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TD Bank Survey Finds Hispanic Monthly Spending Below the National Average

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TD Bank Survey Finds Hispanic Monthly Spending Below the National Average

Unavoidable Expenses Leave Many Hispanics Wishing They Were Able to Save More


CHERRY HILL, New Jersey, April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Hispanics spend an average of $300 less per month when compared with the general U.S. population, according to new survey results from TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®.

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The TD Bank Saving and Spending Survey questioned more than 1,600 U.S. consumers about their saving and spending habits. The survey found the monthly spending average for Hispanics significantly lower than the general market, spending just $1,291 compared with the national average of $1,608 (excluding rent/mortgage).

“While the survey shows Hispanics are spending less than the national average, they are still struggling to save money, with 43 percent wishing they could save more,” said Nandita Bakhshi, Executive Vice President, Consumer Bank, TD Bank. “Managing spending and savings is a delicate balance but it can be achieved with the right plan and budget.”

Necessary Expenses and the Influence of Impulse Purchases  
Hispanics are burdened with expenses they seemingly cannot escape. The survey results found that almost half (43 percent) of Hispanics wish they were able to save more but have unavoidable expenses, such as groceries and household utilities, which rank highest among top spending categories.

The top spending categories for Hispanics include:

  • Groceries and alcohol (26 percent of monthly spending)
  • Household utilities and bills (22 percent of monthly spending)
  • Loan and line of credit payments (12 percent of monthly spending)

In terms of excessive spending on day-to-day items, 41 percent of Hispanics respondents agreed that they spend too much on restaurants/dining out, followed by coffee/lunches (19 percent) and clothing/shoes (15 percent). When it comes to cutting back, the majority of Hispanics (64 percent) agreed they would cut back on the costs related to restaurants/dining, followed by clothing/shoes (37 percent) and gifts for others (35 percent).

Aside from necessary expenses, the survey found that Hispanics also indulge on impulse purchases. Nearly half (43 percent) of Hispanics claim to sometimes indulge in impulse purchases because they feel they deserve it. Interestingly, 24 percent of Hispanics said they rarely spend impulsively because they try not to spend outside their budget.

Cautious with a Keen Eye on Personal Budgets
When asked to describe their financial character, almost half (40 percent) of Hispanics claim their financial personality/character to be “cautious.” In regards to how regularly they are examining their finances, about half (48 percent) of Hispanics check their budget once a week to ensure they are spending within their means. Additionally, 35 percent of Hispanics said they use banking/financial apps as a method to keep track of their budget.

According to the survey, Hispanics said that their parents (38 percent) are the biggest impact on their financial behavior followed by friends (13 percent). Friends and family (29 percent), celebrities (26 percent) and professional financial advisors (21 percent) are the ideal person(s) they would choose to discuss their finances.

Necessary Preparation for a Solid Financial Future
The survey also found that the majority of Hispanics (62 percent) do not have savings or investments to draw from in case of unexpected unemployment. Furthermore, 31 percent of Hispanics report they would be able to live comfortably for six or more months without a source of income.

Although more than half (54 percent) of Hispanics report that they are not currently saving or investing money for retirement, 30 percent claim they feel they are extremely/very confident that they will be able to retire comfortably.

“The key to reaching your financial goals, whether it’s saving money for your retirement or just planning for a rainy day, is to have a plan and stick to it,” said Bakhshi. “Having a budget will help you manage your expenses and allow you to save money and give you confidence in your financial future.”

Full survey results can be found at https://mediaroom.tdbank.com/savingandspending.

Survey Methodology
The study was conducted among a representative group of 1607 consumers (including 80 Hispanic consumers) between March 26 and March 31, 2015. The sample size has a margin of error of +/- 2.4%. The survey was conducted by Vision Critical.

About Vision Critical
Vision Critical provides a cloud-based customer intelligence platform that allows companies to build engaged, secure communities of customers they can use continuously, across the enterprise, for ongoing, real-time feedback and insight. Designed for today’s always-on, social and mobile savvy customer, Vision Critical’s technology helps large, customer-centric enterprises discover what their customers want so they can deliver what they need. Unlike traditional customer research, which is slow, expensive and gathers dust on a shelf, Vision Critical’s customer intelligence platform replaces static data and cumbersome reports with real-time actionable customer intelligence that companies need to build better products, deliver better services and achieve better business outcomes.

About TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®
TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank®, is one of the 10 largest banks in the U.S., providing more than 8 million customers with a full range of retail, small business and commercial banking products and services at approximately 1,300 convenient locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Metro D.C., the Carolinas and Florida. In addition, TD Bank and its subsidiaries offer customized private banking and wealth management services through TD Wealth®, and vehicle financing and dealer commercial services through TD Auto Finance. TD Bank is headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J. To learn more, visit http://www.tdbank.com/. Find TD Bank on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TDBank and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TDBank_US.

TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, is a member of TD Bank Group and a subsidiary of The Toronto-Dominion Bank of Toronto, Canada, a top 10 financial services company in North America. The Toronto-Dominion Bank trades on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges under the ticker symbol “TD”. To learn more, visit http://www.td.com/.


Be Financially Prepared For Hurricane Season With The I.I.I.’s New Insurance Checklist

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Be Financially Prepared For Hurricane Season With The I.I.I.’s New Insurance Checklist

Hurricane Season Insurance Checklist Guides Coastal Residents Through Important Coverage Questions


NEW YORK, April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — With the start of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season approaching on June 1, the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) urges coastal residents to review their insurance coverage now so that they understand all of their insurance options and can make sound financial decisions in preparation for a possible storm.

To guide consumers through a coverage review and discussion with their insurance professional, the I.I.I. has created a Hurricane Season Insurance Checklist.

“After a hurricane or other disaster, it is always heartbreaking to hear about people who file a claim and learn only after the fact that that they could have purchased either more coverage or an additional policy that would have provided a higher reimbursement for their loss,” pointed out Jeanne M. Salvatore, chief communications officer for the I.I.I.

The I.I.I.’s checklist empowers consumers to do a thorough review of their insurance policies and have a constructive conversation with their insurance professional. It includes information on hurricane and windstorm deductibles, flood insurance and the importance of keeping coverage up-to-date. The checklist was created based on questions that the I.I.I. frequently hears from consumers and the media after a disaster, and concerns that were raised at the recent National Hurricane Conference in Austin, Texas.

The average number of storms per hurricane season, dating back to 1980, is 12 named storms, six hurricanes, and three major hurricanes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

Download the Hurricane Season Insurance Checklist here: www.iii.org/hurricane-insurance-checklist

For year-round tips on getting the right insurance coverage for your needs and budget, subscribe to our free Check20 newsletters for time- and money-saving home, auto and life insurance advice delivered weekly to your email inbox.

The I.I.I. has a full library of educational videos on its YouTube Channel. Information about I.I.I. mobile apps can be found here.

THE I.I.I. IS A NONPROFIT, COMMUNICATIONS ORGANIZATION SUPPORTED BY THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY.

Insurance Information Institute, 110 William Street, New York, NY 10038; (212) 346-5500; www.iii.org

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FAU National Poll States Hispanics Have Favorable Opinion of Obamacare, Will Vote for Candidates That Support It

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FAU National Poll States Hispanics Have Favorable Opinion of Obamacare, Will Vote for Candidates That Support It


BOCA RATON, Fla., April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Hispanics nationally have a 60 percent favorable opinion of the Affordable Care Act and are finding it increasingly easier to afford healthcare, according to the latest survey conducted by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI) in the College of Business.

The March poll was conducted six months after a similar survey of Hispanics on Obamacare and offers a snapshot of their evolving opinions. Overall, Hispanics find it easier to afford healthcare (23.1 percent to 15 percent) than they did in September 2014. Only 7.8 percent of those polled said they had no health insurance, compared to 15.7 percent six months earlier.

The numbers were especially pronounced for Hispanic women, as the percentage of females that are uninsured dropped from 20.8 percent to 8.4 percent, and the number of Hispanic females on government insurance jumped 16.1 points (26.2 percent to 42.2 percent).

“Before the Affordable Care Act expansion of health insurance coverage Hispanics were far more likely than whites to be uninsured,” said Monica Escaleras, Ph.D., director of BEPI. “The Affordable Care Act is reducing the ethnic disparities in access to healthcare.”  

Hispanic men are more likely to favor the Affordable Care Act than women (66.4 percent to 52.4 percent). The favorable numbers were highest in the southeast at 72 percent, and lowest in the northeast at 40.3 percent. Asked how the healthcare law will affect their vote in the 2016 presidential election, 45.2 percent of Hispanics said they will vote for a candidate that supports the Affordable Care Act, while 31.8 percent stated they would support a candidate that opposes it. Hispanics 35-54 years of age were most likely to vote for candidates that support Obamacare (50.9 percent vs. 32.1 that oppose candidates that support Obamacare).  

Hispanics by a 20-point margin believe the federal government is responsible for providing coverage to its citizens (54 percent to 34 percent), a sentiment that grows stronger for those making the highest incomes (56.8 percent for those making $75,000 and above).

The Obamacare poll was part of a monthly survey by BEPI of consumer optimism among Hispanics, which remained steady at 99.53, up one point from February and slightly down up from its January high of 100.69.

 


50-MPG Honda Accord Hybrid Named to KBB.com’s 10 Best Green Cars List For Second Year in a Row

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50-MPG Honda Accord Hybrid Named to KBB.com's 10 Best Green Cars List For Second Year in a Row





50-MPG Honda Accord Hybrid Named to KBB.com’s 10 Best Green Cars List For Second Year in a Row


TORRANCE, Calif., April 16, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The award-winning Honda Accord Hybrid (http://automobiles.honda.com/accord-hybrid/), boasting the highest EPA city fuel economy rating of any four-door sedan sold in America1, was named to Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com annual list of the10 Best Green Cars for 2015, its second straight appearance on the KBB.com green car list. The industry experts at Kelley Blue Book praised the Accord Hybrid’s stellar fuel economy ratings and excellent value proposition.

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“Eco-minded drivers looking for a new ‘green’ vehicle with low CO2 emissions don’t have to look further than the fun-to-drive and fuel-efficient Accord Hybrid,” said Steven Center, vice president of the Environmental Business Development Office at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Recognition from the trusted editors at Kelley Blue Book is proof positive of the progress Honda has made developing increasingly cleaner vehicles over the last 40 years.”

The 2015 Honda Accord Hybrid is designed for outstanding fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive performance and boasts EPA fuel economy ratings of 50/45/47 mpg (city/highway/combined). The Accord Hybrid’s two-motor hybrid system, part of an expanding lineup of Honda Earth Dreams Technology™ powertrains, seamlessly blends electric-only, hybrid and engine drive modes along with powerful regenerative braking to provide highly responsive, refined and fuel-efficient performance in a wide range of driving situations.

“The Honda Accord is one of the best values in the American auto market, and we expressed our admiration for the model by naming it our Kelley Blue Book Best Buy in the hotly contested midsize car category,” said Jack Nerad, executive market analyst and executive editorial director for Kelley Blue Book’s KBB.com. “So when you take all that goodness — fun-to-drive, great ergonomics and stellar reliability — and add a sophisticated powertrain that has a 50 mpg fuel economy rating, you have a very compelling proposition.”

KBB.com’s honor adds to the growing list of prestigious awards for the Honda Accord Hybrid that include being named About.com’s “Best New Cars of 2015” and Green Car Journal’s Green Car of the Year. The Accord Hybrid also earned a TOP SAFETY PICK rating by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and a 5-star Overall Vehicle Score by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)2.

For more information about KBB.com’s 10 Best Green Cars of 2015, please visit http://www.kbb.com/car-reviews-and-news/top-10/best-green-cars-2015/.

Honda Environmental Leadership
Based on its vision of “Blue Skies for our Children,” Honda is taking a comprehensive approach to reducing the environmental impact of its products, advancing fuel efficiency, low emissions and fun-to-drive performance with new powertrain technologies from its EarthDreams® Technology lineup, which includes more fuel-efficient engines and transmissions and advanced electromotive technologies. Honda will offer several next-generation, advanced powertrain vehicles, including an all-new fuel cell vehicle in 2016, and all-new battery-electric and plug-in hybrid models by 2018. Honda will also expand the use of its advanced two-motor hybrid systes in the years to come. Together, these vehicles will offer significant sales volume, enabling Honda to bring ultra-low carbon transportation to consumers in the U.S.

1 Based on 2015 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Actual fuel mileage will vary depending on driving conditions, how the vehicle is driven and maintained, lithium-ion battery age/condition, and other factors.

2 Government 5-Star Safety Ratings are part of NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (www.SaferCar.gov). Model tested with standard side airbags (SABs).


GlobalHue Announces Key Creative Hires

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GlobalHue Announces Key Creative Hires


NEW YORK, April 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — GlobalHue, a full-service, integrated marketing agency best known for its cultural expertise and work with clients such as Walmart, Coca-Cola and U.S. Bank, is proud to announce the hiring of Chris Surrey, Executive Creative Director, and Creative Directors Mallie Mickens and Phillip Shung.

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As creative professionals with varied brand experience and backgrounds steeped in new and traditional media, this team is poised to continue GlobalHue’s evolution and further expand its capabilities. In their former roles, Surrey, Mickens and Shung partnered with GlobalHue on several client initiatives, making the transition to full-time employees seamless and organic.

“Chris brings resilient leadership and the right blend of strategic, creative and digital proficiency to take our work to the next level,” says Don Coleman, Chairman and CEO of GlobalHue. “Together, Chris, Mallie and Phillip have a wealth of experience building brands across mediums and culture. We welcome their fresh ideas and diverse perspectives as we continue to provide world class service to our clients.”

As a seasoned veteran in the advertising industry, Surrey will be the innovative leader of the agency’s creative team. Surrey has contributed his talents to several agencies over a 20-year career, with award-winning work for brands such as Domino’s, Ford and Chevrolet. Mickens and Shung are respected art directors with design and development talent who have produced work for a variety of global brands, including Adidas and Sony Music. The creative team joins the agency from Pixod Interactive Studio and has previously worked on brands such as Chevrolet, Cadillac, Intel and American Express in both traditional and digital capacities.

The team’s additional recognitions include nods from Newstoday.com and Creative Public for design excellence, in addition to acknowledgment from AdAge, Apple, New York’s MOMA, and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

About GlobalHue:
GlobalHue is a full-service, integrated marketing agency, acknowledged for decades for its multicultural expertise. The agency was recognized as the “Multicultural Advertising Agency of the Decade” by Adweek, and boasts several blue-chip clients, including Walmart, Coca-Cola and U.S. Bank.

For more information, go to www.globalhue.com. Visit GlobalHue on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GlobalHue. Follow GlobalHue on Twitter at @GlobalHue.


VoixStar Telecom to target the U.S. Market, Mexico and Colombia

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VoixStar Telecom to target the U.S. Market, Mexico and Colombia


MIAMI, April 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — The newly Telecom company is set to start operations by this coming summer, with headquarters in Florida and operations in 2 other countries.

With full mobile service, VoixStar will be a 360 Solutions Telecom, offering mobile, VOIP services, no PIN prepaid long distance and reloads or top-up for any mobile company in the world.

“Our Vision is to connect people stress free, either with our mobile service or adding air time to the company of their choice in the world. We are committed to provide the best customer service in the business, best prices and a 24/7 commitment to make VoixStar a frustration free Telecom,” said George Reynoso Chief Operating Officer of VoixStar Telecom.

Smart communication solutions, combining mobile and VOIP, is the main goal of VoixStar.

VoixStar will start operations in a MVNE, offering full mobile LTE service in the U.S and 4G in Mexico and Colombia.

VoixStar Mexico is also set to start operations at the same time as the U.S. this coming summer. VoixStar appointed Israel Iturbide as President of VoixStar Mexico with headquarters in Mexico City.

In Colombia, VoixStar is schedule to launch their operations in the city of Cali. “We have decided to target the market in this region of Colombia first and start growing in a moderated way, we don’t want to compromise great customer service for a fast large volume of subscribers. The same tactics and program of marketing and deployment will be applied in Mexico,” Reynoso stated.

www.voixstar.com


Florida Power & Light Company employees simulate storm roles and response during first-ever “staging site” drill

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Florida Power & Light Company employees simulate storm roles and response during first-ever “staging site” drill

Simulation kicks-off preparations for 10th year since last major hurricanes impacted Florida


JUNO BEACH, Fla., April 15, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — In preparation for the 2015 hurricane season, Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) today hosted a “staging site” drill at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla. More than 900 employees simulated what would be a massive logistical response to a major hurricane, including the deployment of thousands of workers and associated equipment.

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“Today’s staging site drill is yet another visible demonstration of how FPL prepares year-round to safely and quickly restore power when a major event, such as a major hurricane, impacts our customers’ lives,” said Manny Miranda, vice president of power delivery for FPL. “These employee-focused exercises are key elements of our power restoration plan, providing our team with the hands-on experience that is necessary when restoring power in the wake of such an event.”

Gulfstream Park is a designated “staging site” – one of 90 expansive, strategic locations across the state where FPL can base utility crews, support staff and equipment as part of a restoration effort. The site has been used during prior events, including hurricanes Wilma, Frances and Jeanne.

Staging sites operate like mini-cities. It takes a virtual army of crews, including thousands from out of state, to augment the FPL team and restore power following a major hurricane. Staging sites allow FPL to position restoration crews closer to affected areas in order to restore service to customers as quickly as possible and help get communities back on their feet.

During this week’s drill, storm restoration specialists participated in damage briefings, received work assignments and prepared convoys for deployment throughout the area. 

This year’s hurricane season, beginning June 1, also marks the 10th anniversary of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma, which affected millions of FPL customers. Since the 2005 storm season, FPL has invested more than $2 billion to strengthen the electric grid against severe weather, including inspecting more than 1.2 million power poles and strengthening the poles and wires that serve critical facilities in our communities. The company also has installed 4.7 million smart meters and thousands of intelligent devices throughout its system to help reduce the number of outages and restore service faster when outages do occur. 

“We all must safeguard against complacency, particularly where it concerns hurricanes,” said Miranda. “At FPL, we’ve worked hard to put ourselves in the best possible position to respond to severe weather and we never stop working to improve. We know that it’s not a question of if, but when a hurricane will strike. While we have made significant investments in our electric system, we know there still will be power outages following a major storm. Just as we continue to prepare and plan, we encourage our customers to do the same – make a storm plan now for their families and businesses.”

For more information about FPL’s storm preparedness plans and tips for residents and businesses to prepare before storm season begins, please visit www.FPL.com/storm.

About Florida Power & Light Company
Florida Power & Light Company is the third-largest electric utility in the United States, serving more than 4.7 million customer accounts across nearly half of the state of Florida. FPL’s typical 1,000-kWh residential customer bill is approximately 25 percent lower than the national average and, in 2014, was the lowest in Florida among reporting utilities for the fifth year in a row. FPL’s service reliability is better than 99.98 percent, and its highly fuel-efficient power plant fleet is one of the cleanest among all utilities nationwide. The company was recognized in 2014 as the most trusted U.S. electric utility by Market Strategies International, and has earned the national ServiceOne Award for outstanding customer service for an unprecedented 10 consecutive years. A leading Florida employer with approximately 8,700 employees, FPL is a subsidiary of Juno Beach, Fla.-based NextEra Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NEE), a leading clean energy company widely recognized for its efforts in sustainability, ethics and diversity, including being named to Fortune’s list of “World’s Most Admired Companies.” NextEra Energy is also the parent company of NextEra Energy Resources, LLC, which, together with its affiliated entities, is the largest generator in North America of renewable energy from the wind and sun. For more information, visit these websites: www.NextEraEnergy.com, www.FPL.com, www.NextEraEnergyResources.com

Editor’s Note: Photos and b-roll are available in the Digital Library of FPL’s Newsroom. Visit www.FPL.com/newsroom.


Resurrection University Travels to Honduras to Provide Medical Care to Community

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Resurrection University Travels to Honduras to Provide Medical Care to Community


CHICAGO, April 14, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Resurrection University students will travel to Tegucigalpa, Honduras to provide medical care as part of a Service Learning opportunity. The trip will allow nursing students the experience of practicing their medical skills and the opportunity to develop an expanded cultural sensitivity through treating patients in a developing country.

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The group of 27 students, faculty, alumni and friends, will travel to Honduras April 25, 2015 and will return on May, 2, 2015. While there, the students and faculty will provide medical care to an estimated 2,500 patients in medical brigades, and will deliver supplies to patients at Hospital Escuela in the city.

“Service Learning is an opportunity for our nursing students to develop professionally in their careers by expanding on the knowledge they learn in the classroom and clinical setting. But more importantly, it’s a way for them to expand on their abilities to communicate across cultures through serving those in need,” said Assistant Professor Nancy Reese, DNP, RN, CNE, who will be leading the team to Honduras. “This is a way for our university to positively impact a community through serving others with their abilities and their compassionate care. It is a transformational experience they will carry with them after they graduate, and into the future of healthcare.”

As a Catholic faith-based University, Resurrection University teaches students the skills needed to be healthcare professionals who also to treat patients holistically. This includes teaching the values inherent to volunteerism and giving back to the community. According to Dr. Reese, students benefit from service learning in many ways including establishing a sense of personal satisfaction, professional growth, developing higher levels of critical thinking skills.  In addition the students have preparation for healthcare practice in a dynamic and diverse health care system with increased awareness of patients, families, communities and populations.

In preparation for the trip, students take a course that prepares them to provide nursing assessment and health promotion within the context of a community and the needs of the people within it. This course establishes the groundwork for establishing diagnoses and demonstrating practices for health promotion and disease prevention. They will apply these skills to practice through providing health education, assessments and providing medicine.  They also assist Honduran dentists with procedures, assist with eye exams and fitting of glasses, and work with children in the community. The whole team does fundraising for their trip which includes monetary funds and medical supplies needed for the community they will serve.

Resurrection University is home to a College of Nursing that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in Nursing (BSN, MSN, DNP) and a College of Allied Health that offers Health Informatics and Information Management (BSHIIM) and Radiography (BSIT).  An upper division school, Resurrection University is for students who have completed general education requirements (usually two years or 61 credit hours at other institutions) prior to acceptance at ResU.  Information about prerequisites can be found on the University’s website at www.resu.edu

About Presence Health
Presence Health is the largest Catholic health system based in Illinois, created in November 2011 through the merger of Provena Health and Resurrection Health Care. With more than 150 sites of care, including 12 hospitals, Presence Health has 22,000 employees, 4,000 medical professionals and a revenue base of nearly $3 billion.