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H. Trevor Colbourn Oral History Collection

 Collection
Identifier: UA26A

Scope and Contents

The Colbourn Oral History Collection contains interviews conducted between Dr. Colbourn and people who were vital to the foundation of the University such as founders, previous presidents, donators, faculty/staff, and other contributors.

Series I: Final Transcripts, 1987-2006 contains the final released transcripts of the interviews along with duplicates of those transcripts.

Series II: Edited Transcripts, 1993-2006 contains the edited transcripts of the final transcripts that have not been released to the public by the interviewee.

Series III: Audio Tapes, 1995-2006 contains the audio tapes of the original interviews. These audio tapes have also not been released to the public by the interviewee.

Dates

  • created: 1987-2006
  • Other: Majority of material found in 1991-2002

Creator

Access

The entire collection is open for research except for the audio tapes and the edited transcripts.

Copyright Statement

Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.

Biographical or Historical Information

H. Trevor Colbourn was born in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia on 24 February 1927. Known by his second name, Trevor Colbourn earned his BA at the University of London then moved to the United States of America in 1948 to further his education at the College of William and Mary; finally earning his Ph.D. in American History at Johns Hopkins in 1953.

Dr. Colbourn taught at Penn State and Indiana University in Bloomington before moving into administration. In 1967, he became Graduate Dean at the University of New Hampshire. In 1973 he was appointed Academic Vice President of San Diego State University and eventually served as Acting President from 1977-1978 before becoming President of Florida Technological University, now UCF, in 1978.

After retiring as president, Dr. Colbourn returned to teaching history full-time at the University. In 1990, he earned the title President Emeritus and assumed the role of University Historian in 1991. As part of the latter appointment, he compiled an oral history of the University. Dr. Colbourn interviewed many people that were vital to the foundation of the University, such as founders, other presidents, donors, faculty, and staff.

Extent

11 boxes (8.0 Linear Feet)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

H. Trevor Colbourn was the second president of the University of Central Florida. After retirement from the presidency in 1989 he became the University Historian. As University Historian, Colbourn constructed many oral histories with alumni, founders, faculty, staff, and others that contributed to the University. The collection consists of final transcripts of the interviews.

Arrangement Note

This collection is arranged in three series, final transcripts, edited transcripts, and audio tapes. Each series is arranged in alphabetical order by interviewee's last name.

Method of Acquisition

H. Trevor Colbourn transferred these materials to the University of Central Florida Libraries, Special Collections and University Archives in 2006

Related Materials

More Information about Dr. Colbourn may be found in the University of Central Florida Office of the President: H. Trevor Colbourn Papers. Other oral histories may be found in the Educator's Oral History Collection Special Collections and University Archives, University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida. Please consult our website for additional materials relating to university history.

Processing Information

Replaced all metal paperclips with plastic paperclips. Copied newspaper clippings. Put all papers in acid free folders, and all folders in acid free boxes.

Title
H. Trevor Colbourn Oral History Collection
Author
Lindsay Mazziotto
Date
2007
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
eng

Repository Details

Part of the UCF University Archives Repository

Contact:
Special Collections & University Archives
University of Central Florida Libraries
P.O. Box 162666
Orlando Florida 32816-2666 US
(407) 823-2576