Spring 2026 Harvey Leavitt III, NBE Scholarships Awarded

FAYETTEVILLE, AR – Five candidates were selected to receive the Harvey Leavitt, III National Board Examination (NBE) scholarship. The scholarship allows recipients to sit for both sections of the NBE with the examination fee waived (a $570 value).

The Harvey Leavitt, III scholarship program is open to first-time exam candidates eligible to sit for the NBE within one year of application. To enter, exam candidates are asked to submit a brief essay. The 2026 topic prompted future licensees to explain how the NBE contributes to maintaining high professional standards in funeral service. We are pleased to announce the following selections for the Spring 2026 Harvey Leavitt, III NBE Scholarship and share their responses:

Chelsea Davis – Wayne State University

“The NBE establishes credibility and introduces standards that all professionals in funeral service should strive to adhere to. The NBE is not just a test, it’s a reflection of our duties and responsibilities in the real world. Both sections of the exam pool together the many understandings of what funeral service requires of those seeking to be licensed in the field. Taking a test to prove your knowledge in a field of study and subsequently gaining licensure is nothing new. My father works for the City of Haslet in North Texas. He works in their Public Works, Planning and Zoning, Engineering, and Parks and Recreation departments. As part of his job he needs to maintain multiple licenses in general plumbing, electrical, zoning, and building inspection on top of training and continuing education. I know this is not strictly a funeral service example, but my dad’s job and career-long licensing requirements has left a lasting imprint on me of how important these standards are. You wouldn’t trust an unlicensed plumber or electrician to do a job in your own home for you. In fact, unlicensed work done in your home can get you in trouble with licensed inspectors that come by to check. And there’s the word again, licensed. Even the home inspector must meet certain academic and professional standards. For those in funeral service the NBE is a part of licensure; the backbone of high standards, responsibility, and professional accountability. I do appreciate the NBE in this way because of my early exposure to testing for licensing requirements. When you’ve passed a test in your field of study, reflecting your understanding of the duties and responsibilities you’ll need, it solidifies your credibility in that profession. And the NBE does just that, it contributes to the professional and academic standards that are expected of funeral service professionals.”

Cara Delgado – Cypress College

“The NBE contributes to maintaining high professional standards in funeral service by ensuring that all of those across the United States who seek a degree in Mortuary Science/Funeral Service do not obtain said degree until they demonstrate a standard of knowledge in the concentration areas of the arts and sciences. This is important because it acts as a filter for those in higher education seeking a career in funeral service, establishing a basis of knowledge for those in all accredited programs across the country, rather than just relying on the results of a state board exam, alone. The NBE helps establish professional standards across the board, which compensates for the variation of standards from state to state. It’s important for us, as funeral service professionals, to be consistent in our knowledge and in our care for those in our community who need us and rely on us.

A personal experience of mine that has shaped my understanding of professional standards and responsibility entrusted to funeral service professionals happened when I was just seventeen years old. It was November of 2016, and my family had to drive up to Ohio from Southwest Virginia for the first and only double funeral that I had ever been to. My great aunt and uncle, whom I had  spent the summer with just a few months prior, had their lives taken from them in a fatal accident with a semi-truck that didn’t stop at a red light. Up until this point in my life, I had been to more funerals than weddings and I had not cried at a single one of them. This one hit me so differently because it did not look like them in those caskets. I remember specifically seeing my uncle looking so yellow and the poor reattachment of his ear. My aunt’s whole body and hands were so swollen that her wedding band didn’t fit correctly, and she was very orange. Now after going through courses like restorative art and embalming, myself, I am able to make an educated guess as to what went wrong in the process of preparation and what the ones doing the preparation could have done to prevent those issues. I believe that it is also an issue in the lack of professional standards of this funeral home and an issue that likely stemmed from the fact that the individuals who owned and operated this funeral home have been in the profession since before the NBE requirement. I feel as though the national standardized education requirements for funeral service professionals would have given me an acceptable lasting image of my great aunt and uncle. I still feel like the trust my family put into these professionals was violated because this year makes ten years since my aunt and uncle have been gone and I still think about all the visible injuries and how unnatural they looked in their caskets.”

Tuesday Julius – Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service

“The NBE plays a vital role in maintaining high professional standards in funeral service by ensuring that all licensed professionals meet nationally based benchmarks of knowledge, ethics, and competency. Being funeral service professions we are entrusted with a significant amount of responsibility. Not only entrusted with caring for the deceased appropriately, we support families through profound grief while upholding legal, health, and ethical standards. The NBE is a safeguard to the public by confirming that those who enter this profession are prepared and can be trusted to carry those responsibilities. My understand of professional accountability has been shaped both academically and personally. Prior to completing my funeral science degree, I worked towards my bachelors in Social Work. A field where ethical standards, confidentiality, and professional responsibility are also foundational. Even small lapses in judgement can have serious consequences for vulnerable individuals. Being ethical, responsible, and professional is a duty owned to those vulnerable left in our care. This directly applies to funeral service where people rely on professionals to act competently, compassionately, and in accordance to established ethical and safety guidelines during the some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

On a personal level, my appreciation for accountability in funeral service is deeply influenced by early experiences with loss. My sister passed away at 18 months old when I was six. Experiencing death within my own family, I saw how much my parents relied on the funeral director to guide them through the terrible loss of their child. A terrain much unfamiliar to them. Seeing this as a young child, I realized as I grew up that being a funeral professional is not just a technical job, but it also requires trust. Passing the NBE reinforces that trust for people. It shows that the licensure is earned through demonstrated competence ensuring that all funeral service practitioners meet the same high standards and guidelines no matter where they were trained. Public knowledge that every licensed professional has met those strict guidelines strengthens the integrity of the industry as a whole. The NBE is not an obstacle to my goal, it is a necessary safeguard that protects families, upholds the dignity of the profession, and reinforces the high standards all funeral service providers must be able to maintain throughout their careers.”

Myah Juranek – Kansas City Kansas Community College

“As a student studying mortuary science, the NBE is an important part of becoming a funeral director. The exam helps make sure that everyone entering the field meets the same standards, no matter where they went to school. This is important because families rely on us during some of the hardest times of their lives. The NBE tests what I’ve learned in school, including funeral laws, embalming, restorative art, ethics, and how to support grieving families. Knowing that I must pass this exam pushes me to understand the material, not just memorize it. It also helps me feel more prepared and confident about entering the profession. For me, the NBE shows that funeral service is more than just a job, it is a career that requires responsibility, skill, and trust. Passing the exam proves that I am ready to serve families with care, professionalism, and respect.

I have had great opportunities to work with many different funeral directors, each with their own skills and life lessons to learn from. There is no “one size fits all” approach to this profession, so there should not be a “one size fits all” funeral director. I am most excited about the opportunity to join a family owned establishment because I truly value the personal connections and strong sense of community that privately owned funeral homes provide. I enjoy working in environments where relationships and trust matter, and I am eager to learn and adapt to the unique needs of the community I will serve. I also believe I am entering this profession during a time of change. More young people, including many women, are becoming directors, which is helping shape the profession in new ways. Families are also choosing cremation more often and looking for services that are more personal. Because of this, I believe clear and honest communication is important. Families should be able to understand their options without confusing language so they can make decisions that feel right for them. Staying personally connected to families matters now more than ever. As part of a new generation of funeral directors, I hope to bring a caring, open, and honest approach while still respecting the traditions of the profession.”

Kyra Rivera – St. Petersburg College

“The NBE plays a vital role in maintaining high professional standards within the funeral service industry by establishing examinations that assess takers knowledge, ethics, and professionalism. These standards help ensure that funeral service professionals are properly prepared to serve families with compassion and integrity. By holding each individual to uniform expectations, the NBE reinforces the responsibility tasked to those working with grieving families. My understanding of these critical standards was deeply shaped following the passing of my mother from cancer in November 2024. During this extremely difficult time, our funeral director demonstrated professionalism, sympathy, and respect to the highest degree. They communicated clearly, treated my mother with dignity, and supported my family in a compassionate manner throughout the whole funeral planning process. Given the emotional weight of the situation, it was very challenging to continue in my program. However, this experience reinforced my understanding of the industry and furthermore motivated me to continue to pursue this career. Professionalism in funeral service extends far beyond the technical practices and responsibilities. It incorporates emotional intelligence, ethical judgement, and genuine compassion for families navigating grief. I firmly believe that working with an exceptional funeral director made a meaningful difference during this time for my family and I. This level of care and professionalism, in my opinion, was a direct outcome of the NBE’s education and evaluation standards, as it takes a truly dedicated individual to uphold the responsibilities of this profession.”

ABOUT

Harvey Hamilton Leavitt, III volunteered on The Conference’s National Board Examination Committee for twenty-two years. He was a dedicated funeral director and embalmer from Wadesboro, North Carolina where he owned and operated Leavitt Funeral Home, established in 1914, as a third-generation funeral practitioner. Harvey defined professionalism, was an eternal optimist and his volunteer spirit was catching. He will be remembered for his honesty, integrity and generosity of time and talent. In 2023 the board of directors officially named the National Board Examination Scholarship program in his memory.

The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards is headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Founded in 1904, the membership of The Conference is composed of funeral service licensing boards and regulatory agencies throughout the United States and Canada. For more information on The Conference, visit www.theconferenceonline.org