Congratulations to Nicole Caldwell for being one of only seven students awarded the prestigious Foundation ’45 Scholarship! This $5,000 scholarship, funded by the generous donors of the Funeral Service Foundation, supports students pursuing funeral service education at accredited institutions. Nicole’s dedication to her studies at Chandler-Gilbert Community College exemplifies the future of compassionate, professional service. Well done, Nicole—we are proud of your achievements and look forward to seeing your growth and leadership in the Funeral Profession!
Lear more about the Foundation Scholarship Program Here.
FUNERAL SERVICE FOUNDATION AWARDS RECORD ACADEMIC SCHOLARSHIPS
Funds support 36 students of funeral service from 15 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces
Thanks to support from its generous donors, the Funeral Service Foundation awarded a record $112,500 in academic scholarships to 36 students from 15 U.S. states and five Canadian provinces for the Fall 2024 semester.
Each year, the Foundation awards academic scholarships ranging from $2,500-$5,000 USD to students attending and actively engaged in coursework in funeral service education programs at ABSFE- and Canadian-accredited institutions, including scholarships geared towards military veterans. Awarded in two cycles and paid directly to institutions, the scholarships offset the costs associated with tuition, fees, books and supplies.
“Through the Foundation’s scholarships, we recognize not only the dedication and perseverance of students in funeral service, but also their impact on the future of the profession,” said John Heald, chair of the Funeral Service Foundation, “This year, thanks to the generosity of our donors, we were honored to award a record number of scholarships to an outstanding pool of applicants.”
This fall, 28 scholarships were initially offered – 19 named in recognition of funeral service professionals or remembered by those in the profession, and nine from the Foundation’s general Foundation ’45 Fund. After reviewing the strong pool of applications, the Foundation’s scholarship reviewers noted an exceptional cycle, leading the Grants Committee to approve eight additional $2,500 scholarships from the Foundation ’45 Fund, bringing the total to 36 scholarships.
The Foundation was also honored to award its inaugural Todd Van Beck Memorial Scholarship this fall to Jackson Cisco of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, where Mr. Van Beck’s career began and where he had returned before his death in 2023. Mr. Van Beck was posthumously awarded the Foundation’s Distinguished Service Award in 2023, with more than 40 donors contributing to the Todd Van Beck Memorial Scholarship.
In 2024, the Distinguished Service Award was posthumously given to Tom Johnson, for whom the Tom Johnson Memorial Scholarship was established and will launch in Fall 2025. Contributions to the scholarship may be made at https://www.funeralservicefoundation.org/donate-tom-johnson/.
The Foundation’s scholarship program operates in two annual cycles – spring and fall. Academic scholarship applications be accepted again in spring from February 15 – April 1, 2025.
Academic Scholarship Fall Class of 2024:
Foundation ’45 Scholarship | $5,000
- Nikolai Blentlinger, Magnolia, Texas (Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service, Houston, Texas)
- Bonita Boyce, Missisauga, Ontario, Canada (Humber College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- Nicole Caldwell, Chandler, Arizona (Chandler Gilbert Community College, Mesa, Arizona)
- Hailee Fenlon, Liberty Township, Ohio (Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, Cincinnati, Ohio)
- April Gentling, Minneapolis, Minnesota (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Mélanie Huth, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada (Collège Rosemont, Montréal, Quebec, Canada)
- Jonathan Radford, Brookhaven, Georgia (John A. Gupton College, Nashville, Tennessee)
Foundation ’45 Scholarship and Dennis Schoepp Scholarship | $5,000
- Parker Sappington, Billings, Montana (Arapahoe Community College, Littleton, Colorado)
APFSP/Fitzgerald Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Jaxson Karline, Burnsville, Minnesota (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Bob Horn Scholarship | $2,500
- Haley Schultz, Richfield, Minnesota (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
CANA/Jack Springer Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Lauren Brunke, DeFuniak Springs, Florida (Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois)
Foundation ’45 Scholarship | $2,500
- Evie Brisley, Ridgewood, New York (American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service Education, New York, New York)
- Emilie Côté, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada (Collège Rosemont, Montréal, Quebec, Canada)
- Melissa Harris, Elkhart, Indiana (Mid-America College of Funeral Service, Jeffersonville, Indiana)
- Emma Hyer, Edinburgh, Indiana (Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Wheeling, Illinois)
- Adam Palumbo, Canandaigua, New York (Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
- Kaitlyn Pelletier-Leicht, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Canadian College of Funeral Service, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
- Bobby Robinson, Preston, Idaho (Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service, Houston, Texas)
- Yota Sarantos, Toronto, Ontario, Canada (Humber College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- Sioux Westby, Indianapolis, Indiana (Worsham College of Mortuary Science, Wheeling, Illinois)
Funeral Directors Life Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Alyss Kerl, Houston, Texas (Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service, Houston, Texas)
John Carmon Scholarship | $2,500
- Jessah Linden, York, Nebraska (Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny, Iowa)
Joseph E. Hagan Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Denica St. Pierre, Comber, Ontario, Canada (Collège Boréal, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Louis & Josephine Pontone Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Gina Hansen, Staten Island, New York (American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service Education, New York, New York)
Memorial Classic Scholarship | $2,500
- Jesse Currens, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky (Mid-America College of Funeral Service, Jeffersonville, Indiana)
- Ellysa Marshall, Armstrong, British Columbia, Canada (Canadian College of Funeral Service, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
NGL – Harry Pontone Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Lodine Thompson, Whitby, Ontario, Canada (Humber College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
- Nathalie Ubaldegaray, Staten Island, New York (American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service Education, New York, New York)
NGL – Mark Hornibrook Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Laurie Lee Laracy, Conception Harbour, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada (Canadian College of Funeral Service, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada)
- Deric Thomas, Dublin, Georgia (Ogeechee Technical College, Statesboro, Georgia)
Shipley Rose Buckner Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Charlene Edelmann, Rochester Hills, Michigan (Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan)
Steve Lang Scholarship (Homesteaders) | $2,500.00
- Mallory Shetka, Lake Crystal, Minnesota (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota)
Steve Mack Memorial Scholarship | $2,500.00
- Calvin Amato, Tyrone, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
Todd Van Beck Memorial Scholarship | $2,500.00
- Jackson Cisco, Celina, Ohio (Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, Cincinnati, Ohio)
Academic Scholarship for Veterans:
The Funeral Service Foundation, in partnership with the ICCFA Educational Foundation, offers academic scholarships to United States and Canadian military veterans, as part of the Journey to Serve initiative. Offered twice a year, scholarships range from $2,500-$5,000 and are available to military veterans who are 18 years of age or older at the time of application and who are currently enrolled (or accepted into) in an ABFSE-accredited funeral service program. Learn more about the Journey to Serve at www.JourneyToServe.com.
Journey to Serve Scholarship | $5,000
- Kylee Carr, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma)
Hunter M. Harbeson Memorial Scholarship | $2,500
- Nicole Snatchko, Greensburg, Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Passion and Gratitude from scholarship recipients: “This scholarship provides me with an opportunity to eventually provide caring and compassionate services to those who may have not always received such historically. Thus, the Foundation shows not only its support of me but also of those who have been historically left out of the conversation in funeral service.”
– Evie Brisley, Foundation ’45 Scholar
“For me, funeral service is not merely a profession – it is a calling rooted in compassion, respect, and the profound honor of serving families during some of the most challenging moments of their lives.”
– Jonathan Radford, Foundation ’45 Scholar
“Being awarded these scholarships means so much to me – not only because they help ease the financial burden of tuition and expenses, but also because they motivate me to keep pushing myself, both as a student and as a funeral directing intern. This generosity gives me the opportunity to focus more on my education and my career goals without the added stress of financial concerns.”
– Parker Sappington, Foundation ’45 and Dennis Schoepp Memorial Scholarship
“I am committed to making the most of this opportunity, and I hope to one day pay it forward by contributing to the success of others in the same way you have supported me. Your investment in my education is deeply appreciated, and I will carry your generosity with me throughout my academic and professional career.”
– Deric Thomas, NGL – Mark Hornibrook Memorial Scholar
“It is one thing for me to invest in my own education and personal growth, but it is another thing entirely to have someone else willing to invest in it. I can’t express my gratitude enough. From the bottom of my heart, thank you so much for believing in me.”
– Sioux Westby, Foundation ’45 Scholar
SCHOLARSHIPS & PROGRAMS NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS:
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR THE DAVID C. BAUE NFDA PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE
Thanks to the generous support of The Baue Family, the Funeral Service Foundation is proud to offer 20 scholarships to attend the 2025 NFDA Professional Women’s Conference. Valued at up to $1,600, each scholarship covers full registration fees for the May 15-18 conference in Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, plus three nights of lodging, and up to $500 in travel reimbursement. Open to funeral students and professionals. Applications open now. The deadline to apply is 11:59 p.m. CT on Wednesday, January 15, 2025. All applicants will be notified of status by mid-February. Information about the Professional Women’s Conference is available at NFDA.org/PWC.
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR MEET THE MENTORS
Thanks to the generous support of its donors, the Funeral Service Foundation is proud to support NFDA’s Meet the Mentors program, the transformative professional development event held in conjunction with NFDA’s annual Advocacy Summit, offering a unique opportunity for emerging funeral service professionals to engage with leaders and experience the power of advocacy firsthand.
The program covers registration fees, lodging, and select meals; attendees are only responsible for their transportation to Washington, D.C. Applications for the 2025 Meet the Mentors program are open through Friday, January 17 at 11:59 p.m. CT. Interested applicants must be licensed NFDA-member funeral directors or embalmers, aged 40 or under, or within their first five years of licensure in the profession. For complete details and to apply, visit NFDA.org/Mentors.