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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

Emerson's COVID-19 testing center.

Emerson reports 14 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday

By Adri Pray / April 27, 2022

On Wednesday, Emerson reported 14 COVID-19 cases for Tuesday of the 682 tests administered, setting the daily positivity rate at 2.05 percent. The college...

Emerson students having classes.

‘Everything is out the window’: College returns to in-person learning amid unprecedented COVID surge

By Vivi Smilgius and Adri Pray / January 12, 2022

Less than a week into the spring 2022 semester, Emerson has already reported 228 positive COVID-19 tests, leading to uncertainty regarding the rest of...

Students cross the intersection of Boylston St. and Tremont St. in front of the Little Building.

Students return to a new campus with eased COVID-19 restrictions

As students moved onto campus for the fall term, they returned to a bustling campus with minimized social distancing restrictions—a far cry from the...

Ríos was given permission to leave his suite to do laundry during quarantine.

Student-athlete’s final days in quarantine: 0/10 would not do it again

By José Ríos / April 14, 2021

People tend to complain about how fast the weekend goes by, but believe me, my weekend has gone by slower than expected. I am not exaggerating when...

French class has kept Ríos occupied during quarantine.

Student-athlete in quarantine day five: finally back to feeling 100 percent

By José Ríos / April 10, 2021

April 7 marked officially less than a full week before I am finally able to leave Paramount.  Over the course of the night, things seemed to be improving...

Ríos and his stuffed penguin Melvin in quarantine.

Student-athlete in quarantine day four: the day I thought I lost my sense of smell

By José Ríos / April 7, 2021

Tuesday was day four of my isolation, or, as I like to call it, just a full week before I am scheduled to leave Paramount. I was sent to Paramount for...

Students walk by the Tatte Bakery & Cafe on the corner of Boylston and Tremont.

Long quarantine raises student skepticism, optimism

By Camilo Fonseca / January 29, 2021

The majority of Emerson students living on-campus received their negative COVID-19 test results within hours of moving in between Jan. 21 and Jan. 24....

During quarantine I had to come to terms with my own negative thoughts.

Being OK with not feeling OK

By Taina Millsap / October 14, 2020

As a Latina woman, I’ve always been surrounded by happiness and the mindset that everything is fine. Even my grandma, who fought depression all her life,...

The Iwasaki Library.

Pandemic opens new chapter for Iwasaki Library

By Gracie Warda and Ann E. Matica / October 7, 2020

In March, the Iwasaki Library operated as a place for students to mill around the stacks, congregate in groups to finish a project, and watch movies in...

Dylan Scott was quarantined in Paramount for two weeks after being exposed to COVID-19.

Two weeks in Emerson’s Paramount quarantine space

By Dana Gerber / September 22, 2020

Every day for two weeks, Dylan Scott woke up in an empty four-person suite in the Paramount residence hall to the view of sun cast on a brick wall, breakfast...

"I don’t think I’ll ever not love fantasy, but I’m excited for my literary taste to grow with me and read about different experiences."

In quarantine, I revisited my taste in books—and it changed for the better

By Taina Millsap / September 2, 2020

Throughout my entire childhood, I always loved books. I forced my grandma to take me to the bookstore after my Friday classes every week, so that I could...

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

Emerson reports three positive COVID-19 tests this week, bringing August total to five

By Charlie McKenna / August 31, 2020

Emerson reported three new positive COVID-19 tests from Aug. 24 to Aug. 30, bringing the community’s  total positive tests to five since testing began...

Paramount residence halls are designated as a quarantine and isolation space in the fall for ill and exposed students.

Emerson reports second positive COVID-19 case in two weeks, 0.16 percent positivity rate in new dashboard

By Charlie McKenna / August 24, 2020

Emerson reported a second positive case of COVID-19 on campus Monday afternoon, bringing the college’s positivity rate to 0.16 percent after administering...

The Paramount residence hall will be used to house students potentially exposed to or ill with COVID-19 in the fall.

Paramount to house classes despite quarantine designation

By Charlie McKenna / August 17, 2020

Emerson will hold classes in the Paramount Center in the fall, just below the building’s residential floors that will serve as the college’s designated...

The college's dining center will be providing pre-made meals to students during mandatory quarantine.

Students to receive pre-packed meals upon move-in, during quarantine

By Charlie McKenna / August 4, 2020

The college intends to distribute meal packs to students from when they arrive on campus for move-in until they receive their COVID-19 test results and...

A man walking past the W Hotel on Stuart St.

W hotel to be used as temporary residence for more than 200 students

By Charlie McKenna / July 30, 2020

The college intends to house more than 200 students in the W hotel this semester, a measure being taken to accommodate social distancing on campus amid...

Who are the core leaders behind EmersonTogether?

Emerson Reopening: What we know so far

By Charlie McKenna and Diana Bravo / July 28, 2020

Over the past several months, Emerson has been slowly doling out new information on what on-campus life at the college will look like in the fall through...

The college's positivity rate sits at 0.17 percent after 576 tests.

Emerson reopening plan not affected by new Mass. regulations

By Charlie McKenna / July 27, 2020

Emerson will not adjust its reopening plan as it already satisfies new quarantine and testing regulations announced by Gov. Charlie Baker Friday, the college...

The new restrictions could force the college to alter its reopening plan.

New state travel restrictions could throw reopening plan into disarray

By Charlie McKenna / July 24, 2020

Travelers entering Massachusetts will have to quarantine for 14 days upon their arrival unless coming from a state with a lower COVID-19 risk than Massachusetts,...

Smruti Thirunavukkarasu has been stuck in her home in Chennai, India for four months under the state’s second strict lockdown.

Smruti Thirunavukkarasu, Chennai, India

July 23, 2020

Smruti Thirunavukkarasu has been stuck in her home for four months.  Shortly after returning home to Chennai, India from Boston in March, the Indian...