This week’s edition of Diverse Collections features our collection of Corlann Gee Bush Papers.

Corlann Bush began her career at the University of Idaho as an Instructor of English in September 1967, a position she held until she became Director of Intercultural Programs in September 1970. In 1974 she became Director of Special Services, a position which included developing and administering the Women’s Center and its programs, coordinating the National Student Exchange Program, supervising the International Student Advisor and Director of Drug Education, and serving as a member of the Affirmative Action Committee. One of the Women’s Center programs was the Rural Women’s History Project for which she was principal investigator. In March 1977 she was appointed Assistant Dean for Student Advisory Services. She resigned this position to become Affirmative Action and Human Resources Director at Montana State University, Bozeman, on October 1, 1985.

Bush received her B.A. degree in American Studies/Geology from Bowling Green State University in Ohio in 1965 and her M.S. in English from Montana State University in 1967. She was Program Planning Chair of the Idaho Coordinating Committee for International Women’s Year, and vice chair of the Idaho delegation to the International Women’s Year National Conference in Houston, Texas, in 1977. She was also coordinator of the Northwest Women’s Studies Association, and chair of the Idaho Committee for International Women’s Decade. In 1978 she was selected as the Outstanding Young Woman of the Year for the State of Idaho, and was included in MS. magazine’s article “80 Women to Watch in the 80s.”

The papers of Corlann Bush span the years 1976 to 1985, with the bulk of the material covering the years 1980 to 1985. The items in the collection reflect her involvement with women’s issues and include reports and other mailings from the American Association of University Women and other organizations, personal correspondence, photocopies of articles, and cassette tapes primarily of interviews with rural women. The collection also includes correspondence, reports, and other mailings concerning women’s issues, including material from the American Association of University Women, the International Women’s Year, and the Taking Hold of Technology Workshop. Also cassette tapes primarily of interviews with rural women.

The papers of the Rural Women’s History Project for which Corky Bush was principal investigator are in Manuscript Group 68 in the University of Idaho Library.

Sources

MG 178, folder 43