Staff member dies on medical leave
Sharon Bush, the associate director of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, died on April 29 while on medical leave from the university, according to Associate Provost of the Office of Diversity and Inclusion Roland Smith.
Bush joined Rice in 1993 and moved to the Office of Diversity and Inclusion in 2001, Smith said. When the Diversity Council was created in 2010, Bush's role shifted to interacting with the Council's 10 working groups about topics ranging from campus climate to gender and sexuality.
"[Bush] really helped build that whole process to make sure it was up and running," Smith said. "I was head of that council, and we worked as a team."
Smith added that Bush was involved in the Rice community in a variety of other ways.
She was an associate at Martel College, an advisor for the Black Student Association and the founding advisor of the Melodious Voices of Praise, Rice's gospel choir.
"[Bush] played mother to a lot of the students and touched many over the years," Smith said. "There were times when students could not go home for Thanksgiving. She would fix food for them and was always there to help."
Smith said people from all around the campus reached out to send their condolences.
MVP President Epiphany Brown said Bush had been the choir's musical director and was heavily involved with the group.
Brown noted that Bush bonded with the choir members through home meals and fellowship.
"These past few years, the Melodious Voices of Praise has been smaller but [Bush] didn't care," Brown said. "She was just passionate about gospel music and about showing that to the world."
Bush's funeral service was held on Saturday, May 5, at the South Union Missionary Baptist Church.
More from The Rice Thresher

Rice’s James Tour and YouTuber ‘Professor Dave’ debate the origins of life
Dave Farina of the YouTube channel ProfessorDaveExplains came to Rice to debate organic chemistry professor James Tour on the topic of abiogenesis, the scientific theory that life on Earth originated from non-living compounds. The debate occurred May 19 in a full Keck Hall, with up to 2,800 viewers watching the event livestreamed on YouTube.

‘Siempre riendo, siempre sonriendo y cantando’: Familia, compañeros recuerdan a Triny Carranza
María Trinidad “Triny” Carranza, Cocinera III en el Cohen House, falleció el 7 de mayo a la edad de 50 años. La hija de Carranza dijo que la causa de la muerte de Triny fue complicaciones de los coágulos de sangre. Criada en la ciudad de Chihuahua, México, Triny visitó Houston a los veinte años y decidió quedarse después de conocer a su futuro esposo, Salvador Carranza, en el mismo departamento en el que ella se hospedaba. Una vez establecida, comenzó a trabajar en la industria culinaria en la que, según su esposo, estaba enamorada.

‘Always laughing, always smiling and singing’: Family, colleagues remember Triny Carranza
María Trinidad “Triny” Carranza, cook III at the Cohen House, passed away May 7 at the age of 50. Carranza’s daughter said Triny’s cause of death was complications from blood clots. Hailing from the city of Chihuahua, Mexico, Triny visited Houston in her early twenties and chose to stay after meeting her future husband, Salvador Carranza, in the same apartment complex. Once settled, she began working in the cooking industry that, according to her husband, she was in love with.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.