Washington State University Dedicates Building to Kathi Goertzen

On September 13, the Board of Regents of Washington State University in Pullman announced the dedication of a Media Arts building in honor of WSU alumnus, SAG-AFTRA member, and KOMO-TV news anchor Kathi Goertzen, who passed away last year.

In a press release announcing the dedication, WSU President Elson S. Floyd stated, “It is fitting we honor Kathi’s devotion to preparing the next generation of journalists with the rededication of a building in which so many future journalists will learn the trade,” adding “In this way, we recognize the unique perseverance, hard work and dedication that Kathi demonstrated throughout her professional career and in her personal life.”

In addition to the building dedication, University officials also announced the launch of a funding campaign to create within the newly named Kathi Goertzen Communications Addition a state-of-the-art media lab for journalism students enrolled in the University’s Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, from which Goertzen received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication in 1980.
 
Upon graduation, Goertzen joined KOMO-TV as a reporter in June of 1980 and became a member of AFTRA in December that same year. She remained at KOMO for her entire 32 year career, starting as a general assignment reporter, before taking over the weekend anchor position in 1982. In 1984 she was promoted to co-anchor of KOMO’s weeknight news edition, a position she held with co-anchor Dan Lewis for more than 25 years.