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Press Release

IBC Gives City Students a First-hand Look at the Working World Through Annual 'Shadowing' Day

Philadelphia, PA - January 25, 2008 - For the 14th consecutive year, Independence Blue Cross participated in Shadowing Day, an annual citywide event that pairs students with employees at local companies for a first-hand look at the working world and career opportunities. The day-long event, sponsored by The Greater Philadelphia Mentoring Partnership, the School District of Philadelphia, and the Philadelphia Youth Network, also serves to ignite corporate interest in creating ongoing work-based mentoring opportunities for city youth.

This year, Independence Blue Cross (IBC) hosted 52 students from the Philadelphia School District, including ninth graders from Bartram, Germantown, Overbrook, Roxborough, and Simon Gratz high schools, and eighth grade students from Ludlow Elementary School. The students worked alongside IBC employees in 11 departments at the company’s headquarters on 1901 Market Street and a subsidiary location on Arch Street.

“Our Shadowing Day activities were designed to help students learn how their success in school is connected to being successful in the working world,” says John Clayton, IBC’s workforce development manager, who oversees the company’s Shadowing Day program. “Our goal is to show these kids that we care about them and their future, and to give them a brief taste of what working at IBC is all about. For many, this is their first exposure to a big company like ours, and we want to make that a positive experience.”

Shadowing Day is one of many activities and programs IBC participates in to provide mentoring and work opportunities for area students. Others include:

  • Working Solutions — In 2007, IBC hired 50 local summer interns through this program coordinated with support from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce.
  • Internships — IBC provides summer and year-round internships to high school and college students. In 2007, IBC employed 160 interns, including more than 20 nursing students.
  • No Place for Hate — IBC “adopted” two local schools in conjunction with the Anti-Defamation League No Place for Hate program. IBC associates work with students and faculty on a variety of projects and mentoring activities to promote tolerance, diversity and help combat bullying and hatred.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is a leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.4 million people. For nearly 70 years, Independence Blue Cross has offered high-quality health care coverage tailored to meet the changing needs of members, employers, and health care professionals. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, an association of independent Blue Cross and Blue Shield Plans.