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

Director of International Student Affairs Andrea Popa (pictured) said the class of 2023 represents over 27 foreign countries, with the top countries of origin, including China, Vietnam, India, South Korea, and Thailand. Beacon Archive

Emerson’s international student population continues to grow

October 9, 2019

College officials released preliminary admission numbers showing a 12 percent increase in first-year international students admitted to the college this...

I mostly stayed silent because I found myself unable to join discussions about how the case can affect our society and our legal system. / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Patriotic language in class leaves international students behind

September 25, 2019

During the beginning of my first semester at Emerson, Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh and his alleged sexual misconduct were all over the news. As...

“It took me two years to understand that America is not the same as back home, and that there are more conflicts than I could ever imagine.” / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: The Disparity Between Looking and Feeling Like A Person of Color

September 4, 2019

I knew I wanted to go to college in America as early as middle school. In China, I went to an international school, and I spent my junior year of high...

Because OISA only sends out this single email each year to international students, some of my friends still don’t see the importance and necessity in reporting taxes, so they disregard this email. / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: Don’t leave international students guessing on Tax Day

April 10, 2019

About a month before Tax Day last year, I received an email from the Office of International Student Affairs. “DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL” was the...

Andrea Popa (center), director of the Office of International Student Affairs, with international students in 2019.

College creates peer mentor program for international students

April 3, 2019

The Office of International Student Affairs and the Office of Housing and Residence Life plan to implement an International Student Peer Mentor program...

Emersons downtown Boston campus.

International students voice concerns about returning employee

November 13, 2018

The Office of International Student Affairs postponed announcing a new director to December, over a month after the previously said date. A college official...

Schools should judge students on the qualities they can control and nothing else. / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: Admitting students for more than their race

November 8, 2018

Last August, several Asian-American students who Harvard rejected during fall 2018 filed a lawsuit accusing the institution for discriminating against...

With the top ranking journalism program in the country, Emerson should teach future journalists a global vision. / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: Opening journalists to a global mindset

October 25, 2018

I grew up as one who always sticks up for others. The older I get, the more interested I become in speaking up for social justice. Although China has...

Students Jane Fu and Shirley Hu participated in the Global English Voice Exercise series. / Photo Courtesy of Jane Fu

Global voice series hopes to bridge language barrier

October 18, 2018

During Jane Fu’s first three years at Emerson she never spoke up in class because she thought her classmates wouldn’t understand her. Fu moved...

Even though I enjoy my English name, I’ve always felt that it is just an identification code no different than my student ID number. / Illustration by Ally Rzesa

Op-ed: Abandoning my name for cultural conformity

October 2, 2018

When in a Western country, I always introduce myself as “Eliza.” Very rarely do I tell people my Chinese name, “Xinyan.” I find that most Asian...

It’s not that international students don’t know anything about U.S. politics—but that we are still learning. Photo Illustration by Cassandra Martinez / Beacon Staff

Asking is best policy for international students

March 29, 2018

When talking with my Emerson friends, I dread the inevitable moment when U.S. politics come up in conversation, because I know I will have nothing to say....

From left to right, Yağmur Topçu, Zyanya Dickey, and Zoë Gadegbeku discussed their experiences at a panel for international students. Photo: Brooke Northrup / Beacon Staff

International students request more resources

March 28, 2018

Sophomore Yağmur Topçu’s improvisation class last year required her to speak spontaneously. But the words didn’t come naturally to her as a non-native...