Tasha Van Horn, Citrus speech professor of 25 years, is planning to retire at the end of this spring semester.
Van Horn said in an email she knew she had a career destiny right from the start of her studies.
“It was in my heart, soul, and destiny to become a community college professor.”
Van Horn is a California State University Fullerton graduate, with a bachelor’s in communication and master’s in speech communication. However, that was not where she started, spending a few years at Fullerton College before transferring to CSUF. At both colleges, Van Horn was a prominent student, finding mentors among her professors and earning multiple scholarships.
Van Horn said she wants students to know that professors want to mentor them.
“Realize that the education your professors and others are sharing with you could change your life!” Van Horn said. “Be responsible and respect their efforts to educate you! Know that our administrators, staff, and faculty are a team!”
Van Horn is one of these professors who changes the lives of many such as former student Aaron Cadore who wrote in an email to Van Horn about how he uses the same public address skills Van Horn taught him 20 years ago to be successful in his current job.
However, Van Horn became much more than just a professor at Citrus College. She advocated for many additions to their programs, developed the SPCH 101 Public Address online Distance Ed and Honors courses, worked with Gerald Helm to add speech tutors in the Citrus College Learning Center, founded the Citrus College Speech Club, advocated and taught for the Citrus College Honors program and founded the Citrus College Speech Lab alongside Helm.
“She was instrumental in creating the speech lab here at Citrus College,” Helm said, “Its helped out a lot of students.”
After two and a half decades of advocating for her students, Van Horn said they will be what she misses the most.
“There’s no question about it,” Van Horn said. “I’ll miss my students. I’ll miss the excitement of walking in the classroom and having them come up and say questions and just the interaction in the classroom among the students.”
Former Professor Melanie Anson wrote nothing but praise for Van Horn in an email.
“She was known to exclaim on numerous occasions: “I just love my students,” Anson said. “Professor Tasha Van Horn is the consummate teaching professional…She always found time to help individual students with their speech concerns and needs.”
While her plan is to “have no plan,” as Van Horn wrote, she continues with her drive to help others. Lady, her dog that she adopted in 2020 (and was named by her students), is a registered emotional support dog. She said that she “pray(s) for opportunities to let Lady use her gift to comfort others in need.”
Van Horn said that she is humbled, honored and grateful for the opportunity to be with Citrus College and her students for the last 25 years.
“Citrus has never been just a job or paycheck to me; rather, it is the chance to carry the legacy of my former professors who generously passed on to me their legacy,” she said. “Now I pass their torch to our future educators and students.”
