CALDWELL — Blue Cross of Idaho and the College of Idaho have a partnership dating back longer than 70-years, and today the Blue Cross CEO announces they are extending that partnership in the form of scholarships.
It's a competitive scholarship designed for highly-qualified students, providing full tuition for the duration of the students time at the college. And Blue Cross of Idaho is committing to funding two Heritage Scholarships every four years, over the next 12 years.
"A total of $804,000 in scholarship dollars coming to the college," said Doug Brigham, Co-President of College of Idaho.
The scholarship is being distributed specifically to Idaho students of any major, with exemplary academics.
"Health and education go hand-in-hand and so to really improve our community, we have to invest in the young, and this was such an opportunity for us to invest in great quality individuals," said Charlene Maher, President and CEO of Blue Cross of Idaho.
Young individuals like Timmer Verhaegh, a recent graduate from Bishop Kelly High School, currently spending time at a prep school in Massachusetts; the same prep school George H.W. And George W. Bush attended.
"The support that I've had, the personal calls from the co-presidents, I really knew that, you know, I wasn't just a kid that they were looking at, but that they really really wanted me to be here," said Timmer Verhaegh.
And now he's the first recipient of the Blue Cross Heritage Scholarship at C of I, planning to study in the healthcare field and attend medical school following his time at the college.
"Because I don't have to worry about the cost or anything, and I know I have that support, I can really focus on school," said Verhaegh.
Timmer plans to attend College of Idaho this fall, and a second recipient of that Blue Cross Heritage Scholarship for this year is still being decided.
