On Quests to Document Stories of Women and Girls (South Bend Tribune)

Professors Marne Austin, left, and
Terri L. Russ playfully show off
their female power while talking
about the research projects they’re
doing concerning area women and
girls. Both professors teach
communication studies and gender
and women’s studies.A "Beyond the Campus" article published in the Community section of the South Bend Tribune on Sunday, October 5, 2014.

By Terri L. Russ, associate professor of communication studies, Saint Mary's College

What better place than a women’s college to consider the female perspective? At Saint Mary’s, founded by the Sisters of the Holy Cross 170 years ago, that’s the lens through which we can’t help but look. Two communication studies/gender and women studies research projects now underway here seek out the voices of area women and girls, and you don’t have to be a Saint Mary’s student to take part.

Celebrating South Bend’s Female Leaders
It’s commonly thought that behind every good male leader, is a good woman. While this may be true, it’s also accurate to note that many good women are strong leaders on their own.  We can easily point to the historical legacies of men, but we know very little about the female contributions. Despite the myriad ways that women’s leadership has contributed to society, including in the South Bend area, very little has been documented or recorded. As we enter the city’s sesquicentennial, the Michiana Women Leaders Oral Histories project hopes to begin to correct this.

My colleague, professor Marne Austin, and I, and some of our students, in conjunction with the Center for History and the League of Women Voters, will collect and compile oral histories of women leaders in the Michiana area. These histories will be transcribed and audio recordings will be archived at the Center for History where they will be accessible not only to scholars and historical researchers, but also to all museum visitors.

Women leaders are those women whose names popped into your head as you started reading this. Leaders could come from many arenas — philanthropy, politics, community activism, religion, education, etc. When we think of leaders we think of women:

• Who have made a difference through their generous donations and sponsorship of the arts, museums, education, and other areas;
• Who have guided the Michiana area through social and civil change;
• Who have provided their time, energy, and sweat to advocate for the disenfranchised;
• Who have been on the forefront in their professional fields;
• Who have devoted their lives to educating others, both young and old.

Those who know of a Michiana woman leader, past or present, please email me.

Status Check with Girls about the “Status of Girls”
Last fall, Saint Mary’s College released the Status of Girls in Indiana 2013 (SGI) report, a comprehensive statistical study on the health and well being of Indiana girls, ages 10 to 19. The report provides a summary of what girls’ lives in Indiana are like and is a researchable source for scholars, non-profit leaders, and policy makers. What was absent from this quantitative report was qualitative data — the voices of young girls.

As faculty and students work toward a second SGI report, we are collecting oral histories from girls from around the state. For instance, some girls at the YWCA of North Central Indiana will participate in interviews. The hope is that by combining statistical data with narrative accounts, we can come to a deeper understanding of what the lives of girls in Indiana are like. What do they care and worry about most? What do they wish adults knew about their lives? Additionally, we hope to create a searchable digital archive of these oral histories that can serve as an additional resource for other researchers, educators, and agencies working with young girls.

Those interested in having their middle and high school aged girls take part, please email me.

Associate professor Terri L. Russ, JD, PhD and assistant professor Marne Austin, PhD, teach Communication Studies and Gender and Women’s Studies courses at Saint Mary's College. Previously, both have conducted extensive, independent oral history projects.