The Independence Blue Cross (IBC) Nurse Scholars Program was created in 2004 to address the severe threat posed to the quality and cost of health care by the current nursing shortage in southeastern Pennsylvania.
The Nurse Scholars Program provides financial assistance to undergraduate and graduate nursing students, with emphasis on aspiring nurse educators. It also includes summer internship programs for nursing students and funding for faculty positions at area nursing schools.
In 2006, IBC and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation expanded the program and dedicated a total of $10.75 million through the year 2010 to the Nurse Scholars Program.
To date, the Nurse Scholars Program has awarded $5.5 million for more than 2,300 scholarships at 26 accredited nursing programs in southeastern Pennsylvania.
Each year through 2010, five schools will receive a $100,000 grant of which $50,000 will go to the faculty position named the IBC Nurse Faculty Chair.
The Nurse Faculty Program, launched in August 2006, awarded five grants of $150,000 each over three years, in partnership with PHEF, for nursing schools to fund additional nurse faculty positions. The objective is to increase the number of nursing students the school can enroll.
In addition, five schools each received a grant payable for $150,000 over three years for scholarships for graduate nursing students. This will increase enrollment and retention of students who are pursuing a graduate degree in nursing that will qualify them to become a nurse educator.
It is projected that, statewide, this program will enable the selected institutions to register more than 400 new nursing students over the three-year grant period.
Since its 2005 inception, IBC’s Nurse Intern Program has provided administrative and clinical internship opportunities for 46 nursing students.
Learn more about the 2008 Nursing Internship Program.
For additional information about the Nurse Scholars Program, call 1-800-377-4502 or visit the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation website.
Nurse Scholars Program
