Acting President and Provost Herbert Medina appointed Brienna Haro as editor-in-chief of The Beacon for the 2022-2023 academic year.
Haro, a junior communication major, began working at The Beacon her spring semester of freshman year as a news reporter. She credits her involvement to her First-Generation program mentor who encouraged her to apply.
“If I wasn't a part of the FGEN community, I probably wouldn't have applied for The Beacon in the first place,” Haro said. “I didn't feel confident enough to apply and they really rallied behind me and said I should. I'm glad that I did because The Beacon has been the one thing that has kept me at this university.”
Her goal as editor-in-chief is to strengthen not only The Beacon’s connection to the student body, but her own connection as well. As the community engagement editor, she has managed all Beacon social media platforms and curated the weekly newsletter, all while voluntarily writing articles – something that is not included in the job description.
Always willing to step in and take on as many assignments as she can, Haro has demonstrated a strong work ethic throughout her time on The Beacon. Her commitment is what leaves Austin De Dios, current editor-in-chief, at ease.
“She's very tenacious,” De Dios said. “She doesn't back down if there's a lot of work to do. I think it's the work ethic too. She's worked other jobs while doing this. She is really organized and really good at managing her time being a full-time student. Having those abilities will serve her really well as she becomes editor-in-chief.”
Brie Haro has been on staff since her spring semester of freshman year. She was hired two months before UP, as well as The Beacon, went online.
Haro’s time as an editor has allowed for a growth in leadership among Beacon staff. She will continue to demonstrate her growth as she comes into editor-in-chief with an almost entirely new ed-board.
Nancy Copic, Assistant Director for Student Media and advisor to The Beacon, recognizes Haro’s progress and the impact she has had on Beacon staff.
“Brie really brings a unique sort of leadership,” Copic said. “People really enjoy being with her, they respect her. Her leadership really stands out to me in many ways, not just as a reporter or editor, but just as a person.”
Haro puts an emphasis on using her leadership to pursue her goal of creating stronger ties between The Beacon and the UP community.
“The main thing I hope for is for people to know that as editor-in-chief, I’m easily accessible,” Haro said. “My goal for the upcoming year is to get everyone connected. I really want to make sure The Beacon has a presence on campus and that people know we are a resource for them to use.”
Janea Melido is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at melido24@up.edu.
