PRESS RELEASE

Independence Blue Cross Foundation inducted into Widener University’s Lifetime Giving Society

President of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation accepts honor on Foundation’s behalf

Philadelphia, PA - October 13, 2014- The Independence Blue Cross Foundation was inducted into Widener University’s Lifetime Giving Society for its generous support to help the institution provide well-educated citizens in the local and global communities. Lorina Marshall-Blake, president of the Independence Blue Cross Foundation, accepted this honor on behalf of the Foundation on Saturday, October 11, 2014 at the Widener University President’s Council Dinner held at the Hotel du Pont in Wilmington, Del.

The Foundation was welcomed into The Hyatt League, one of Widener University’s four Lifetime Giving Societies for those individuals and organizations that have cumulatively donated gifts of $500,000 to $999,999. The Hyatt League was named to honor the significant place the Hyatt family plays in the institution’s history. For nearly a century, the Hyatt family held leadership positions at the University.

The Independence Blue Cross Foundation has been a longtime supporter of Widener University. Specifically, the Foundation has supported the School of Nursing since 2007, and recently awarded two grants from its Nurses for Tomorrow program to support graduate and undergraduate nursing education in the 2014-2015 academic year. These funds will be distributed in the form of a scholarship to undergraduate juniors with a 3.5 GPA in the School of Nursing and a 3.0 GPA overall. The graduate program grant will support the School of Nursing’s master’s program.

Nurses for Tomorrow is one of the Foundation’s many programs that leads solutions for a healthy community. The program recognizes the integral role of nurses in the health care system and supports nursing education to help increase the number of nurses pursuing faculty roles or clinical practice.

About the Independence Blue Cross Foundation
The Independence Blue Cross Foundation is a charitable, private foundation, whose mission is leading solutions for a healthier community. The Foundation targets the following areas of impact:

• Securing the Blue Safety Net: Supporting private, nonprofit community health center clinics that provide access to quality, affordable healthcare in medically underserved areas.
• Bolstering the Health Care Workforce: Strengthening the nursing, primary care, and allied health workforce through education, career development, and research.
• Addressing Health Priorities: Collaborating with wellness partners to tackle the region’s most pressing health challenges; currently combating the obesity epidemic through the IBC Foundation Healthy Futures Initiative.
• Building Healthy Communities: Partnering with community leaders and programs to address community health and wellness needs.

Learn more by visiting our website: www.ibxfoundation.org. Connect with the Independence Blue Cross Foundation on Twitter and Instagram at @ibxfdn.

Media Contact
Ruth Stoolman
Independence Blue Cross
215-241-4807 (office)
215-280-3335 (cell)
ruth.stoolman@ibx.com