Home Find a Health Insurance Plan Find a Health Care Provider For Members For Employers For Health Care Providers
Start Your Search. Find a provider from our extensive network of doctors, hospitals, and specialists.

Press Release

Independence Blue Cross Celebrates Recipients of IBC Nurse Scholars Grants

Event will highlight IBC's $3 million commitment to alleviate the region's nursing shortage

Philadelphia, PA - October 19, 2005 - More than 160 students and faculty members representing 28 area colleges and universities will attend a reception on Thursday, October 20 for grant recipients of this year’s Independence Blue Cross Nurse Scholars Program.

Now in its second year, the IBC Nurse Scholars Program represents a three-year, $3 million commitment to address the region’s shortage of nurses by increasing the number of nursing educators and practicing nurses.

“The Nurse Scholars Program stems from IBC’s commitment to improve the quality of health care in our region,” said President and Chief Executive Officer Joseph A. Frick. “By awarding these scholarships to train more nurse instructors who will teach more nursing students, we are taking a fresh approach to addressing the nursing shortage.”

The students attending Thursday night’s reception are among an estimated 600 graduate and undergraduate nursing and nursing education students in Southeastern Pennsylvania who are receiving funds from the Nurse Scholars Program and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation (PHEF) Nursing Education Initiative this year.

The IBC Nurse Scholars Program was established to combat the critical shortage of nursing instructors and nurses in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Through 2006, the company will contribute $1.74 million to the program, which seeks to increase the number of nursing instructors in the region’s graduate nursing programs. In addition, the PHEF is contributing $510,000 to the Scholars Program. IBC has also committed an additional $750,000 to PHEF’s Nursing Education Initiative in Southeastern Pennsylvania, which provides financial assistance to aspiring undergraduate nursing students.

Among those scheduled to speak at the reception is Janice Cantwell, an undergraduate student at Brandywine School of Nursing and a Nurse Scholar recipient for the second year. A Malvern resident, Ms. Cantwell also participated in the launch of IBC’s Nursing Internship Program this summer. The internship provided Janice and other students with training and development workshops to help bridge academic clinical teaching with practical application through departmental experience in health care administration.

Also scheduled to speak at the reception are Joseph A. Frick; Michelle Damas, a Villanova University graduate student and scholarship recipient; and Ruth D. Corcoran, EdD, RN, Chief Executive Officer of the National League for Nursing. Several representatives of PHEF will attend the reception, including Chief Executive Officer, Michael H. Hershock.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For more than 65 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered quality health care products and services tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, groups and providers.

This year, Independence Blue Cross’s Personal Choice was rated the No. 1 PPO in the nation and its Keystone HMO was ranked the No. 1 HMO in the region by health care consumers in a leading independent consumer magazine.