Spring 2025 Harvey Leavitt, III NBE Scholarships Awarded

FAYETTEVILLE, AR (March 7, 2025) – Five candidates were selected to receive the Harvey Leavitt, III National Board Examination (NBE) scholarship. The scholarship allows recipients to sit for 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 2025 topic prompts future licensees to explain why honesty is essential in meeting educational, examination, and other licensure requirements and how it impacts their future as a funeral service professional.

We are pleased to announce the following selections for the Spring 2025 Harvey Leavitt, III NBE Scholarship and share their responses:

Kylie Harper – St. Petersburg JC

Honesty is an essential part of funeral service ethics in every aspect of our field, but especially in meeting the set requirements for licensure and employment. Education and examination requirements are not intended to make our lives unnecessarily difficult, they are in place to ensure that we can provide the level of care that grieving families deserve. Pursuing education in funeral services should be approached with complete academic honesty, as every single course we are required to take directly relates to the everyday tasks that a funeral director and embalmer complete. If I were not truthfully approaching my academics, I would become employed and have no idea what to do, resulting in severe malpractice and harm to my community. This applies to all other requirement fields for licensure, as well; if I am being academically dishonest on the boards, falsely reporting internship hours and duties, or skipping continuing education courses, I am not only harming myself, but also harming families in need. Without honestly meeting licensure requirements, I am unprepared and unqualified to perform the duties of my job. This could easily lead to lawsuits and permanent loss of licensure. As a funeral service professional, I strive to achieve honesty in all of my work, educational and within the funeral home, as I am doing a disservice to myself and my families otherwise.

Ly’Geria Mathis – Gupton Jones

Honesty is the cornerstone of any professional career, particularly in funeral service, where trust and integrity are fundamental to serving grieving families. As a future licensee, fulfilling educational, examination, and licensure requirements with honesty is not just a matter of ethics but a necessity for ensuring that I am truly prepared to uphold the responsibilities of this profession. Meeting these requirements honestly guarantees that I have acquired the knowledge, skills, and ethical foundation to provide competent and compassionate care to families during their most vulnerable moments.

Dishonesty during the licensure process whether through falsifying documents, cheating on exams, or misrepresenting qualifications can lead to severe consequences, including disqualification, revocation of licenses, or a tarnished reputation. Beyond these immediate consequences, it undermines the trust families and the community place in me as a funeral service professional.

Honesty also impacts my professional relationships with colleagues, clients, and regulatory boards. By demonstrating integrity from the outset, I build a strong foundation for a career that prioritizes respect, accountability, and empathy. Ultimately, honesty ensures that I not only meet the requirements of licensure but also uphold the dignity and professionalism that this field demands, allowing me to make a meaningful and lasting impact on the families I serve.

Stephanie Villa — Cypress College

The funeral industry is built on trust, compassion, and ethical responsibility, and upholding honesty from the very beginning of one’s career is essential in maintaining the integrity of the profession and building a strong rapport with client families we serve.

In meeting these requirements, honesty ensures that I am gaining the knowledge and skills needed to serve grieving families with professionalism and competence. Misrepresenting my education, falsifying experience, or cutting corners in any way would not only be unethical but would also jeopardize my ability to provide quality care to those who rely on my expertise during their most difficult moments.

Honesty directly impacts my future as a funeral service professional. Families place all their trust in funeral directors to handle their loved ones with dignity and respect. If I do not uphold honesty in my own journey toward licensure, it could set a precedent for unethical behavior in my professional career, ultimately harming my reputation and credibility. Regulatory boards and employers expect integrity, and any dishonesty in my licensure process could lead to serious consequences, including the loss of my license and employment opportunities.

By committing to honesty in my education, examinations, and licensure process, I am laying the foundation for a career built on respect, accountability, and most of all, trust. This commitment will not only benefit me professionally but will also ensure that I am fully prepared to serve families with the highest level of care they and their loved one deserves.

Mayra Vizcarra — Cypress College

Honesty is critical in the funeral industry. More so as a funeral service professional. The multitudinous potential for deceit within the industry is vast. As we have seen historically, many organizations, regulations, and ethics were created in order to counter act the unethical actions of our past predecessors. Despite this however, our industry is also full of compassion and empathy. Organizations like the National Funeral Directors Association or the International Cemetery, Cremation & Funeral Association keep standards and regulations ethical and openly available to the public nationwide. As students we are required to graduate form a school certified by the national examination board and after, depending on our chosen career path, we are required to pass additional examination that proves we have a working knowledge of the intricacies revolving around the funeral industry and our specific chosen profession. From licensed funeral directors, embalmers, arrangers, crematory / cemetery managers, etc. We understand that honesty is one of the most important characterizes an industry member can have.

While in school academic honesty is critical. If an individual; cannot remain honest as a student, then likely they will not become honest member within the industry. This becomes extremely problematic during licensure. If an individual falsely presents themselves as a fully licensed practitioner, they not only risk their business but the trust those client families placed on those they had believed to be “accurate” representations of us all within the funeral industry. thus, soiling the industry name.

Honesty is the backbone of our industry.

Christie White — Delgado Community College

Honesty is essential in meeting the educational, examination, and licensure requirements for becoming a funeral service licensee, as it ensures both professional competence and ethical conduct in this highly sensitive field. Funeral service professionals are entrusted with the care of the deceased and the emotional well-being of grieving families, making integrity a cornerstone of the profession.. Truthfully fulfilling educational requirements ensures that you acquire the necessary knowledge in areas such as embalming, funeral arrangement, grief counseling, and legal regulations, which are critical to providing proper care and support. Cheating or misrepresenting your qualifications not only compromises your ability to perform these responsibilities but could also lead to serious ethical and legal consequences. Honesty during the examination process is equally important, as it demonstrates your genuine understanding of the complex laws, ethics, and practices governing funeral service. Misleading exam results or attempting to bypass these requirements can result in the loss of licensure, legal penalties, and damage to your professional reputation. Additionally, maintaining honesty in all aspects of funeral service, from accurate documentation to transparent pricing and communication, is essential for establishing trust with the families you serve. Dishonesty in these areas can lead to families feeling betrayed, potential lawsuits, and a tarnished reputation that could be difficult to recover from. Overall, honesty not only ensures that you meet the licensure requirements but also builds a strong foundation for a successful and ethically responsible career in funeral service, where trust and compassion are paramount.

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.