College opens lid on Nevada’s first funeral services degree

The College of Southern Nevada is launching Nevada’s first funeral services degree program this fall.

CSN said the program will give students the hands-on training needed for a career as an embalmer, funeral manager and funeral director without needing to leave the state for education and certification.

“This is great for Las Vegas, the state of Nevada, and for students who maybe never considered a career in this field,” Cassie Gentry, chair of health-related professions at CSN, said in a news release. “It calls for students with deep empathy to support families and honor loved ones who have passed.”

Applications for the program are now open and will close June 1. The first cohort will only include 10 students, but the college plans to expand the program with increased enrollment, reaching northern Nevada students and establishing a path to a bachelor’s degree.

The first classes will start in the fall 2025 semester.

“This program will strengthen the local funeral services industry by fostering a new generation of licensed professionals dedicated to honoring life and supporting families in their time of need,” Celena DiLullo, president of Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries, which donated to the program, said in a statement.

Contact Taylor Lane at tlane@reviewjournal.com.