Funeral Services Administration Residency Requirements

Mandatory 4-Day Embalming and Restorative Art Residency

  • Online students are required to complete a 4-day, in-person Embalming and Restorative Art residency prior to graduation. STUDENTS MUST ATTEND THE SESSION IN ITS ENTIRETY.
    • If you completed FSAD 121, FSAD 211, and/or FSAD 323 online you need to participate in the residency
    • If you are unsure if you must complete this requirement, please contact your advisor
  • This residence is a requirement of the American Board of Funeral Service Education Accreditation Standards. 
  • This residency will be available in both Fall and Spring semesters.
  • Students must be informed that failure to attend the residency and meet all outlined requirements will result in the advisor being unable to certify the student for graduation. 
  • All students will obtain signatures certifying completion of their residency at the completion of the session. All documents will be submitted in FSAD 445: Mortuary Compliance.
  • Online students need to come to campus at their own expense. The student serving this 4-day residency is financially responsible for: 
  • Room and Board 
  • Transportation to SUNY Canton 
  • Other Travel Expenses.  

Mortuary Compliance Dates

Spring and Summer Semester Mortuary Compliance students are required to attend all of the following mandatory Review Sessions:

**Sessions will be held via ZOOM and the link will be provided to the students**

Arts Review: January 30 and 31, 2025

Full NBE Review: April 17-20, 2025

**Summer session students will have an additional review session in July**

Dates for Spring 2025 Semester Residency (Online Students Only):

Thursday, March 6 to Sunday, March 9, 2025

Hotel Information:

The Best Western University Inn
90 E Main Street
Canton, NY 13617
(315) 386-8522

Students have until February 6 to lock in the group rate which is $149/night. Reservations can be completed via the Best Western website or by calling the hotel directly and mentioning the Funeral Services Residency group.

Sample Schedule (subject to change)

Date Itinerary

Thursday, March 6, 2025

 

  • Students arrive and check into hotel
  • Initial group meeting at 4 PM at Funeral Service Chapel- SUNY Canton, Cook Hall, Room 109 (Campus map) Please use parking Lot 6 (across from French Hall) **need to get parking passes from Dr. Penepent**
  • Meet and greet and review of itinerary
  • Assignment of Rotation Groups
  • Pi Sigma Eta Spring Induction Ceremony and Pizza Social at 6 PM

Friday, March 7, 2025

 

  • Breakfast: At hotel (responsibility of student)
  • Group Meeting: 9 AM at Funeral Service Chapel- SUNY Canton, Cook Hall, room 109
  • Rotation 1: 9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
    • Lunch: Chaney Campus Dining Hall 12 PM - 1 PM
  • Rotation 2: 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM
  • Rotation 3: 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Saturday, March 8, 2025

 

  • Breakfast: At hotel (responsibility of student)
  • Group Meeting: 9 AM at Funeral Service Chapel- SUNY Canton, Cook Hall, room 109
  • Rotation 4: 9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
    • Lunch: Provided in Chapel 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
  • Rotation 5: 1:30PM - 3:30PM
  • Rotation 6: 4:00 PM - 6:00PM
    • Dinner: Students on own
  • Students return to hotel for evening

Sunday, March 9, 2025

 

  • Breakfast: At hotel (student responsibility)
  • Students check out of hotel
  • Group Meeting: 9 AM at Funeral Service Chapel- SUNY Canton, Cook Hall, room 109
  • Rotation makeup/redo if needed
  • Students travel home

Rotations (order is subject to change): Students will be organized into small groups (no greater than 5 students per group) and will rotate between 6 stations to complete comprehensive competency assessments and tasks. The rotations will include the following (note that rotation items and tasks may change or be adjusted as necessary):

  1. Embalming 1 (Embalming the Standard Case)
  2. Embalming 2 (Embalming the Autopsy Case)
  3. Restorative Art (Closing the skull and other restorative techniques)
  4. Restorative Art (Wax Heads)
  5. Comprehensive Oral Exams
  6. Funeral Service Items (Removal, Dressing, Casketing), etc.

List of Things to Bring

In addition to personal items please bring the following:

EMBALMING ITEMS

  • Closed toed shoes
  • Face mask
  • Face shield or glasses or safety glasses (no contact lenses permitted in the lab)
  • Long sleeve scrubs or lab coat or lab gown
  • Pack of nitrile gloves
  • Hair ties if needed

RESTORATIVE ART ITEMS:

  • Wax heads

**Please bring clothing and shoes that you do not mind potentially getting soiled**

Funeral Services Administration
David Penepent, Ph.D.
Program Director & Associate Professor
Cook 109
(315) 386-7170
penepentd@canton.edu

Darien B. Cain, MS
Lecturer
Cook 103
(315) 386-7110
frede130@canton.edu