This event will be held at 8:00 pm EST/5:00 pm PST on Tuesday, November 12th, 2024

Dr. Carrie West was widowed in 1999 when her husband, Shane, was killed in a car accident. She was left with two boys, Nathan who was 6, and Holden who was 1, and found very few resources for younger widows. Determined to learn more to help her children and herself, and to make sense of her new reality, she went back to school. Starting with a course in family communication she was fascinated with all we “know,” and even more with all we don’t “know” about widowhood. When she looked for resources that were difficult to find, Dr. West realized she could help correct that problem. Dr. Carrie West is now an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Schreiner University. Dr. West earned her PhD in Communication from the University of Denver with a focus on interpersonal and family communication, and a cognate in research methods. She has written a book chapter about the family identity of bereaved remarried stepfamilies in More than blood: Today’s reality and tomorrow’s vision of family, and has presented papers on grief, bereavement, resilience, privacy, and wellness and well-being at several national and regional academic conferences.