Independence Blue Cross is expanding its professional development opportunities for employees through a new partnership with Reading, Pa.-based Alvernia University.
According to a Sept. 1 news release, the IBX University Partnership Deferral Program allows eligible employees to pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees with tuition support: an annual allowance of $5,250.
Payments are deferred until an enrolled associate fulfills requirements and completes coursework with a passing grade, Tony Toury, IBX vice president of total rewards, HR information systems and HR operations, told Becker’s. The program is available to associates who have worked for IBX for at least 365 consecutive days, are full time and maintain acceptable job performance.
Alvernia degrees available to IBX employees focus on accounting, business administration, organizational leadership and data analytics, among other topics.
“This new offering with Alvernia University expands access to quality educational opportunities that can help our associates develop new skills, advance their careers and prepare for the future while also supporting the evolving needs of the communities we serve,” Mr. Toury said in the release.
The recent partnership builds upon IBX’s other college relationships. Mr. Toury said, for more than a decade, the company has offered discounted pricing for employees studying at several regional educational institutions. Those include Rosemont College, Peirce at Lackawanna College, the Community College of Philadelphia, St. Joseph’s University, Drexel University, Chestnut Hill College and La Salle University.
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