PRESS RELEASE
Brookfield, Wis. — The Funeral Service Foundation and the Baue family are leading the way in making continuing education more accessible for funeral service professionals with the establishment of David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarships.
A Lasting Legacy
The Baue family established David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarships in 2021 to honor his legacy and commitment to the funeral service profession.
A second-generation funeral director, Baue’s years in funeral service were characterized by his focus on education for all funeral service professionals, belief in innovation, support of his family and staff, and commitment to the families he served in Saint Charles, Missouri.
“My father, David C. Baue, believed in the power of continuing education, which is why he served on the board of the National Foundation of Funeral Service,” said Lisa Baue, 2021-22 Foundation Chair-elect. “The Baue family is proud to offer scholarships in Dave’s memory and carry forward his belief that access to education makes our entire profession stronger.”
From 1945 until 1996, the Funeral Service Foundation was known as the National Foundation of Funeral Service (NFFS). Thousands of funeral service professionals attended the NFFS School of Management and other continuing education programs in Evanston, Illinois. In 1983, David C. Baue helped transform the decades-old NFFS “ladies’ course” into the first-ever Women in Funeral Service Seminar with the goal of advancing the role and recognition of women in funeral service. Lisa Baue was a featured speaker in 1986.
The Women in Funeral Service Seminar is the predecessor program to NFDA’s Professional Women’s Conference. Since 1997, the Funeral Service Foundation has awarded more than 350 scholarships to attend the highly regarded annual event (including 150 scholarships to attend the 2021 virtual conference). The 2022 conference will take place April 29-May 1 at The Confidante Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.
Over the next five years, 100 David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarships—20 per year—will be awarded to female and non-binary funeral service professionals and students to attend the premier conference. Each all-inclusive scholarship covers registration fees, overnight accommodations, and up to a $500 travel stipend.
“The establishment of the David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarship is a true demonstration of generosity,” said Foundation Executive Director, Lee Wiensch, CFRE. “The Baue family has doubled the Foundation’s capacity to offer scholarships to this annual event.”
Application Details
The Foundation is accepting applications now through March 15 to attend this year’s event. Late submissions will not be accepted. Winners will be announced at the end of March.
Using a common application format, all scholarship candidates are required to answer five questions in no more than 250 words per question, and submit a brief video, no longer than two minutes.
Open to female and non-binary funeral service professionals and students, applicants must be verifiably employed in funeral service or related occupations or be a student in good standing and currently attending classes at an ABSFE- or Canadian-accredited institution or program; NFDA membership is not required.
Those who have applied in the past but have not been awarded an in-person NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarship are encouraged to re-apply. Those who have registered for the conference are also eligible to apply. Complete requirements and the application form are available online.
Links:
David C. Baue NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Scholarship Application: https://www.funeralservicefoundation.org/scholarship-opportunities/nfda-professional-womens-conference-scholarships/
NFDA Professional Women’s Conference Registration:
https://www.nfda.org/pwc
Funeral Service Foundation Timeline:
https://www.funeralservicefoundation.org/about/mission-history/
About the Funeral Service Foundation – FuneralServiceFoundation.org
Since 1945, the Funeral Service Foundation has served as the philanthropic voice of the funeral profession and has identified as the charitable arm of the National Funeral Directors Association since 1997. Donors and volunteer leaders profession-wide support the Foundation in its mission of investing in people and programs to strengthen funeral service and lift up grieving communities.
