Northeast Texas Community College is one step closer to having a fully-accredited Funeral Service Education Program, as the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) recently granted the program candidacy.
Rebecca Gardner, NTCC Director of Funeral Service Education, and Dr. Shannon Cox-Kelley, NTCC Dean of Health Sciences, traveled to Myrtle Beach, SC to defend the program?s self-study that was submitted to the ABFSE late last year.
?This is a major milestone on the path to initial accreditation. †We still have another year until initial accreditation can be received, but this is a good indication that the program is heading in the right direction,? Gardner said.
The next step in the process is to develop a new self-study this year, starting the process of retaining initial accreditation with the ABFSE. The program will have another visit early next year and hopes to gain full accreditation by April 2018.
?The faculty and students of the funeral service program would like to extend a big thank you for the support they have received thus far from NTCC, area funeral homes, and the community,? Gardner said.
NTCC Funeral Service Education accepted its first class during the Fall 2016 semester. The innovative curriculum allows students to complete most of their coursework online and then participate in intensive clinical experiences to practice hands-on skills.
?The ABFSE Board specifically commended Rebecca and the college for their thorough and comprehensive work on the program to date. They continued to state that the college showed innovation in their curriculum design and great forethought in the program,? Cox-Kelley said. ?This really is a great accomplishment on behalf of the program.?
The NTCC Funeral Service Education Program is one of only five programs in the state of Texas. It is currently accepting new students for the Fall 2017 semester. For more information, contact Gardner at 903-434-8314 or rgardner@ntcc.edu.
May 12, 2017
