Carolyn Handa

Carolyn Patricia Handa Professor Carolyn P. Handa, age 66, passed away from natural causes at home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on Wednesday, March 12, 2014. Born in Chicago, Illinois, Carolyn was raised and educated in both Chicago and the greater Los Angeles area. In 1983, she obtained her Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles. Carolyn spread her passion for the literary arts as an instructor, author, and tireless mentor to students at institutions throughout the country. Carolyn taught at University of California at Davis, American River College in Sacramento, CA, and Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville before joining the faculty of the University of Alabama in 2005. She taught expository writing and conducted research in the field of composition and rhetoric, serving as Assistant Chair of the Alabama English Department and senior faculty for the MA/PhD program in Composition, Rhetoric and English Studies (CRES). Carolyn also served on the executive committee for the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC), the national association for college writing teachers. Her dedication to minority and first-generation college students as faculty fellow for the McNair Scholars Program was one of her most personally rewarding endeavors. Carolyn Handa was a well published author but will be remembered for her commitment to mentoring, her acts of kindness, spirited conversations with lots of laughter, and the chutzpah that she embodied. Carolyn ("Carrie") was the oldest of 6 siblings, daughter of Patricia and George Handa, and is survived by her sisters Susan, Emily, and Diane, her brothers Stephen and Robert, her eight nephews and nieces, and her beloved cats Jojo and Rori. Carrie held her family close to her heart. Family, sports, food, and her cats were among her favorite subjects of discussion. She was a caring sister, an enthusiastic aunt, and a passionate individual who challenged her family and friends to pursue their dreams and achieve their potential. The University of Alabama will hold a Celebration of Life Memorial on Monday, April 28, 2014, from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at the Hudson Strode House, 39 Cherokee Road, Tuscaloosa 35404. School colors attire recommended. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The University of Alabama for the Carolyn P. Handa Memorial Scholarship, keeping her caring spirit alive into perpetuity. Checks should be made out to The University of Alabama with a notation that the gift is for the Carolyn P. Handa Scholarship in memory of Carolyn. Mail to The University of Alabama, Advancement Services, Box 870101, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487.