Above a door in the back of St. Mary’s lies a sign that reads “The Beacon.” Every year — semester even — a different set of student journalists walks in and out of that room, working to provide fair and accurate stories to the University of Portland community. Leading these reporters is the editorial board: a team of nine student journalists overseeing various aspects of The Beacon from content creation to team management and mentorship.. As the school year comes to an end, the 2022-23 editorial board passes on the torch to next year’s editors, excited to see what they bring to the Student Voice of the University of Portland.
Eager to start their time on the editorial board, the 2023-24 editors share a bit about themselves so the UP community can get to know them:
Kate Cuadrado, Editor-in-Chief
As Editor-in-Chief, it is not only my passion but my job to develop a paper that accurately represents the unique and passionate campus we have. I want The Beacon to be the place students turn to see themselves and the things they care about, as well as updates and news on campus. I have worked at The Beacon for two and a half years now, starting my freshman year as a way to practice my writing and be a part of something bigger than myself. In doing so, I have found a deep love for this publication and for journalism as a whole and am dedicated to doing the best that I can for our community through my role at The Beacon.
Noah Carandanis, Living Section Editor
I’m excited to continue my time here on The Bluff and create informative stories with The Beacon team. Delving into the arts, culture and people of Portland has always been a passion of mine and I look forward to focusing on the wonderful work and lives of UP community members.
Netty Jurriaans (she/her), Community Engagement Editor
I began working at The Beacon at the beginning of this school year and quickly fell in love with journalism and the team we have. I am so excited to continue my work next year and engage our readers and the UP community even more with our stories. Watch for me on your instagram stories.
Netty Jurriaans is the future Community Engagement Editor.
Janea Melido (she/her), News & Managing Editor
Starting off college in my childhood bedroom back at home in Sunnyvale, California left me feeling disconnected from the University. I remember logging onto The Beacon website to read about the news and current events happening to feel like part of the community. I want to be that liaison within the UP community who delivers accurate, reliable and fair news. My goal is for someone to log onto the news section and have a multidimensional perspective of UP.
Kimberly Cortez (she/they), Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Editor
Diversity, Equity & Inclusion is not just a framework I strive to encourage, it’s a part of my lived experience as a student here at UP. As a returning member of the Editorial Board and going on to my third year of reporting, I have observed and studied the campus unlike most others. I have heard your stories, I have witnessed moments in UP history and most importantly, I have heard your grievances. As the incoming DEI Editor, I want to expand what Diversity, Equity and Inclusion means on campus. I want to give racially-marginalized students, religious minorities, commuter students, first-gen students, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ students, low-income students, students who have had their land stolen from them and so many more, a platform for their stories and voices to be heard so change can happen on this campus. DEI is something incredibly personal to me – I know what it’s like to not feel included, heard and seen at this school. Our voices demand to be heard, and I hope I can help you do that. If you have any story ideas about a club, a personal story or anything else, reach out to me on Instagram or through email. I am excited to hear your stories and experiences next year.
Riley Martinez, Copy Editor
I strongly believe student journalism can be a shining pearl of higher education. And as The Beacon’s copy editor for the 2023-24 school year, I want to help us meet that potential as a college paper. While I may nerd out on all things language, I’m more than just the chief of the grammar police. In my role, I want to be a support to all writers on staff who love and appreciate writing and wish to improve their craft. I’m eager to read the stories of our UP community and to ensure that they leave my desk being professional, compelling and true.
Maggie Dapp, Sports Editor
I joined The Beacon in the spring semester of 2023 and am very excited to lead the team bringing you your Pilot sports news! I originally joined The Beacon to learn newsroom writing but am excited to stay on staff to serve our newspaper’s mission — student journalism is so important. I look forward to bringing a fun and engaging angle to the sports section and hope you’ll continue to read along.
Gavin Britton (he/him), Multimedia Editor
I have a passion for photography and videography. I joined The Beacon in the fall semester of 2021 and am very excited to be in a leadership position focused around what I have come to love to do. . I am to have a role in telling all of the stories visually on campus. Most importantly, I am looking forward to next year.
Michael Lang, Opinions & Faith Editor
I look forward to hearing from and reading the many opinions of the students, faculty, and other community members here at UP. I want to continue to apply the opinions section such that everybody has a voice to be heard. From trivial to more serious topics, I believe that everybody has a say in the discussion, and the opinions section for The Beacon is a great resource to use for this. I look forward to the future opinion submission.
This article was compiled by The Beacon. We can be reached at beaconeditor@upbeacon.com.
