the school’s first graduation further solidified Golisano’s reputation as an innovative force in business education.