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About The Beacon

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The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department.

 

The Beacon was established in 1936 and has published continuously.  It is one of the only college newspapers in the nation to have all of its issues archived online.  These issues date to 1934 with the Bison Stampede, the predecessor to The Beacon.  The Beacon's website consistently receives over 5,000 hits per issue.

 

The newspaper has been recognized by the Associated Collegiate Press, the Pennsylvania Newspaper Association and favorably reviewed by several regional and national organizations.

 

Our offices are located at 130 South River Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 on the first floor.

 

Find out more about Wilkes University at wilkes.edu

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The Beacon Staff

  • Jacki Lucas

    Jacqueline Lukas

    Editor-in-Chief

    Currently a senior communication studies major, Spanish minor and an international studies at Wilkes University. To begin her college career, she started out at The Pennsylvania State University's branch campus in Wilkes-Barre but then transferred to Wilkes in her sophomore year.

  • Cignoli

    Michael Cignoli

    Editor-In-Chief

    Michael Cignoli began his Beacon career as the newspaper's first-ever Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins beat reporter. He covered the top affiliate of the Pittsburgh Penguins during the 2008-2009 season before accepting a media relations internship with the team in the fall 2009 semester.

  • Kirstin Cook

    Kirstin Cook

    News Editor

    Kirstin Cook is a sophomore communication major and is the current assistant news editor for The Beacon.  She is involved with many other activities, including Wilkes World, varsity cross country and Relay for Life.  She is from Maine, where she lives with six younger siblings, two dogs, and a cat.

  • Anthony

    Anthony Truppo

    Opinion Editor

    I was born in a little town called Sayreville, NJ and grew up in an even smaller town named Neshanic Station, NJ. I chose English as a major because I enjoy writing creatively and searching for symbolism in the tiniest things. Listening to obscure indie bands and playing third-person adventure games are my favorite things in the world to do.

  • Ruth Whispell

    Ruth Whispell

    Life Editor

    I'm a communication studies major with concentrations in journalism and public relations. Before becoming life editor I was assistant life editor and before that a staff writer for The Beacon. This year I'm interning at the Times Leader where I've been busy writing stories mostly for news.

  • Molly

    Molly Kurlandski

    Entertainment Editor

  • Anthony Dorunda

    Anthony Dorunda

    Sports Editor

    The names Anthony, but I'm more commonly known around campus as just, simply, "Dorunda." I play football here at Wilkes, or at least I'm on the team, and run that little cubby hole down in the Stark basement known as the Shelburne Communications television studio.

  • Bryan Calabro

    Bryan Calabro

    Online Editor/ Photographer

    Hello, my name is Bryan Calabro. I am currently attending Wilkes University and double majoring in both Communication Studies and Integrative Media. Digital Art is by far my favorite concept of study. This love grows from my constant obsession with the computer and the many facets this single tool has to offer.

  • Allison Roth

    Allison Roth

    Photography Editor

  • Whitney Roper

    Whitney Roper

    Advertising Manager