Jolena M. Grande

Jolena M. Grande is a licensed funeral service practitioner with Service Corporation International and current director of the Mortuary Science Program at Cypress College. She is a longtime faculty member in the department, where she served as an adjunct instructor from 1995 to 1999. Since 1989, she has enjoyed working as an embalmer, funeral director, crematory manager and cemetery manager in Southern California, where she was previously employed by Heritage Memorial Services, McCormick and Son, Inc., Peek Family Colonial Funeral Home, and Westminster Memorial Park and Mortuary. She has served on the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) Career Technical Education Leadership Committee and as an ASCCC representative to the System Advisory Committee on Curriculum and the Career Technical Education Faculty Minimum Qualifications Workgroup with the Chancellor’s Office. She was a member of the Cypress College Academic Senate from 2010 to 2017, holding the offices of secretary (2010-2013) and president (2014-2016).

Jolena has served on various college and district committees, including the college program review and department planning committee, curriculum committee, planning and budget committee, and president’s advisory cabinet, as well as a member of the district consultation council, council on budget and finance, and enrollment management advisory committee. Grande serves on various committees with the California Funeral Directors Association, is the current secretary of the National Associated Colleges of Mortuary Science, and vice president of the American Board of Funeral Service Education. She previously served on the California Department of Consumer Affairs Cemetery and Funeral Bureau Advisory Committee, and is an item writer for the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. She earned a Master of Science degree in educational technology and a Master of Forensic Sciences degree from National University.