CSUSB lecturer elected as first vice president of Western States Communication Association

Full-time communication and media studies lecturer Donna Gotch has been elected to the position of first vice president of the Western States Communication Association (WSCA), a nonprofit organization that represents more than 1,000 scholars, teachers, and students in the western region of the U.S. who are dedicated to the study and practice of communication.

“This means a great deal to me,” Gotch said of her four-year term. “This commitment to service will be the capstone of my professional career.”

Gotch will begin as first vice president, serving on the executive council, finance committee, member services and marketing committee, where she will create a theme and planner’s guide for the association’s 2027 convention. Next, she will take on the role of president-elect, presiding over the executive council and serving as the primary program planner for WSCA’s 97th convention in Hollywood.

“As a native of Los Angeles, I am particularly excited about planning the 2027 convention in my hometown and giving back to the organization that has shaped my career,” she said.

In 2028, as WSCA president, Gotch will serve as chair of the executive council, preside at the convention luncheon, and chair the legislative assembly, the principal policy-making body of the association. Lastly, in her fourth year, she will be immediate past president and chair of the nominating committee, a group responsible for securing the future leaders of the association.

Gotch is thrilled about her new position and has many goals she’d like to focus on during her term, such as fostering collaboration between four-year institutions and community colleges, and inviting new voices to share ideas that will further develop the association. She originally joined WSCA in 1986 as a graduate student at Cal State LA after her faculty mentor encouraged her to attend a professional conference in her discipline. Since then, the association has provided her with opportunities to serve in a variety of leadership roles, including working closely with CSUSB students interested in attending WSCA’s annual conventions.

Gotch, who recently attended the 2025 WSCA convention in Albuquerque, N.M., described how the yearly meet-ups provide her with an opportunity to learn teaching strategies and network with communication scholars and teachers.

“Being a life member of WSCA has provided me with an opportunity to keep abreast with current communication research,” she said. More importantly, though, she says the conventions “allow members to bring the fruits of our scholarship back to the communities we serve.”

Gotch explained that she leaves their annual convention with “G.I.F.T.S.,” or Great Ideas For Teaching Students, and described how one of her students was so inspired by the research she shared that it turned into her undergraduate honor’s project.

“After 38 years of teaching, 35 at CSUSB, I continue to love it,” said Gotch, who has received Outstanding Lecturer Awards from both the university (for 2018-19) and the College of Arts & Letters (for 2016-17). “I enjoy my interaction with students, the ability to exchange ideas with them, help them learn, grow, and achieve their potential, while fostering meaningful relationships with them.”

Like the majority of CSUSB students, Gotch is also a first-generation college student and understands the unique challenges this identity brings with it.

“A classroom is where I am most comfortable and it provides a safe place where students can learn and be heard,” she said. “The CSU system not only provided me with an excellent education, but it also allowed me to shape my values and grow as an individual.”

In addition to her leadership roles with WSCA, Gotch is a distinguished educator known for her commitment to innovation in communication studies. She co-developed one of the first fully online public speaking courses in the U.S. and earned a certification in Effective College Teaching Instruction from the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and the American Council on Education (ACE). She later facilitated ACUE’s Promoting Active Learning Online course for more than 150 CSU faculty members.

Gotch has also played a key role in shaping curriculum at CSUSB, leading a Community of Practice to update requirements for the general education course COMM 1006: Oral Communication. She is also a two-time recipient of the Faculty Recognition Award from the CSUSB Panhellenic Council.

A life member of WSCA, Gotch has held numerous leadership roles within the organization, including serving as its representative to the National Communication Association's (NCA) Legislative Assembly and as Executives Club President. She has also played a vital role in planning WSCA conventions, directing the Basic Course Conference in 2010 and co-chairing the Local Hosts Committee for the 2006 convention in Palm Springs.

Beyond academia, Gotch is an active community leader. She has served as president of Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts and as a board member of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association. Currently, she leads The Linda Vistans, a group dedicated to cultural enrichment, social engagement and philanthropic contributions.