About David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarships
The Baue Family established David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarships in 2021 to honor their father’s legacy and commitment to the funeral service profession. David C. Baue was a progressive funeral director who inspired his children and the funeral service profession through his leadership. In 1983, Baue helped found the National Foundation of Funeral Service’s Women in Funeral Service Seminar – the predecessor program to today’s NFDA Professional Women’s Conference.
THE NFDA PROFESSIONAL WOMEN’S CONFERENCE
Thanks to generous donor support, the Funeral Service Foundation has awarded scholarships to NFDA’s Professional Women’s Conference since 1998. The conference offers women of funeral service an opportunity to learn, a chance to collaborate, and a structure for networking that elevates the profession and enriches careers. Past scholarship recipients tell us they leave the conference with greater passion for funeral service and renewed energy with which to serve their communities.
ABOUT THE AWARD
20 SCHOLARSHIPS are available to female and non-binary funeral professionals and students to attend the NFDA Professional Women’s Conference, May 6-9 in St. Petersburg, FL. Applicants are not required to be NFDA members.
Scholarships cover registration and event fees, a three-night hotel-stay, and up to $500 in travel reimbursement.
Professionals
must be verifiably employed in funeral service or related occupations.
Students
must be in good standing and currently attending classes at an ABSFE- or Canadian-accredited institution or program.
Please Note: Students who are enrolled, but have not yet begun coursework at the time of application, are not eligible to apply.
APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Each candidate is required to answer six questions (limited to 250 words each), submit a brief video of no more than two minutes, and request a letter of recommendation – ensuring that it is submitted by the deadline.
DEADLINE
Online applications are being accepted from January 2 – February 5, 2026.
Past recipients of Funeral Service Foundation scholarships for any previous in-person NFDA Professional Women’s Conference are ineligible. (Those who received a 2020 Virtual NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarship may apply.)
Scholarships will be awarded without regard to race, religious beliefs, age, national origin, or disability.
Scholarships are not renewable and a candidate may only receive this award once.
Recipients are required to attend all conference functions, and should plan travel accordingly.
If unable to attend designated scholarship events, the scholarship recipient will forfeit their scholarship for that year, but may apply in subsequent years.
All scholarships are subject to available funds.
All award decisions of the Funeral Service Foundation are final.
Alternates may be selected in the event that a scholarship recipient decides not to accept the award.
Only completed applications will be considered. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
The Funeral Service Foundation reserves the right to eliminate from consideration incomplete applications without further notice to the applicant.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2025 David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarship Winners!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2026 SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS
Joe’l Anthony The Multicultural Death & Grief Care Academy Atlanta, GA
Earline Blumhagen Robert Bryant Funeral & Cremation Chapel / Hayes Bros Funeral Home Orlando, FL
Baylee Clifton Apfel Funeral Home Grand Island, NE
America Espinoza Rose Hills Mortuary Whittier, CA
Julie Grubb Biereley-Hale Funeral Home Madisonville, TN
Avery Henson Relyea Funeral Chapel St. Boise, ID
Amber Horvath Harding Funeral Home Slatington, PA
Janelle Kraus Goddard-Crandall-Shepardson Funeral Home, Inc. Syracuse, NY
Aura Murillo Pérez Resting Reef Limited London, UK
Meg Nichols Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home Peabody, MA
Samantha Rawlings Truckee-Tahoe Mortuary Truckee, CA
Shannon Richards Proko Funeral Home Kenosha, WI
Megan Rudy Paquelet Funeral Home Massillon, OH
Kandice Saulsberry Toledo, OH
Sara Sochor Charlottesville, VA
Katlyn Taueetia Coleman-Taylor Funeral Services Cecil, PA
ToKoeisha Tharpe Trinity Memorial Funeral Services Chicago, IL
Samantha Thompson Griffiths-Hovendick Chapel, Inc. Beatrice, NE
Tionna Washington JP Holley Funeral Home and Crematory Columbia, WA
Kiera Wespestad Scanlan’s Funeral Home Pompton Plains, NJ
