The Beacon is a student publication dedicated to reporting news and providing a platform for student perspectives that often go unheard on Yale’s campus. Our commitment to objective reporting is unwavering as we strive to be a beacon illuminating the rich environment of views, angles, and issues within the Yale community.
In fostering robust and open debate, The Beacon provides a home for enlightened conservative thought while actively welcoming and embracing diverse perspectives from all corners of the ideological spectrum. Through commentary pieces written by our editors and contributors, we aim to expose readers to oft-unvoiced and provocative views, contributing to a vibrant intellectual environment.
Our engagement with the Yale community is paramount. We are not just reporters and writers but active participants, committed to publishing the concerns and interests of our fellow students. We believe that genuine intellectual diversity is indispensable for advancing critical inquiry and challenging ideological complacency wherever it may exist.
When Adolph S. Ochs purchased The New York Times in 1896, he wrote that his desire was “to make of the columns of The New York Times a forum for the consideration of all questions of public importance, and to that end to invite intelligent discussion from all shades of opinion.” We here at The Beacon seek the same.
Tori Cook ‘26, Editor-in-Chief, The Beacon
Trevor MacKay ‘25, President, William F. Buckley, Jr. Program at Yale
Trevor MacKay, President of the William F. Buckley Jr. Program
Trevor MacKay is a junior in Timothy Dwight College from Castleton, Vermont majoring in History with a specialization in war and society. After Yale, he hopes to study constitutional law. When not working with his fellow Buckley Board members, he can be found on the floor of the Tory Party of the Yale Political Union debating matters of politics and philosophy or rewatching Star Wars movies.
Tori Cook, Editor-In-Chief
Tori is a sophomore in Jonathan Edwards College studying Comparative Literature. She finds great fulfillment at Yale through her involvement with the Buckley Program, Federalist Party, Thomistic Institute, and as a writer for Logos. When she isn’t writing, you can find her curled up with her latest book, diving headfirst into Wikipedia rabbit holes, or on the hunt to expand her gnome collection.
Contact: tori.cook@yale.edu
Shailen Sharma, Managing Editor
Shailen Sharma, a sophomore at Ezra Stiles College, transferred to Yale after serving four years in the Marine Corps. During his time in the military, he traveled to various northern European countries, participating in mountaineering and arctic survival training. His passion for mathematical subjects led him to pursue a major in Applied Mathematics. Shailen became involved with the Buckley Institute last year because of his interest in politics and the Institute’s excellent speaker events. He participated in the Lux Veritas Leadership Program, where he explored many ethical and political works, including Aristotle’s Rhetoric and Adam Smith’s Theory of Moral Sentiments. His experience in the program greatly influenced his interest in the Buckley Institute. He is currently a managing editor at the Buckley Beacon.
Contact: shailen.sharma@yale.edu
Sabrina Guo, Assistant Editor
Sabrina is from Long Island, NY, and a freshman in Ezra Stiles College. At Yale, she is a Lux et Veritas Leadership Fellow, VP of Scholars of Finance, an editor at the Yale Historical Review, and a reader and writer for the Yale Literary Magazine. Sabrina is a winner of the Adroit Prizes for Poetry & Prose, the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award, and the Civic Expression Award and nine national medals from the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Her writing has been featured by the Best Teen Writing, Harvard Advocate, Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, and the Poetry Society of UK. She is a writing judge for the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.
Contact: sabrina.guo@yale.edu
Grant Shanklin, Assistant Editor
Grant Shanklin is a first-year in Saybrook College from Kansas City, KS, majoring in Computer Science and Economics. With an interest in cybersecurity and a passion for politics, he hopes to pursue a career in tech policy or digital law. Outside of class, you can find him debating the “good life” on the floor of the Federalist Party of the Yale Political Union or playing piano with Christian Union.
Contact: grant.shanklin@yale.edu
Mór Szepesi, Assistant Editor
Mór Szepesi is a first-year student at Ezra Stiles College, born and raised in Budapest, Hungary. He is planning to major in Economics, Philosophy, or Global Affairs and is actively involved in speaker outreach with the TEDxYale team. When not engaged in student organizations or academics, Mór enjoys playing baseball, skiing, reading, hanging out with friends, watching movies, or attending theater shows.
Contact: mor.szepesi@yale.edu
Jacob Tyler, Assistant Editor
Jacob Tyler is a first-year student in Pauli Murray College from Bozeman, Montana, who is currently majoring in Economics and Computer Science. At Yale, he can be seen working out in the gym, speaking on the floor of the Federalist Party, or worshipping at the Christian Union Lux’s Mouse. Back home, he can be seen snowboarding, hiking, or running in the Great Outdoors of Montana. Once he graduates, he plans to pursue a career within the world of finance.
Contact: jacob.tyler@yale.edu