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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

Cynthia August, right, held by her mother Ginny, in 1971.

The Passing Grades: Navigating Loss and Grief in College

Kate Zelkowitz, Copy Editor May 2, 2025

It’s an unfortunate reality that the ages during which most people attend college are often also when our loved ones begin to leave us. Nearly 60% of college students report losing a friend or family...

Sheri Stanton's office door decorated with quotes and a sign showing support for LGBTQIA+ students.

Inside TRIO Student Support Services: A Day in the Life of Sheri Stanton

Alex Conklin, Staff Writer May 1, 2025

On a brisk spring morning at MCLA, while many students are still wiping sleep from their eyes or sipping their first coffee of the day, Sheri Stanton is already at work in the TRIO Student Support Services...

A portrait titled “Anonymous in RED” from the “Portraits in RED” series. (ACRYLIC PAINTING BY NAYANA LAFOND)

Crimson Narratives: Amplifying MMIW Voices

Mariposa Ribon, Feature Editor May 1, 2025

On May 5th, red dresses hang from trees and fences across North America each year, a haunting symbol of the thousands of Indigenous women and girls who have experienced an all-too-common theme of violence...

The North Adams Public Library, located in the heart of the city on Church and Main Street.

Beloved yet Not Funded: The Fight to Keep North Adams’ Public Library

Fallon Maloney, Managing Editor May 1, 2025

According to the Oxford Dictionary, a library is defined as “a building or room containing collections of books, periodicals, and sometimes films and recorded music for people to read, borrow, or refer...

Elise Cross, Fred Ferris, and Denise Maselli make a difference for MCLA students everyday in their roles as support staff on campus.

Invisible and Impactful: Meet MCLA’s Dedicated Staff

Toni Basil, Staff Writer April 30, 2025

At MCLA, the spotlight often shines on the president and faculty, while the dedicated staff who help shape the campus experience tend to stay in the background. Yet, it's these everyday heroes in the dining...

A Have Hope Peer Recovery Center member attending the 1st Anniversary Celebration hugs Director Rebecca Dodge after speaking on his recovery journey.

Be The Bridge: North Adams’ Stories of Recovery

Tonimarie Basil, Staff Writer April 28, 2025

Note: Out of respect for their privacy, this story includes only the names of individuals who have given their explicit consent for disclosure. Fentanyl, Xylazine, cocaine, methamphetamine, and other...

182 E Main Street in North Adams is one of many homes in the area that has been on the market for months.

From Diplomas to Debt: New Grads are Priced out of New England Housing

Fallon Maloney, Managing Editor April 25, 2025

You’ve been saving kitchen inspirations on Pinterest, imagining perfect peaceful bedrooms and daydreaming about half baths. Then, you innocently go onto Zillow or stop by an open house just about anywhere...

Get Inspired by Mya Linsky, Student Editor with Spires

Get Inspired by Mya Linsky, Student Editor with Spires

Ainslie Lafko, Editor-in-Chief April 25, 2025

A pencil rests against a notebook page. A camera lens is adjusted for the perfect shot. No matter what form of art a person is creating, it always starts the same: a creative mind restlessly considers...

MCLA's latest Benedetti Artist-in-Residence, Wendel Patrick.

Wendel Patrick Brings Innovation to MCLA as 2025 Benedetti Teaching Artist Fellow

Anna Najimy, Web Editor March 22, 2025

MCLA and MOSAIC recently announced that acclaimed composer, producer, and multidisciplinary artist Wendel Patrick has been selected as the 2025 Benedetti Teaching Artist Fellow. For those unfamiliar,...

Dr. Hussein Rashid and Ali Noamany in discussion at the Muslim Gala on December 7th

Muslim Community Gala Brings Public Awareness to War in Gaza

Fallon Maloney, Managing Editor February 16, 2025

It’s been nearly 16 months since the war in Gaza began, but less Americans are paying attention than ever. Whether desensitized by constant coverage or believing the situation was resolved by the ceasefire...

One of the images shown at in the Gender and Sexuality Center during the Day of Remembrance and Resilience Vigil.

Transgender Day of Remembrance and Resilience

Mariposa Ribon, Feature Editor December 12, 2024

  November 20th marked the Transgender Remembrance Day, an annual day to commemorate and remember those who have been affected by or lost their lives as a result of anti-transgender violence. ...

Anaïs Duplan presented his lecture "What Lies at the Intersection of Land Ownership and Documentary Poetics" at MOSAIC on Nov. 7.

Land Ownership and Documentary Poetics: Anaïs Duplan’s Lecture at MOSAIC

Anna Najimy, Arts and Entertainment Editor November 19, 2024

On November 7th, MCLA students and faculty, as well as the public of North Adams, gathered for an lecture by Anaïs Duplan (he/they) at the MOSAIC Event Space, located at 49 Main Street in North Adams. ...

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