As the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana celebrates 60 years of service to students and the community, one of its most distinctive programs is marking a milestone of its own. The UAHT Funeral Service program is celebrating 30 years of preparing funeral directors and embalmers who serve families across Arkansas and beyond.

What began as a need in Arkansas has grown into a respected, fully accredited program with a national impact. Thirty years ago, Arkansas had no in-state college offering a degree in funeral service. Students who wanted to enter the profession had to travel out of state to complete their education. The state even offered scholarships to help offset that burden.

In 1995, UAHT, then known as UACCH, began exploring what it would take to bring a funeral service program to Arkansas. Bobby Taylor, then vice chancellor for academics, led the effort to research requirements and implement the program. From the start of classes in 1996, the goal was simple: give Arkansas students the opportunity to train close to home and strengthen the funeral service workforce across the region.

The program’s early days were modest. Its first home was a single classroom with one casket. Over time, it expanded into its own wing within the UAHT administrative complex, adding a merchandising room and a restorative art lab. As accreditation standards evolved, a mock preparation room was added to meet new requirements. Each step reflected the program’s commitment to keeping pace with professional expectations.

In 1997, the program earned full accreditation from the American Board of Funeral Service Education. It has maintained continuous accreditation ever since, meeting strict standards and maintaining pass rates above required thresholds. That consistency remains one of the program’s proudest accomplishments.

To date, over 268 students have graduated with funeral service degrees or certificates from UAHT. Last year, the program held an 81 percent graduation rate and a 100 percent overall employment rate, a clear sign that its graduates are prepared and in demand.

The Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service is a 60-credit-hour distance-learning program designed to prepare students for careers as funeral directors and embalmers. Students learn to conduct funeral services and arrangement conferences, preserve and restore the human body through embalming, follow proper workplace safety guidelines, understand cremation procedures, and more. But technical skills are only part of the training.

As Brad Sheppard, UAHT Funeral Service Program Director, who joined the college in 2017, explains, the program focuses not just on competence but also on compassion. Graduates leave with the skills they need and the heart to care for families during some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

Karen Davis, UAHT Dean of Health Professions and original program director, echoes that perspective. From the beginning, the curriculum has emphasized both the care of the deceased and the care of the bereaved. The goal is to educate students not only in the science of funeral service, but also in the responsibility of serving the living.

That balance has shaped the profession locally and beyond. Many alums now serve families in Hope, Texarkana, and throughout Arkansas, while others have carried their training into neighboring states and beyond. Several have become funeral home managers and owners. One graduate who relocated to the area after Hurricane Katrina completed the program and has remained active in the profession ever since. We’ve had 18-year-olds come straight from high school who initially struggled to adjust to college life but persevered and are now successful in the field. One of those graduates now gives back by volunteering to help write exam questions for the agency that prepares and administers the state licensing exam. We’ve also supported students who entered the program after already establishing careers in other fields, as well as those balancing marriage, raising children, and serving as the sole financial provider while pursuing their education. Some of our most determined graduates returned to the classroom in their 40s, 50s, and 60s after being away from school for more than 20 years. They had to relearn how to study and adapt to a new environment, but they succeeded.

These stories reflect a larger impact. Graduates are not only filling positions. They are leading businesses, mentoring others, and helping guide the profession forward.

Over three decades, the funeral service industry has changed significantly, and the UAHT program has adapted alongside it. The American Board of Funeral Service Education provides curriculum guidelines and oversight to ensure programs meet national standards. Within those standards, UAHT has evolved to reflect major industry shifts.

Cremation rates, for example, now exceed 60 percent nationwide. In response, coursework has expanded to include cremation practices and newer disposition options, such as alkaline hydrolysis (sometimes called water cremation) and natural organic reduction. Students also learn how technology plays a growing role in funeral service, from livestreamed services to digital communication with families.

One of the biggest shifts in the program’s history came in 2022, when it transitioned to a fully online format. Moving from face-to-face instruction to 100 percent online delivery opened the door to students who could not relocate or leave full-time jobs.

For Davis, who joined UAHT in 1997 as program director and sole faculty member, the move marked a major evolution. For Sheppard, it represents access and opportunity. The online format allows students to remain rooted in their communities while pursuing a career in funeral service.

Enrollment has remained steady through the years, with noticeable growth since the move online. The flexibility has attracted a wider range of students, strengthening the program’s reach.

Even as the program has expanded online, its ties to the funeral service community remain strong. An advisory committee made up of local funeral service practitioners provides guidance and ongoing input. Students complete hands-on training in funeral homes, gaining real-world experience while serving local families. Many graduates later return to work in those same communities.

Partnerships have also enriched the learning experience. Through a valued relationship with Texarkana Funeral Homes, students tour facilities, observe a cremation, and participate in a mock funeral service at a local church. These experiences connect classroom learning with professional practice in meaningful ways.

For Davis, the 30-year anniversary is deeply personal. She taught members of the program’s second graduating class and has seen every class since. “It is rewarding for me to see the positive changes and improvements we have made over the years,” she reflects, noting the pride she feels in knowing she has helped provide the industry with well-trained graduates ready to enter the field.

Sheppard shares that sense of pride. When he considers the students he has taught, the careers they have built, and the families they have served, he says the milestone feels both humbling and meaningful. Watching the program’s long-term impact has been one of the greatest rewards of his career.

As UAHT celebrates 60 years of service, the Funeral Service program stands as a testament to how the college responds to community needs. Looking forward, both Davis and Sheppard hope the program continues to evolve. They want the online format to expand its reach even further and the curriculum to remain current with industry changes. More than anything, they hope UAHT will continue to be known not only for educational excellence, but for preparing compassionate professionals who are ready to step into their local funeral homes and serve immediately.

Thirty years after filling a critical gap in Arkansas education, the UAHT Funeral Service program continues to shape the profession one graduate at a time, strengthening communities through skill, integrity, and care.

For more information about the Funeral Service program at UA Hope-Texarkana, visit https://www.uaht.edu/funeral-service.php.