Social Streaking, or Exposing My Fabulosity in 800 Words or Less
by Sam Sanders on February 26, 2009 in Opinion
Carlyn: Hey boo - if you’re up for it, will you write me something for next week?? First draft of 800ish words by Monday? You can write it during PAC Sem this week… 
Wuv you,
Car*
Me: Ok. Give me a topic to write about.
Carlyn: Your fabulosity.
Me: Ha. I’m on it.
That’s a true, verbatim, copy of the e-mail chain between Carlyn Reichel, Citizen opinions editor, and myself, about this very op-ed. And yes, it’s mandated by HKS administration that all second years call each other “boo.”
To the point: I’m here to talk about my “fabulosity.” (Insert snide joke here.) At first this idea gave me pause. It seems self-centered, vain, petty even. I’ve prided myself on being the guy at the Kennedy School who spends all of his time trying to make life fun for everyone else, spending your hard-earned student activities fees on ferry cruises and such. How dare I spend 800 words on myself?
But I realized that I am pretty self-centered, as we all are, and I deserve 800 words. To discuss my importance. Read more
The End of an Era
by Carlyn Reichel on February 25, 2009 in Opinion
MPP2 Insecurities, Revealed
For longer than I care to admit, I have had a huge crush on Conan O’Brien. For years, I had a life goal of being just successful enough at something, anything, to be the third guest on “Late Night with Conan O’Brien;” for years, this seemed like a more-than-achievable goal. All one really needed to do was accomplish something mildly interesting in the general vicinity of New York City. But now, all that has changed.
Last Friday was the last episode of “Late Night,” and Conan’s next incarnation as Jay Leno’s successor on “The Tonight Show” will inevitably be less quirky, more mainstream, and much, much less likely to accept the likes of me as a fill-in when the musical guest cancels at the last minute. It, in short, was the end of an era.
More disturbing to me, however, is the fact that it’s been 16 years since Conan first took to the air, at least ten since I set my egomaniacal goal, and still I have no idea what my something, my anything, is going to be. By the time Conan takes over for Jay on June 1, I too will have come to the end of my entre-act - the end of my formal education. I too will have to step onto a bigger stage, with higher stakes, knowing that there isn’t really the option to go back to the years where I could blame my lack of personal direction on being in college, or my early-20s, or somewhere with inadequate cell-phone coverage.
I am freaking terrified. Read more
Digging In for the Long Fight
by Phillip Martin on February 25, 2009 in Opinion
MPP2 Insecurities, Revealed
The force and focus of our academic careers at HKS is shaped around the concept of public service. Whether it is to serve an underprivileged constituency, improve the health and strength of our home communities, or discover the best ideas on issues of public policy, we are learning how to dig in for the long fight. For the good fight. For the right fight - however it is we choose to define it, and through whatever avenues of opportunity are available to conquer it.
Public service is a struggle. An absolute, cosmically cursed struggle. It is a struggle of perseverance against odds more daunting than we’re often willing to admit. It is also a struggle that, regardless of our prior education and expertise, we can never fully prepare to meet.
Soon, we will throw our lives and livelihoods into an uncertain economy, shouldering tremendous debts of financial and personal magnitude, and seeking asylum in the belief that our dedication to the good fight will solve the problems of the people we aspire to lead. All the years of expectations, whether generated by others or ourselves, are reaching a proving ground whose earth is uncertain. And still, after years of education, I feel dramatically unprepared. Read more
PAE Corner: HKS Joins Forces With the British Consulate General
by Tina Chong, Editor-in-Chief on February 25, 2009 in News
The British Consulate General, located in Kendall Square in Cambridge, is a big fan of HKS – and it shows. This year, the Consulate is serving as the client for four groups of students working on their capstone master’s projects, called Policy Analysis Exercises (PAE) for MPPs and the Second Year Policy Analyses (SYPA) for MPA/IDs. For their projects, students are researching various issues related to international institutional reform. Read more
Cultural Deliberations: The War We Thought We Won
by Sabrina Roshan on February 25, 2009 in Culture
Feminism – in 21st century mainstream America, the word carries an almost negative connotation. Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, women make up a large portion of these naysayers. It is almost as if these women believe that the good fight has already been fought and now women stand on a completely equal power balance with men. However, just because the policy levers of equal access have been pulled – at times with more force than others – does by no means necessarily translate to actual, significant reform. Statistics continue to show staggering disparities between men and women’s pay scales and access to/representation in leadership roles. Read more
Black History Month at HKS
by The Editors on February 25, 2009 in Features
- What It’s Like to Be Black During Black History Month by Erica E. Harrison (MPP ‘10)
- An Interview with Nijla Mumin by Samina Uddin (MPA ‘09)
- Pioneering Politician: A Review of Chisholm ‘72: Unbought and Unbossed by Thomas Gill (MPP ‘09)
- Photos from Apollo Night 2009 by Katherine Ellis (MC/MPA ‘09)
Flip Side of Poor Job Market: More Internships
by Matt Homer, Asst. News Editor on February 25, 2009 in HKS News
While it is more and more likely that graduating HKS students will face a tough job market this spring, those seeking internships may see increased opportunities. As employers lay-off workers and cut back on new hiring, these same employers may be eager to add low or no-cost interns to fill the gap. Read more
The Real World: HKS
by Luis Gonzalez on February 25, 2009 in Opinion
This is the true story of hundreds of strangers picked to attend a policy school…
….and tapped to be future leaders.
The Kennedy School is far from being the raucous social experiment in reality television that was and is MTV’s “The Real World.” While many of us are relieved by this, I find the “politeness” at HKS stifling to attempts at real dialogue about the climate at HKS. I’m not speaking about global warming or the air conditioning issues in L140, but rather about the climate at this school towards issues of gender, sexual orientation, political ideology, and religious and racial backgrounds, among others.
The inconvenient truth is that the “professional” nature of campus culture undermines the climate at HKS. Read more
What it’s Like to be Black During Black History Month (for those of you that aren’t)
by Erica Harrison on February 25, 2009 in Features
First, it’s being at Harvard and feeling like you still have a ways to go, like your leaves just got pruned, like there’s someone, everyone, waiting…
My remixed ode to poet Patricia Smith – author of “What It’s Like to Be a Black Girl (for those of you who aren’t)” – is intended to invoke questions of race, Black history, and relevance. These questions have been around since America’s birth, and in the recent presidential campaign, were catapulted by the media into mainstream consciousness. Black History Month at HKS is an opportunity to sort through them together. Read more
International Day Celebrations
by The Editors on February 25, 2009 in Features
HKS celebrated its 2nd Annual International Day on Friday, February 20. (Photo: Syon Bhanot)
