SAN ANTONIO — There is a shortage of funeral directors across the country, so San Antonio College is training the next wave of industry professionals.

What You Need To Know

  • With a shortage of funeral directors in the U.S., San Antonio College has an on-campus mortuary to help students get hands-on experience in funeral directing, enbalming and more

  • SAC's mortuary is the first in the nation to be housed on a college campus

  • According to the National Funeral Directors Association, more than 60% of funeral directors are expected to retire in the next five years, making room for the next generation of professionals

  • From performing dismissals to showing clients products in the selection room, students learn all aspects of the funeral service industry

Mary Mena is the coordinator of the Mortuary Science program at SAC. 

“This would be a mock setup,” Mena said. “Our caskets, just so they can get an idea. Our pillars for flower arrangements.” 

SAC is guiding students through their associate degree, teaching them funeral directing and embalming.

“We’ve got one chance to get this right for the family,” Mena said. “Because the funeral is for the living.”

SAC’s program has been around since the '60s, but there hasn’t been a mortuary on campus — until now.

“We’re a traditional funeral home, we just sit on a college campus,” said Jennifer Floyd, the director of mortuary operations. 

Floyd says this is a full-service funeral home open to the public. 

“With cremation trending, on an uprise in the U.S., these are our urns,” Floyd said. 

San Antonio College’s mortuary is the first mortuary on a college campus in the country. With industry workforce shortages, Floyd says it’s important for students to be prepared.

“'Cause we don’t get do-overs in our industry,” Floyd said. “This is a do it the first time right, because you can’t do it over. And this is where families know that you know what you’re doing.”

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, more than 60% of funeral directors are expected to retire in the next five years, making room for the next generation of professionals.

“It takes a special person,” Mena said. “Those people are working with families in the darkest time of their life.”

Working in the death care industry over two decades, Floyd understands the value of hands-on experience.

“They get to practice with me and if they make a mistake, I get to critique them and let them know what they did wrong,” Floyd said. “Opposed to them making a mistake with a family that’s grieving.”

From performing dismissals to showing clients products in the selection room, students learn all aspects of the funeral service industry. Mena says after their internships, most of them have solid job leads. 

“[The] program gives students an opportunity to be sure this is what I want to do,” Mena said.