Skip to Main Content
Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Emerson College’s only independent, student-run newspaper since 1947

The Berkeley Beacon

Lifestyle

Students of color create series to represent Emerson's minority community

Students of color create series to represent Emerson’s minority community

By Katiana Hoefle / February 6, 2020

When Emily Cristobal realized that she was one of the few minorities in her honors program, she wondered if she was being “tokenized” because of her...

Photo credit: Courtesy

Emerson alum appears on late-night talk show for magic and comedy

By Julian Valgora / February 5, 2020

Alum Justin Willman '02 already had the idea of combining his passion for comedy with his showmanship as a magician before he graduated from Emerson. Willman...

Kidding Around creates book fair to bring love of reading to toddlers and young adults

By Grace Rispoli / February 5, 2020

Senior Connor McNinch still recalls the thrill of emotions he felt as he browsed books years after attending Scholastic Book Fairs as a child. "I loved...

Professor Tom Cooper next to a "Best Professor Award" certificate given to him by his Fall 2018 Ethics and Cultural Diversity class.

Tom Cooper, champion of treats and sower of kindness

By Domenic Conte / January 29, 2020

During the Thanksgiving and winter breaks, freshman Jehan Ayesha remained on campus, over 9,000 miles away from her home in Malaysia. Ayesha received a...

Courtesy

Graduate student takes first prize in TV diversity category at screenwriting competition

By Shruti Rajkumar / January 29, 2020

While drafting a script outline for her Writing Series Television course in January 2019, second-year graduate student Jessica G. Hill Cabrera-Contaoi...

A student walks by the Tiny Thrift Store in the basement of Colonial residence hall. Photo credit: Montse Landeros

Tiny Thrift Store created in Colonial basement to help curb “fast fashion”

By Taina Millsap / January 22, 2020

After years of being surrounded by nature as a Boy Scout and accidentally stumbling upon the environmental studies minor, junior Ben French decided to...

Jade Catta-Preta ‘07 will host The Soup on E! Wednesday nights in addition to her stand-up comedy career.

Alumna to host revived talk show “The Soup” on E!

By Shruti Rajkumar / January 22, 2020

Emerson alum Jade Catta-Preta ‘07 fondly recalls watching the TV show Talk Soup on E! during her childhood and being drawn to the humor and friendliness...

Luke Palmer ‘13 returns to YouTube with unconventional videos.

Alum returns to Youtube with unconventional video

By Julian Valgora / January 16, 2020

Following the death of his father in 2017, Luke Palmer ‘13 sought to follow in his father’s footsteps with a creative career. In June of the same year,...

The Brown sisters recorded their podcast's live show in the Cutler Majestic Theatre. Jakob Menendez / Beacon Archives

Podcast live show warns of climate crisis

By Emily Cardona / December 17, 2019

Podcast hosts Autumn Brown and Adrienne Maree Brown sat on either side of their friend Toshi Reagon to discuss the end of the world.  On Dec. 2., ArtsEmerson...

Students can donate clothing and nonperishable food to the swap-and-shop bins located around campus. Kyle Bray / Beacon Staff

Swap and Shop Lite introduced to quell chaos from past events

By Shruti Rajkumar / December 16, 2019

Piles of clothing, furniture, books, and nonperishable foods overwhelmed the lobby of the 2 Boylston Place residence hall, making it disorderly at the...

The Latinx Heritage Month celebration took place in the Lion's Den. Anissa Gardizy / Beacon Archives

Latinx Heritage Month raises money for nonprofit organization at border

By Casey Bernhard / December 16, 2019

Five resident assistants welcomed students to the third annual Latinx Heritage Month Celebration in the Lion’s Den on Nov. 25, an event put together...

Graphic by Ally Rzesa / Beacon Staff

Events On Campus: Dec. 10-17

By Sara Pirzada / December 10, 2019

Emerson Fights AIDS Gala Join Emerson and its support for AIDs research at the annual Emerson Fights AIDS Gala on Tuesday, Dec. 10 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30...

Pat Timmons '17 created Pop Off to help local musicians after experiencing live small concerts in college.

Alum launches business in hopes of igniting local music scene

By Grace Rispoli / December 4, 2019

Pat Timmons '17 spent his time at Emerson in basements surrounded by vibrant colors, independent artists, and crowds of onlookers.  Whether the shows...

Mneesha Gellman is the director of the Emerson Prison Initiative and organized the Disrupting Mass Incarceration Exhibit.

Victorious prison debate from 1950’s resurfaces at Iwasaki exhibit

By Katiana Hoefle / December 4, 2019

Seeking a deeper history of Emerson College’s work in prisons, Emerson Prison Initiative faculty members sifted through the Iwasaki Library’s archives.  They...

The VMA department will debut a new 400-level course open to undergraduates and graduates to create gun violence prevention media for Massachusetts General Hospital. Katie Redefer / Beacon Staff

VMA Department set to offer gun violence prevention video class

By Katie Redefer / November 20, 2019

The Visual and Media Arts Department at Emerson plans to work in collaboration with Massachusetts General Hospital through a new class centered around...

Jacqueline Holland works as the chair of the Spirit of Emerson committee that will vote on  winners of the Kindness Award. Shiyu Pan / Beacon Staff

Spirit of Emerson committee to debut annual Kindness Award

By Domenic Conte / November 20, 2019

An anonymous faculty donor partnered with the Spirit of Emerson organization to establish an award debuting in spring 2020 celebrating kindness within...

Donations from Tight Knit go to benefit student organizations. Screenshot from Emerson College Alumni Association Facebook Video.

Emerson sends hundreds of socks across country for fundraising campaign

By Katiana Hoefle / November 19, 2019

Over 400 purple socks featuring the Emerson logo and Boston skyline traveled across the world to reach donors for Tight Knit: The Emerson Sock Campaign—an...

Brothers of Phi Alpha Tau Abe Speck (left) and Joshua Sun (right) helped organize this year's Dr. David Brudnoy Memorial Award Gala. Rachel Culver / Beacon Correspondent.

Phi Alpha Tau honors Boston police commissioner

By Elena Naze / November 11, 2019

In the early 2000s, Phi Alpha Tau active brothers often met at Dr. David Brudnoy’s apartment to listen in on his WBZ radio show and meet his guests.  Brudnoy,...

Anna Feder at the Bright Lights Film Series in 2019.

Bright Lights Film Festival set to screen controversial film ‘Adam’

By Taina Millsap / November 11, 2019

Emerson College plans to screen Adam at the Nov. 12 Bright Lights Film Festival—a movie that has drawn significant criticism from the LGBTQ community...

James DiSabatino relaxes in the chair of his favorite arcade game, Mario Kart, in the "barcade" attached to Roxy's. Jakob Menendez / Beacon Staff

Alum grills up success with chain of casual eateries

By Anissa Gardizy / November 6, 2019

While on tour with his younger brother’s punk band in Europe, complimentary food platters inspired James DiSabatino ‘09 to make a living off selling...