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The John R. Handelman ’70 Memorial Scholarship

The John R. Handelman ’70 Memorial Scholarship was established in 2017 by Gwen Thayer Handelman in memory of her husband, John, Class of 1970, and includes gifts from other members of John’s class, family and friends.

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John Robert Handelman was born in New York City in 1948. During his time on College Hill, he was a member of the Emerson Literary Society, which he served as Board Steward and President. He graduated from Hamilton in 1970 with an A.B. in government. Following graduation, he went on to earn a Ph.D. in political science in 1974 from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School. He subsequently did post-graduate work in East Asian Studies at the University of Virginia.

In 1972, John was appointed to the faculty at Washington and Lee’s School of Commerce, Economics and Politics, where he went on to enjoy a distinguished academic career. Recognized in a national publication as among the best teachers at the college, his courses focused on comparative politics, Chinese politics, Japanese politics and U.S. foreign policy. Additionally, he co-authored an international relations course book, and wrote and spoke widely on Chinese politics. In 1989 and 1990, he was a visiting scholar at the George Washington University Sino-Soviet Institute in Washington, D.C., and, in 1991, he taught at Fudan University in Shanghai, China.

Moving to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in 1998, John became manager of a local bookstore, where his academic knowledge and engaging personality combined to make him a community fixture. In 2007, he and his wife, Gwen, purchased a home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, which was within walking distance of Michigan Stadium, an appealing attraction for John, an ardent sports fan. Ann Arbor became the couple’s permanent address in 2012, with a “snow bird” residence in Lauderdale By the Sea, Florida.

John died in September 2017 leaving behind his wife, Gwen; a daughter, Christina; and granddaughters Lucy and Phoebe.

August 2018