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The Online Beacon

The Student News Site of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

The Student News Site of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

The Online Beacon

The Online Beacon

The Online Beacon

Freel Library's Valentine's Day Event Spreads the Seasonal Love

Freel Library’s Valentine’s Day Event Spreads the Seasonal Love

Ainslie Lafko, Editor-in-Chief March 12, 2025

As the bitterly cold month of February trudged along, one special holiday kept the hearts of students all across MCLA’s campus warm: Valentine’s Day.  Just days before, on Wednesday, February 12,...

A forked stick along the trail to the water, walked by the artists as part of "Women Walking to Water," the latest exhibition at MCLA's Gallery 51.

Women Walking to Water: An Artistic Reflection on Nature, Ritual, and Transformation

Anna Najimy, Web Editor February 22, 2025

"Women Walking to Water", a new exhibition at MCLA's Gallery 51, brings together the work of six artists - Suzi Banks Baum, Brece Honeycutt, Melanie Mowinski, Sarah Pike, Lori Spencer, and Jessica Yurkofsky...

The 97th Academy Awards: This Year's Oscar Noms

The 97th Academy Awards: This Year’s Oscar Noms

Kyle Manzolini, Staff Writer February 20, 2025

For film lovers, the excitement of Oscar nominations announcement day can feel like Christmas. Just like Christmas, however, you might end up with a handful of unexpected (or unwanted) choices. This...

The Gender and Sexuality Center's event advertisement.

GSC’s Gents Collaborate with Television and Film Society to View Fight Club

Traizen Griffith, Staff Writer December 10, 2024

Despite its name, “Don’t Talk About Fight Club," a recent event here at MCLA, left attendees empowered to discuss it. The "Fight Club" movie showing was organized by the Gender and Sexuality Center’s...

MCLA Theater's cast of "Measure for Measure" in action.

Medieval to Modern Politics: MCLA’s Measure for Measure production

Fallon Maloney, Staff Writer December 9, 2024

While preparing for their premiere of Measure for Measure, a classic from William Shakespeare, MCLA’s theater students found the medieval context of the play shifting into something much more relatable...

Students gather by the temporary Rage Room outside the Amlser Campus Center.

Breaking Stress: How MCLA’s Rage Room Helped Students Tackle Midterms

Karen Yamada, Staff Writer November 3, 2024

Midterms at MCLA are a notoriously stressful time for students. With multiple exams, assignments, and projects demanding attention, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. This year, MCLA introduced a unique...

All equipment used while investigation MCLA. From left to right: 3 EMF readers, vibration box, communicator, and another EMF reader

The Night of the Paranormal

Lucas Smith, Staff Writer October 31, 2024

With the spooky season upon us, students all across campus are eager to get into the spooky spirit. However, what if the "spooky" is real, and inhabiting MCLA right now? On October 19th, two professional...

Mannie McBride, Chief Editor of Spires, announces the next poet up to the stage.

Spires Open Mic Night Brings Artists Together

Fallon Maloney, Staff Writer October 30, 2024

Hot cups of coffee, pastries, music, and poetry. What sounds more welcoming than that? This past week, in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation here at MCLA, there was a lively celebration...

Amos Kennedy Jr. is a letterpress printer from Detroit. His work is on walls around the world.

Not Dead Yet: Letterpress Printing’s Amos Kennedy

Kate Zelkowitz, Web Editor October 29, 2024

In a world gone digital, print media is talked about like an endangered species on the brink of extinction. Paperless is the name of the game in most industries, as they work feverishly to stay current....

The welcome sign at Freel Library's Midterm Monster Mash Study Session.

Midterm Monster Mash Study Night: A Spooky Good Time for Academic Success

Karen Yamada, Staff Writer October 27, 2024

On the evening of Thursday, October 17, The Midterm Monster Mash Study Night at Freel Library was a well-rounded event designed to support students during one of the most challenging academic periods....

Artist's Sean Jones and Brinae Ali

Dizzy Spellz Mesmerizes MCLA with Afro-Futurist Vision and Creative Innovation

Anna Najimy, Staff Writer October 24, 2024

Early this semester, MCLA's Venable Theatre was transformed by the dynamic and thought-provoking performance called "Dizzy Spellz". Dizzy Spellz is an Afro-Futurist production blending music, theatre,...

Clarke Stading, President of MCLA's TV and Film Society, shows a clip from "Frankenstein" during a presentation about the Hays Code.

Hay Now! TV & Film Society Hosts Lecture on Hays Code

Kate Zelkowitz, Web Editor October 20, 2024

The top 10 highest-grossing films of 2024 might just have William Hays rolling in his grave. For those unfamiliar with the man, MCLA’s TV & Film Society hosted a lecture on the evening of October...

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