Harvard University rejected me

Got an e-mail from Harvard University yesterday:

Thank you for your application to the following position at Harvard University. Although we are unable to further your candidacy for this specific position at this time, we appreciate your interest in Harvard.

I applied Aug. 15 for a full-time position I saw on Journalism Jobs, called the assistant editor of the Digital Journalism Project, part of the school’s Nieman Foundation.

The position appears to have been taken down from J-Jobs, so I’ll post the description here. Sounded like fun.

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Internet Vacation: Because sometimes you need an IV

I recommend an occasional IV for everyone.

Yes, the Internet vacation is a necessity. Through the magic of forward posting on this site, RSS feeds of this blog on all my social utilities and a reckless abandon when it comes to e-mail, I can do that with some regularity now that I am in between my post-graduate internship and an upcoming trip that I’ll post about in coming weeks. -I haven’t checked my Google Reader in a week or more – oh the horror!

The Internet vacation certainly isn’t new, even if my pushing the IV for short on Twitter and elsewhere may be.

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Geronimo surrenders on this day, go jump in a pool

Two hundred twenty-two years ago today, famed Apache chief Geronimo surrendered to U.S. and Mexican forces after 25 years of fighting. Now in mainstream culture his legend is reduced to jumping into pools or otherwise inanely leaping.

Do you want to make up for the brutal repression of a people and hundreds of years of neglect by learning why Geronimo is such an important historical and revolutionary – albeit ultimately unsuccessful – figure? Of course you do.

Oh, I’m sorry, did you say quote Wikipedia at length? Alright:

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Check me out on MySpace: why I am selling out

As of last week, Chris Wink is on MySpace.

The first comment I got came from one of my oldest friends: “Wow, you are Sellout Central recently!” Surely noting my July foray into Facebook and other social networking experiences of late. I was a long hold out, interested in their function but critical of their effects and bored with their benefits.

Brian James Kirk, a journalist I know, has a MySpace page that ranks higher in Google searches than his Web site or other professional work. Such a frustration can cause “brain hemorrhaging.” That’s for sure, which is why many people hide or at least veil their identities, particularly on MySpace – the creepiest of all social networking for anyone over 16.

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My Commencement Address (Temple University: 5/22/08)

By Christopher Wink | May 22, 2008 | Temple University Commencement Address

Seventeen hours ago I got off a plane from South Dakota, having spent my last week as a Temple student working with members of the Lakota Nation. It was another lesson in community.

Temple University’s graduating Class of 2008, today, we are graduating together from a long series of such lessons. Indeed, we are not just graduating from a university, but an entire community, something I have learned with a wonderful intimacy through my tenure here.

As I have learned about community, I have learned of the true expansiveness of Temple. See, the neighborhoods of Philadelphia, too numerous for me to know in entirety, have taken on a richness and a vibrancy like I never before realized they could.

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I am the future of journalism (Publish2: 12/30/08)

By Christopher Wink | Dec. 30, 2008 | Publish2

It is 11:55 p.m. on Dec. 30, 2008: minutes before deadline. Perfect.

I am very young and very green. Sometimes I spend entire hours thinking about everything I don’t know. Then I go ask a journalist.

My name is Christopher Wink, and I am the future of journalism because I don’t know anyone who loves the history of journalism and is excited by the future of journalism as much as I am. New media punditry is mostly filled with those who say print is dead and seem downright gleeful about it, and those who are still wondering, hey, why don’t all the newspapers get together and not put any content online?

I want to do both.

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What is Labor Day?

Enjoying your day off and the end of summer but have no idea why?

Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country. [Source].

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Bank error in my favor, for a day

On Tuesday, I logged into my bank account to find $6,000 had appeared – more money than I ever had in a savings or checking account. While I hoped I had forgotten about some windfall coming my way, I knew I was part of a rare bank error, that just happened to be in my favor. By yesterday evening, the money was gone again – a “retrieval withdrawal.” It isn’t all that uncommon, according to an article on Bankrate.com.

Despite the overwhelming justification for why the universe owes you this money, it’s as untouchable as a spanking-new sports car with the keys in the ignition and the doors wide open. Give in to temptation and you could find yourself going straight to jail — or at least being threatened with jail if you don’t want to part with the ill-gotten gains.

Though I honestly thought – for a moment – about trying to make a large, cash withdrawal, I decided the more sensible irrational move would be to go to my bank and explain. I had time for neither and in 24 hours the situation was solved. Had I I tried for the greedier move, the results could have gotten sticky, according to the same article.

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My Pennsylvania State Capital To-do List: what you have to do in Harrisburg

Today is my last day in Harrisburg.

A buddy and I are packing up my life from a summer-long post-graduate internship covering state government in Pennsylvania’s capitol. After visiting the 30th annual Pennsylvania Chili cook off here in Harrisburg who knows when I’ll be back.

So, here’s my Harrisburg to-do list and how I fared this summer.

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