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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

The Thursday Paper

Example of a ranked choice ballot. Rank up to 5 candidates (Optional). Fill only 1 oval in each column.

Boston needs ranked choice voting, and Emerson should be on board

By Katherine Asselin, Beacon Contributor / March 6, 2025

Emerson students are filmmakers, writers, artists, journalists, performers, storytellers, activists—and often more than one of those. We are opinionated...

Wendy Montero serves up a bread bowl on the dining hall's Mardi Gras night. (Max Ardrey / Beacon Staff)

Bourbon Street or Boylston Street? Mardi Gras makes its way to Emerson DH

By Max Ardrey, Dept. Living Arts Editor / March 6, 2025

Despite being 1,500 miles away from New Orleans, Emerson students could smell Mardi Gras on Boylston Street as the aroma from Cajun-inspired dishes wafted...

Illustration Bryce Heilmann

Hollywood’s biggest night was … surprisingly small?

By Bryce Heilmann, Beacon Contributor / March 6, 2025

On a night infamous for cultivating many scandalous headlines, and an awards season chock full of them, the 97th Academy Awards remained relatively mundane.  With...

Kirsten Johnson sits next to an audience member during a post-screening Q&A of "Dick Johnson is Dead." (Fiona McMahon / Beacon Staff)

Documentarian Kirsten Johnson gets up close and personal with the VMA department

By Ryan Yau, Living Arts Editor / March 6, 2025

Documentary filmmaker and cinematographer Kirsten Johnson, whose 2016 documentary “Cameraperson” is widely shown in 100-level Emerson film courses,...

Boston Fleet makes headlines and breaks glass ceilings with on-ice brawl

Boston Fleet makes headlines and breaks glass ceilings with on-ice brawl

By Anna Knepley, Sports Editor / March 5, 2025

While most hockey fans’ attention was on the 4 Nations Face-Off championship on Feb. 20 at TD Garden, hockey history was also being made in Ottawa, Canada.  Boston...

Crooke's Cage: John Cena shocks the world with heel turn in Toronto

Crooke’s Cage: John Cena shocks the world with heel turn in Toronto

By Aidan Crooke, Staff Writer, Sports / March 5, 2025

He’s done it. After nearly twenty years since he won his first WWE Championship, John Cena has finally crossed back into the dark side. “Aidan,...

Emerson women's basketball players huddle in a timeout against Clark University on Feb. 1, 2024 (Courtesy of Nate Gardner).

Women’s basketball sweeps NEWMAC awards in a historic first

By Merritt Hughes, Dept. Campus Editor / March 5, 2025

The Emerson women’s basketball team swept the NEWMAC awards Wednesday after junior point guard Bri Frongillo was named the NEWMAC Athlete of the Year...

Illustration Ben Putney

Toxic productivity: Emerson’s most exhausting tradition

By Mariam Tsintsadze, Beacon Contributor / March 5, 2025

Midterm season often finds me running on disturbing amounts of caffeine, staring at blank assignments until 3 a.m. while the cramped to-do list next to...

‘It's a really beautiful experience’: Muslim students observe Ramadan with help from Dining Center

‘It’s a really beautiful experience’: Muslim students observe Ramadan with help from Dining Center

By Rina Laby and Madalyn Jimiera / March 5, 2025

Around 4:15 a.m. Friday, Rokiya Elhak, president of the Muslim Student Association, awoke to a call from the organization’s vice president, Yunus Stevens,...

Illustration Rachel Choi

Maine Gov. Janet Mills set the example—now, other elected figures must follow it

By Ella Duggan and Tess Gleason / March 5, 2025

When Maine Governor Janet Mills stood up to President Donald Trump on Feb. 21 after he demanded Maine comply with his executive order banning transgender...

Jules Grace (center) and Berklee Valencia students jam out on a Spanish beach. (Courtesy Birdie Nelson)

Jules Grace bids farewell to adolescence with debut album ‘Diaries & Daydreams’

By Max Ardrey, Dept. Living Arts Editor / February 26, 2025

Before hitting the record button, there are a couple things Jules Grace has to do first.  “We have to turn the heater and the furnace off, so it’s...

Pro-Palestine encampment tents line 2B alley at Emerson College on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. (Iselin Bratz/Beacon Staff)

Letter: From an SJP organizer: Our encampment failed, and we’ve been failing it every day

By Fadwa Bishara, Guest Author / February 26, 2025
It doesn't take much to realize the encampment failed. If you were there, and knew why you were there, you would know it did.
Emerson College buildings in Downtown Boston on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Arthur Mansavage/ Beacon Staff, File)

College declines to amend policies after faculty assembly narrowly votes to end disciplinary action against student protesters

By Merritt Hughes, Dept. Campus Editor / February 26, 2025

The faculty assembly Tuesday afternoon adopted a motion that sought to end disciplinary action related to nonviolent protest that was then sent to the...

Emerson College signage outside of the WERS studios in Downtown Boston on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025. (Arthur Mansavage/ Beacon Staff, File)

Letter: Faculty who demand a blanket student disciplinary pardon must remember the harm that has been done

By Ruth Grossman, Guest Author / February 26, 2025

On Feb. 25, faculty assembly debated a motion for an “immediate end to any and all disciplinary action related to protests, demonstrations, leafleting...

Courtesy of Danny Kennedy

Meet the brothers behind award-winning wedding videography company Crystal Lake Creatives

By Rylie Burns, Operations Managing Editor, Layout Editor & Newsletter Editor / February 26, 2025

With awards from “The Knot” and “WeddingWire” and a newly signed deal with a four-time Emmy award–winning composer, brothers Zander and Nate...

Diablada Ferroviaria in the Carnival de Oruro, Bolivia.

Bolivia is more than its political turmoil

By Josie Arteaga, Dept. Opinion Editor / February 26, 2025

Every February, holiday festivities begin in Bolivia, and my home becomes a different country. Carnival de Oruro, for Bolivians, is the most important...

Courtesy of Skylar Watkins.

The Revivalists frontman and new dad David Shaw reflects on his solo career

By Sam Shipman, Kasteel Well Staff Writer / February 26, 2025

As frontman for The Revivalists, David Shaw has been crushing live shows for over fifteen years, selling out large venues with their unforgettable indie...

Illustration Rachel Choi

The AP vs. Trump: Fighting for free press—and the future of the U.S.

By Ella Duggan, Opinion Editor / February 26, 2025

How long will it be before I can no longer write opinion pieces about the Trump administration because I won’t have sufficient evidence to do so? How...

Daniel Kish and Anna Stoianova perform Swan Lake at the Emerson Colonial Theatre. (Courtesy of Grand Kyiv Ballet)

Grand Kyiv Ballet dazzles the stage with Swan Lake

By Allison Po and Hannah Woods / February 26, 2025

The elegant and rhythmic performance of Swan Lake graced the stage of the Emerson Colonial Theatre with dancers of The Grand Kyiv Ballet, a Ukranian ballet...

Graduate guard Trevor Arico drives against the Springfield College Pride on Feb. 25, 2025 (Riley Goldman/ Beacon Staff).

‘You [have] to beat the best to get there anyway’: Men’s basketball defeats Springfield in first round of NEWMAC playoffs

By Jordan Pagkalinawan, Dept. Sports Editor / February 26, 2025

In their sixth straight playoff appearance, the no. 4-seeded Emerson men’s basketball team triumphed over the Springfield College Pride, 67-50, in the...