PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 140 students and faculty members representing 29 area colleges and universities are expected to attend a reception tonight for recipients of the first grants from the Independence Blue Cross Nurse Scholars Program.
The IBC Nurse Scholars Program represents a 3-year, $3 million commitment to address the region's shortage of nurses by increasing the number of nursing educators and practicing nurses.
The reception is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m. at 1901 Market Street.
The students attending tonight's reception are among the estimated 575 graduate and undergraduate nursing and nursing education students in Southeastern Pennsylvania who have received funds from the Nurse Scholars Program and the Pennsylvania Higher Education Foundation (PHEF) Nursing Education Initiative.
Among those attending will be Felicia Jones-Haskins, a scholarship recipient who is pursuing her Master's Degree in Adult Health Nursing in the Educator Role at Widener University. Ms. Jones-Haskins is one of 10 graduate and 9 undergraduate scholarship recipients at Widener.
"Support of nursing education is essential to the survival of the profession," says Ms. Jones-Haskins, who will be speaking at the reception. "Nursing is my passion, and obtaining my advanced degree is essential for optimal performance. The commitment made by IBC is most appreciated."
Also scheduled to speak at the reception are G. Fred DiBona, Jr., IBC President and Chief Executive Officer; Lara Lahr, an undergraduate nursing student at Community College of Philadelphia, and Anne Rhome, Deputy Executive Director for Programmatic Activities with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing in Washington, D.C.
The IBC Nurse Scholars Program was established to combat the critical shortage of nursing instructors and nurses in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Over the next three years, 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 also committed an additional $750,000 over the next three years to PHEF's Nursing Education Initiative in Southeastern Pennsylvania, which provides financial assistance to aspiring undergraduate nursing students.
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurer in Southeastern Pennsylvania. Nationwide, IBC and its affiliates provide coverage to nearly 3.5 million people.
Independence Blue CrossCONTACT: Butch Ward, Independence Blue Cross, +1-215-241-2220
