Echos of COMM
Week of Welcome Edition
The Communication Studies department is thrilled to announce our student newsletter: Echos of COMM. Every other week, we will be sharing with y’all the latest events and announcements, like how to apply for internships. We are also hoping to capture COMM students' insights into their educational journey at CSULB. We're interested in your participation in COMM clubs, organizations, etc. The beauty of college is that every student has a unique journey, and our goal with the newsletter is to provide helpful tips and information to our Communication Studies family.
We are ecstatic to start a new semester together! You got this, and you are here for a reason!
SCA meets every Tuesday from 4-5 pm in the USU room 305.
CSULB Speech and Debate
CSULB Speech and Debate (also known as Beach Forensics) is an organization under the COMM department. However, all CSULB students are invited to join the team. Students are coached to prepare for tournaments and pursue the goals they have set for themselves.
If you are interested in being part of the CSULB Speech and Debate team and if you want more information, feel free to reach out to Deven Cooper (Deven.Cooper@csulb.edu), Rebel Saint Lilith (Rebel.StLilith@csulb.edu), or Duncan Stewart (Duncan.Stewart@csulb.edu)
InterACT
InterACT is an organization in the Communication Studies department that advocates for sociopolitical issues and allows active participation from the audience. Thus, InterACT holds live performances that educate the audience on how to safely and creatively intervene to prevent violence. In addition, members of InterACT can earn class credit.
If you are interested in learning more about InterAct, you can contact Marc D. Rich (marc.rich@csulb.edu) or Kelly Janke (KJ) (kelly.janke@csulb.edu).
Brandon Robertson
Brandon Robertson is this academic school year's SCA president. He is currently in his last semester here at CSULB. When coming to CSULB, Brandon had no plans to join clubs or organizations. His goal was just to get his work done. However, he was encouraged by Professor Dawn Kelsey to join SCA. After joining an SCA meeting, he felt a sense of connection with the board members. Now, he has made long-lasting friendships, and he has been able to develop skills thanks to SCA to network with his professors.
Q: How did you feel the first time you attended an SCA meeting?
“I had this mindset to just get my work done and go back home. I would keep my head down to complete my work, and I just wanted to graduate. But after joining SCA, the warm-bubbly nature broke that idea of just coming to school to get my work done. Now, I stay on campus longer to hang out with my friends and faculty members.
Riley Murray
Riley Murray is this year’s SCA secretary. She is a third-year student and she is from Northern California. When choosing which college she would attend, she picked CSULB because she wanted to expand her horizons. Therefore, CSULB caught her attention because she liked how there was a lot of community involvement and inclusivity. Since Riley joined SCA, she has been able to network with individuals in her field of interest (sports anchor and journalism) and work on her portfolio. SCA is a significant network opportunity that helps you get your foot in the door for the career you want to pursue.
Q: Has SCA helped you network with individuals in your field of interest? (4:20)
“Yes, one of the most influential workshops we had in SCA was guest speakers. For example, we had a guest speaker who was the Premium Guest Experience Manager at SoFi Stadium. They shared their experience in deciding to get a Communication Studies degree because they were interested in planning and managing events. SCA helps you get your foot in the door for the career you want to pursue.”
Annika Fisk
Annika Fisk is part of the CSULB Speech and Debate. She is currently in her last semester here at CSULB. Annika joined CSULB Speech and Debate this academic school year. She wished she would have joined sooner. However, she heard about the team this school year. The reason why she joined was because she loves public speaking and debating. Being a part of CSULB Speech and Debate has allowed her to meet new friends and network with her professors.
Q: How do you prepare for tournaments?
“Our coaches are there to help and guide us. Some of the coaches are grad students who talk through assignments with us. I found it very helpful to use their coaching hours as a resource to help prepare before my tournaments. The beauty of speech and debate is that even if you do not have a ton of time, there are still ways you can compete.”
Jerome Ashan Herath
Jerome Ashan Herath is a part of CSULB Speech and Debate. He is in his last year here at CSULB. He started to do mock trials when he was in high school and continued his passion in community college. When transferring schools, he was doing his research, and what stood out to him was that CSULB is part of the top three debate teams in the nation. Ever since joining CSULB Speech and Debate, he has been able to grow as a student. He has won many tournaments and has made friendships with his teammates.
Q: Why did you join the CSULB Speech and Debate?
“I did mock trials in high school, and I loved it there. When I got my associate's degree in communication and was looking at schools to transfer to, I saw that CSULB was among the top three debate teams in the nation. I did some research, reached out to Deven Cooper, and expressed my interest in joining the team. This year, I was elected one of the three CSULB Speech and Debate team captains.”