2008 Woodie Awards
Mortuary science students find 100 percent employment after finishing program here
College program is one of 57 accredited mortuary science programs in U.S.
By Ava Bustos
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: News
Originally published: 4/3/08 at 7:20 PM CSTLast update: 4/3/08 at 7:18 PM CST
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His talk was part of the Major Shopping Days March 12-13 to give students an opportunity to investigate various majors.
Solis said students interested in mortuary science can pursue careers in Corpus Christi, Austin, Houston, Dallas, Amarillo and the Rio Grande Valley.
These locations are where these students are most needed.
Solis said 222 students are in the mortuary science program at the college.
"There are no machines that could do what these people do, and this is why students see a 100 percent employment rate," Solis said.
He said the mortuary science department will expand after the medical and dental assisting programs move in August to the new nursing and allied health building on Howard Street.
Solis said the college is one of 57 accredited mortuary science programs in the United States. If the students complete the degree plan, they can take the national board examination administered by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards.
"Those students who pass the exam with a 75 or better on both sections, the arts and science, are eligible to apply for licensure as a funeral director or embalmer in the state of Texas and any state which recognizes the national board examination," Solis said.
He said that the college has been fortunate to receive Brooke Army Medical Center's state-of-the-art equipment when the hospital relocated in 1996 to its new location at Fort Sam Houston on Interstate 35.
The mortuary science department offers an associate in applied science degree in mortuary science and a certificate in funeral directing.
The pamphlet provided by the mortuary science department states funeral directors serve the living.
The pamphlet states a funeral director's job includes identifying and fulfilling the requirements for disposition of human remains as determined by survivors.
They must also be knowledgeable in areas such as legal compliance, survivor benefits and ethical business practices.
A degree in mortuary science includes embalming.
The embalmers' role is to demonstrate reverence for the dead, which is defined by the implicit instructions of survivors.
Embalmers preserve, disinfect and restore human remains. The embalmer must be knowledgeable in areas such as anatomy, disease and trauma.
All notes and PowerPoint presentations used in mortuary science classes are uploaded on the department's Web site to ensure students still get all the notes from class if they misunderstand something or if they are absent.
"Teaching is not about hiding things. We are not setting up our students to fail. We want them to succeed, so this method is for them," Solis said.
For more information, call Dr. Francisco E. Solis at 733-2905.
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