Discourse Chronicle

Due to the large number of applications that were received, the FPD Review Committee developed a specific set of criteria and guidelines that applications had to fulfill for acceptance. Due to the nature of the selection process, these criteria and guidelines were created to ensure the quality and fairness for all applicants. Unfortunately, your application was denied for the following reason: Transportation expenses not justified.

[I attempted this small grant opportunity at BGSU as assistance toward my upcoming trip to San Francisco for National PCA this March, but I neglected explaining purchasing two plane tickets covers both Elizabeth and I since we split costs. I am not hurt badly because I expected a rejection. The amount awarded for successful proposals is split evenly among all winning applicants regardless of need or importance.

However, I used this letter as a teachable moment with my freshmen students today. I allowed a student to open and read it aloud in class. All of them pulled for me and hoped for an acceptance, but since I failed, I drove home the point that no matter how good we are as writers we may always become better. I believe my students understand that and we continued having a good class. BK]

category: Life, Rejections, Rhetoric and Poetics    

Dear colleague,

I am sorry to report that our program committee has been unable to offer your proposal, “Superman Blue: Convention, Innovation, and Longevity”, reference 0203, a place on the RSA 2008 program.

Competition for program space was unusually fierce because this year’s RSA conference has attracted unusual interest. You should know that only in exceptional cases will people who proposed more than one paper be permitted to present multiple times.

[I know taking rejections personally is a trap because those are based on fit, not quality, nor subject matter. However, I believe in myself a little less when it happens. BK]

category: Life, Rejections, Rhetoric and Poetics    

You have not heard from us prior to this note because your application interested us and we hoped to be able to admit you. But, we had only 8 teaching assistantships, and we admit people when we have secured aid for them. We never secured aid to fund an offer to you.

category: Life, Rejections    

Thank you very much for your application to the Department of English. We received a surprisingly large pool of excellent applications and the department’s Executive Committee reviewed each one carefully. Our decision had to be based primarily on the fit between applicants’ experience and our immediate teaching needs for the coming academic year. I regret to tell you, that we will not be able to offer you a teaching contract for the academic year 2007-2008.

[Lecturing in the English department next year was my backup plan in case no PhD program admitted me for next fall. However, since I am accepted into Bowling Green State University for Rhetoric and Writing, this rejection is painless. BK]

category: Life, Rejections    

I regret to inform you that after careful review of your application materials for admission to the doctoral program in Rhetoric and Professional Communication, the Admissions Committee has not recommended your acceptance.

[Two schools left…Purdue and Bowling Green. Iowa State was my other “dream” school…BK]

category: Life, Rejections    

Your credentials and application for admission to the English program for Autumn Quarter 2007 have been given careful consideration by the Graduate Studies Committee. I regret to inform you that the committee did not approve your application to the Graduate School.

[Three schools left: Iowa State, Purdue, and Bowling Green. OSU is one of my “dream” schools…BK]

category: Life, Rejections    

Thank you for applying for Graduate Studies in English. We had an unusually large and qualified applicant pool this year, and our admissions committee thoroughly reviewed each application. After careful consideration, we regret to inform you that your application for admission has been denied.

[Four schools left: The Ohio State University, Iowa State, Purdue, and Bowling Green…BK]

category: Life, Rejections    

Thank you for your interest in the Melbern G. Glasscock Center for Humanities Research and for your application for a Glasscock Center Graduate Student Stipendiary Fellowship for the academic year 2006-2007. The Center received many excellent applications for these fellowships, and the decisions to be made were quite difficult. The Glassock Center Advisory Committee was impressed with your proposal, but we regret that we cannot offer you a fellowship at this time.

[I proposed a miniature version of my potential dissertation topic looking at DC Comics’s Crisis on Infinite Earths and how reading that crossover event as an experience is similar to reading Greek Epic. BK]

category: Life, Rejections    

We read your proposal with geniune enjoyment, but regret to say that we did not choose it for inclusion in our collection. We received many proposals on superheroes, so the competition was very stiff.

[I submitted “Superman’s America: History, Reception, and Imperiex” for this collection. I am still working on my “Superman’s America” series of articles and currently envision four parts with two already completed. BK]

category: Life, Rejections    

The Office of Research Training and Services (formerly the Office of Fellowships) has completed its review of applications for internships at the Smithsonian through the Institution’s Minority Internship Program for Summer and Fall 2006. Although the review panel was impressed with your academic credentials and goals, I regret that we are unable at this time to offer you a stipend award for an internship.

category: Life, Rejections