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

Tomás González

Tomás González, Staff Writer/Photographer

Tomas Gonzalez was born in Maracaibo, Venezuela, but has lived most of his life in San Jose, Costa Rica. He is a junior studying journalism at Emerson College and has spent the last five semesters on The Beacon. He previously served as The Beacon’s Multimedia Managing Editor and as Deputy News Editor. He enjoys cooking and playing video games.

 

Latest from Tomás González
President Lee Pelton announced the Marlboro-Emerson merger at a town hall meeting in fall 2019. Jakob Menendez / Beacon Staff

President Lee Pelton to resign in June, lead Boston Foundation

Emerson President M. Lee Pelton will leave his position in June to take over as chief executive officer and president of local philanthropic leader The...

Hundreds of people celebrated into the afternoon on the corner of Boylston Street and Charles Street on Nov. 7.

[Photo] After Biden’s presidential win, joy floods the streets

November 7, 2020

Hundreds of people celebrated into the afternoon on the corner of Boylston Street and Charles Street on Nov. 7.

Hundreds of people flooded the streets next to the Boston Public Garden to celebrate Joe Biden being elected as President on Nov. 7.

[Photo] ‘Our Voices Were Heard’: First-years overjoyed by a Biden presidency

November 7, 2020

Hundreds of people flooded the streets next to the Boston Public Garden to celebrate Joe Biden being elected as President on Nov. 7.

A child rides a scooter in the middle of hundreds of people celebrating the election of Joe Biden as president on the Boylston Street and Charles Street intersection on Nov. 7.

[Photo] Biden’s victory is the beginning of an America people can be proud of

November 9, 2020

A child rides a scooter in the middle of hundreds of people celebrating the election of Joe Biden as president on the Boylston Street and Charles Street...

Dueling rallies emerged on Nov. 7 in front of the Boston Statehouse after Joe Biden was reported to have won more than 270 electoral votes and declaring him president-elect

[Photo] Audio: Celebrations and chanting, how Boston erupted in sound on Nov. 7

November 11, 2020

Dueling rallies emerged on Nov. 7 in front of the Boston Statehouse after Joe Biden was reported to have won more than 270 electoral votes and declaring...

BPD and EMS respond to a situation involving a non-Emerson guest in the W hotel on Nov. 5

[Photo] Guest emergency prompts W hotel lockdown

November 5, 2020

BPD and EMS respond to a situation involving a non-Emerson guest in the W hotel on Nov. 5

Students walk to The Little Building in the snow

Lens: Snow envelops the Emerson campus for first time this year

By Tomas Gonzalez / October 30, 2020

Just one day before Halloween, more than an inch of snow enveloped Emerson’s campus for the first time this season. The white layer covered the Norman...

The Boylston and Tremont intersection covered by snow

[Photo] When Halloween looks a lot more like Christmas

October 30, 2020

The Boylston and Tremont intersection covered by snow

A student walks in the snow on Boylston Street

[Photo] High positivity rate at Emerson not cause for concern, college official says

February 4, 2021

A student walks in the snow on Boylston Street

Emerson's testing site is located at a Tufts Medical Center facility on the corner of Harrison Ave. and Kneeland St.

GRAPH: College reports 11 positive COVID-19 tests, inconsistent dashboard numbers

By Andrew Brinker, Tomas Gonzalez and Charlie McKenna / September 17, 2020

Emerson’s cumulative positive COVID-19 test results have risen steadily each week, as seen in the graph above. Each point on the graph represents...

A student navigates the canvas website.

[Photo] College will now allow community members to choose pronouns on Canvas

September 17, 2020

A student navigates the canvas website.

The Max is laid out in a one-way format, utilizing the traditional back exit as an entrance to accommodate for social distancing in the age of the coronavirus pandemic.

[Photo] My love letter to The Max that is no more

September 9, 2020

The Max is laid out in a one-way format, utilizing the traditional back exit as an entrance to accommodate for social distancing in the age of the coronavirus...

The website commemorating graduating students includes messages from famous alumni such as Henry Winkler and Jay Leno.

[Photo] College unveils commemorative website for Class of 2020

By Charlie McKenna, Staff Writer / May 25, 2020

The website commemorating graduating students includes messages from famous alumni such as Henry Winkler and Jay Leno.

Presidential working group recommends creating standing review committee, changes to Title IX office

Presidential working group recommends creating standing review committee, changes to Title IX office

By Andrew Brinker and Tomas Gonzalez / April 29, 2020

The Presidential Working Group on Title IX policy released a draft of its findings and recommendations Wednesday, calling for several changes, including...

Left to right: Diego Torres, Claire Rodenbush, and Jehan Ayesha are the three candidates competing for the executive presidency.

WATCH: Candidates for SGA Executive President pitch voters in five questions

April 26, 2020

The Beacon met (through zoom) with the three candidates for executive president and asked them the same set of questions regarding their...

Left to right: Jehan Ayesha, Claire Rodenbush, and Diego Torres are the three candidates competing for the executive presidency.

Three SGA executive president candidates compete to lead organization into a new era

By Andrew Brinker / April 26, 2020

highly contested race for the Student Government Association’s executive presidency has taken shape this week, with three candidates vying to be the...

Residents of the island celebrate the opening of a new bridge in Crocoville.

How Animal Crossing reconnected me with my friends during COVID-19

By Tomas Gonzalez / April 15, 2020

Today, I did something I hadn’t done in a while. I went outside to meet up with some friends—except, I didn’t leave my sofa. My friends and I...

A student moving out of their dorm building.

Students devastated after college decides to send them home

By Aaron J. Miller and Tomas Gonzalez / March 13, 2020

Junior Joe Davidi said he will submit a request to stay on Emerson’s Boston campus despite the college asking students to leave because of fears of him...

Emerson launches initiative to rebuild the community in upcoming academic year

Students grapple with leaving or staying on campus following COVID-19 pandemic

By Tomas Gonzalez / March 11, 2020

Sophomore Allison Valton said she was relieved when she heard she could go home for the rest of the semester. She has a skin disease that makes her more...

Freshman Santha Rowles said she is worried her production classes will lose value online.

A day filled with uncertainty finds students reacting to online classes

By Andrew Brinker, Aaron J. Miller and Tomas Gonzalez / March 10, 2020

A mix of emotions gripped students Tuesday evening after President M. Lee Pelton announced the transition of all classes to remote instruction following...

SGA Executive Treasurer Abigail Semple.

SGA Executive Treasurer cements financial power without a treasury team

By Tomas Gonzalez / February 20, 2020

SGA Executive Treasurer Abigail Semple, who has voiced complaints throughout the 2019-20 academic year regarding the workload associated with her position,...

The CDC wrote that, in 2018, over 3.6 million U.S. youth used e-cigarettes. Photo credit: Jakob Menendez

Attorney General lawsuit against Juul draws positive reaction from some students

By Tomas Gonzalez / February 13, 2020

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey filed a lawsuit Wednesday against JUUL Labs Inc. alleging responsibility for creating a youth vaping epidemic...

SGA Executive Treasurer Abigail Semple.

SGA Executive Treasurer to introduce new financial advocacy board

By Tomas Gonzalez, Deputy News Enterprise Editor / January 16, 2020

Student Government Association Executive Treasurer Abigail Semple is poised to unveil the new Financial Equity Board at Tuesday’s joint session meeting...

Sara Coffey, alumna and co-chair of the Marlboro campus working group, said the group will meet for the first time on Dec. 9. Cho Yin Rachel Lo / Beacon Staff

Marlboro students request financial support for transfer application fees

By Tomas Gonzalez / November 21, 2019

MARLBORO, Vt.—The Marlboro College community pushed to allocate $1,000 from a campus fund to support students applying to transfer to other colleges...

Marlboro College and Emerson College both formed five working groups to hammer out details of the planned merger—two of these will focus on the future of Marlboro's campus. Jakob Menendez / Beacon Staff

Marlboro and Emerson establish respective working groups to proceed with merger

By Tomas Gonzalez / November 14, 2019

Ten working groups, five from Emerson and five from Marlboro, will work to hammer out the details of a merger between the two institutions over the next...

Emerson’s cost of attendance increased from $19,303 per year in 1990 to $67,832 in 2019. Cullen Granzen / Berkeley Staff

State of the college details new dining space and global pathways summer programs

By Tomas Gonzalez / November 7, 2019

President M. Lee Pelton introduced new faculty, 23 new global pathways programs, and a new meeting space in the semesterly State of the College letter. Pelton...

Marlboro College President Kevin Quigley told The Beacon that students and staff at Marlboro's graduate school should have been aware of the school's track to closure.

What we know and what we don’t about the Emerson-Marlboro merger

Emerson is slated to acquire Marlboro College in approximately a year, but many questions still remain about the future of the community after the merger....

Beacon Archive

College delays registration following server crash

By Tomas Gonzalez / November 4, 2019

The registrar’s office shut down class registration for students with 92 or more credits Monday due to a technical issue, according to a college official. Registrar...

Pete Buttigieg spoke to supporters at the event about the shifted view of nationalism in America. Photo by Rachel Lo / Beacon Staff

Pete Buttigieg talks medicare, young voter turnout at the Colonial Theater

By Tomas Gonzalez / October 30, 2019

Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg asked voters to picture a morning when President Donald Trump is no longer in the Oval Office at a private event...

Sen. Cory Booker campaigned at a Fenway bar on Monday. Rachel Lo / Beacon Staff

Booker talks gun control, student debt at Fenway campaign event

By Tomas Gonzalez / October 23, 2019

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_wp_text]Sen. Cory Booker outlined his policies on restricting guns, prioritizing health care, and tackling student debt at an event...

The old student mailroom in the basement of the Colonial Building.

Increase in freshman population floods mailroom

By Tomas Gonzalez / October 16, 2019

Sophomore Batya Conn returned in August to her job in the college's mailroom to hundreds of packages. Conn said the mailroom has to accommodate for...

Senior Frances Hui argued with Chinese students outside of the Dining Center on Tuesday evening. Lizzie Heintz / Beacon Staff

Students demonstrate support for Hong Kong

By Tomas Gonzalez / October 1, 2019

Editor’s Note: Frances Hui serves as The Beacon’s assistant opinion editor for the fall 2019 semester. Seniors Frances Hui and Katerina Au stood...

The college plans to expand the width of the sidewalk between Tremont St. and Boylston Pl.

Sidewalk expansion construction to begin Wednesday

By Tomas Gonzalez / September 20, 2019

Construction for the sidewalk expansion will begin on Sept. 25, according to an email sent to the community on Friday. According to the email, the college...

Community members hold nineteenth annual 9/11 vigil. Jakob Menendez/Beacon Staff

Community members commemorate 9/11 terrorist attacks

By Tomas Gonzalez / September 11, 2019

  When he was two years old, sophomore Vaughn Coleman lost his father and uncle in the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001—an event he remembers...

Emerson's Title IX office.

No immediate changes to come from Title IX working group

By Tomas Gonzalez / September 8, 2019

The working group assembled by President M. Lee Pelton to review the college’s Title IX procedures will not be making any concrete policy changes, according...

Protesters began in downtown Boston and marched across the Longfellow bridge to arrive at Boston's Amazon Headquarters in Cambridge. Jakob Menendez / Beacon Staff

‘Never Again March’ calls on Amazon to cut corporate ties with ICE

By Tomas Gonzalez / September 6, 2019

Hundreds of activists marched through the streets of Boston Thursday, demanding an end to Amazon’s corporate ties to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Chanting...

Protesters yell at Straight Pride Parade participants. Photo by Anissa Gardizy/Beacon Staff

Tensions flare during Boston’s Straight Pride Parade

Boston’s first Straight Pride Parade transformed the city’s downtown into scenes of contentious encounters and conflicting ideologies on Saturday.  The...

Junior Austin DiPietro (right, No. 12) won 11 of his 15 faceoffs on Saturday against Wheaton College. Photo by Alexa Schapiro / Beacon Staff

Junior breaks program record for most faceoffs and ground balls

By Tomas Gonzalez / April 21, 2019

Junior midfielder Austin DiPietro said his greatest achievement came when he broke the program record in March 2019 for most faceoffs and ground balls...

Holding a rainbow flag with the word “peace” on it, David Anick, 62, said he believes in the importance of transparency and wants the full Muller report sent to Congress. Tomas Gonzalez / Beacon Staff

Hundreds gather at State House demanding the release of Mueller’s report

By Tomas Gonzalez / April 6, 2019

Hundreds of people rallied in front of the Massachu­setts State House advocating for the U.S. government to release Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s...

“Building Hope in an Era of Uncertainty” featured multiple Venezuelan speakers, such as Miguel Angel Santos from Harvard University. Tomas Gonzalez / Beacon Staff

Emerson students help organize panel on Venezuelan crisis

By Tomas Gonzalez / April 3, 2019

Freshman Diana Mucchiut felt scared when she could not reach her mother on the phone during the first of many major power outages that started occurring...

The new default meal plan—the Majestic Plan—comes with unlimited swipes and 150 Board Bucks.
Photo by Cullen Granzen // Beacon Staff

New default meal plan to feature unlimited swipes, fewer board bucks

By Anissa Gardizy and Tomas Gonzalez / March 27, 2019

The college changed the default meal plan to include unlimited meal swipes and 150 Board Bucks for the fall 2019 semester, according to a college official. Associate...

The college delayed the opening of the fitness center to the fall 2021 semester. Photo by Sabrina Ortiz / Beacon Correspondents

Fitness center opening delayed to fall 2021

By Tomas Gonzalez / March 26, 2019

The college delayed the construction of a new fitness center in Piano Row’s Max Mutchnick Campus Center to fall 2021 instead of the initial spring 2020...

The Boston Fire Department evacuated East Boston residents following a fire that ignited at approximately 3:30 p.m. at the New England Casket Company. Photo by Anissa Gardizy

Watch: East Boston fire destroys family-owned business

By Tomas Gonzalez / March 16, 2019

The Boston Fire Department ordered evacuations in an East Boston neighborhood on March 15 after a massive fire broke out from a family-owned casket company...

Michelle Wu addresses an MBTA meeting in February 2019

Emerson to work with MBTA for a cheaper semester pass

By Tomas Gonzalez / February 28, 2019

The college plans to work with the MBTA to create an exclusive, discounted semester pass for fall 2019 following a proposed fare increase on Jan. 21 for...

 Students working for the Office of Sustainability carry out Eco-Reps tasks. Photo by Maia Sperber / Beacon Staff

College to revamp Eco-Reps program

By Tomas Gonzalez / February 21, 2019

The college plans to reinstate Eco-Reps, students who promote on-campus sustainability, in fall 2019, a college official said. The Eco-Reps program...

Beacon Archives

What happens when a student files a Title IX report?

By Tomas Gonzalez / February 2, 2019

The Beacon spoke with Pamela White, Emerson’s Title IX coordinator, and examined the Title IX sexual misconduct policy on Emerson’s website pertaining...

ECPD responded to three Paramount elevator incidents in one week. Annissa Gardizy / Beacon Staff

Reports of on-campus elevator entrapments spike

By Tomas Gonzalez / October 18, 2018

The college’s police department helped release students from on-campus elevators in six separate incidents this semester. Half of those incidents involved...

The new alert system is designed to be broadcast throughout classrooms and buildings, emitting light and louder sound.
Tomas Gonzalez // Beacon Correspondent

College installs new alert system

By Tomas Gonzalez / September 16, 2018

The Office of Emergency Management installed a new alert system in the form of a yellow box called an Alert Beacon over the summer. Chris Beaurpere,...