The Funeral Service Foundation is now accepting applications for four of its five academic scholarships: The Joseph E. Hagan Scholarship; the Memorial Classic Golf Tournament Scholarship; the Schoepp Memorial Scholarship; and, new in 2014, the Shipley Rose Buckner Memorial Scholarship. Application deadlines are in June, and vary by scholarship. Application materials, eligibility requirements and scholarship terms and guidelines are available online.
“Scholarships are an essential recruiting tool to attract and support the best and brightest talent in our field,” said Kathy Wisnefski, executive director of the Funeral Service Foundation. “The Foundation seeks to engage first-time students as well as those who are looking to start a new career.”
The awards range from $1,000 to $5,000 per scholarship. Funding is solely intended for full- and part-time students enrolled in (or accepted into) a mortuary science program at an ABFSE-accredited school. Each scholarship has a unique essay component from which the winner is selected. Students may apply for more than one scholarship, based on eligibility, but may only receive one scholarship from the Foundation. Up to seven scholarships will be awarded.
Awarding and administering scholarships is a Foundation cornerstone in direct support of its mission to fund projects and programs that support all of funeral service in building meaningful relationships in the community. Along with academic scholarships, the Foundation also offers professional development scholarships for NFDA’s Meet the Mentors program and Professional Women’s Conference.
“Foundation supporters understand that scholarship funding equips funeral service students and professionals with the necessary tools and experiences needed to be successful,” said Randy Schoedinger, co-chair of the Foundation’s Grants Committee. “Our donors also believe that supporting these upcoming leaders is an investment in the future of funeral service.”
Since 2002 nearly 350 funeral service students and professionals have received Funeral Service Foundation scholarships.
Learn how you can contribute to or establish a scholarship fund.