State Representation in Congress

Congressional apportionment laws govern that each state receive two Senators, which is why the Senate is based upon equal representation. However, the House of Representatives centers around proportionate representation, meaning that each state is apportioned a representative depending on the size of their population. The state of Ohio has 16 representatives to represent their population of nearly 12 million people, while Vermont only has 1 representative. Therefore, states as populous as Ohio are awarded far more than twice the number of electors in the electoral college compared with states as small as Vermont, as the number of electors in a state depends on their number of representatives. This system is unfair because more populated states have greater representation in Congress and the electoral college, so they have a greater impact on passing legislation and choosing presidential candidates. Although, the nature of the House is that representatives are constituents for certain districts comprised of a small number of people, and are therefore representing local interests. With that said, I do not believe there is any way to make the House less fair than it is now. The only measure that can be taken by government is to begin granting votes to United States territories and Washington D.C., as they are considered part of the US and should be able to vote in US elections as such. 

 

Mentor Interview

I interviewed Lily Goldberg, a sophomore Politics Society and Law scholar, and we discovered that we have a lot in common. We are both Jewish, so she introduced me to a paid fellowship program run by the Jewish organization Hillel and helped me apply. Additionally, Lily and I share a love for good food, which is why we both run Instagram accounts centered around the display of food. While one of my favorite restaurants in Columbus is Lemongrass Fusion Bistro, Lily’s unwavering favorite is Northstar because of the different food options available. Since Lily and I were raised states apart, we have a different idea of how some dishes should be prepared. Although, we can both agree that we love a nice pasta dish. Lily’s favorite foods include pizza, pasta, and any other carbohydrates for that matter. When Lily is not studying, spending time with friends, or trying new foods, she can usually be found watching Dance Moms or The Office in her dorm room. If she is in a sporty mood, however, Lily will turn on ESPN to watch professional women’s tennis, specifically rooting on Serena Williams. When Lily is not watching television, she will relax and listen to her favorite music- ’80s pop- on Spotify. Although, she listens to an array of different artists, ranging from Miley Cyrus to Lady Gaga. Once Lily moves out of the dorms, she hopes to adopt a mini Golden Doodle. Lily and I plan to spend more time together throughout my first year on campus, and I cannot wait to learn more about her and for her to give me helpful advice in navigating Ohio State.

 

 

G.O.A.L.S

When considering global awareness, I believe that studying abroad helps broaden the mind and develop an appreciation for different cultures. This is why I am starting my time spent abroad early by traveling to London for 10 days at the end of this semester as part of the London Honors course taught at the university. I hope to spend a full semester abroad, possibly in Shanghai in coordination with my minor in Mandarin, by the time I graduate.

I plan to apply for research opportunities this year to fulfill the original inquiry goal. I hope to work in a lab researching voter trends, gerrymandering, how immigration affects voting patterns, or other related concepts. Networking with my Political Science professors and colleagues in organizations such as Mock Trial and College Democrats will hopefully aid in reaching this goal.

At the beginning of my spring semester, I will apply for a summer internship in Washington DC to better understand politics and my major in the political capital of the United States. I also hope to stay on the Political Science Pre-Law track by the time I graduate, and have completed a double minor in Mandarin and International Business as well.

While I have already attained one leadership position already as the Photography Director for the college food blog Spoon University, I hope to eventually became the Editorial Chief Director for the blog by the time I graduate. I additionally hope to remain involved in political organizations on campus that interest me, specifically Mock Trial, and eventually hold a leadership position in this organization.

In high school, I served my time to sorting through donations at my local thrift store each Saturday for 4 hours. I hope to continue aiding the community at Ohio State in a different way, however: through Peer Tutoring. An organization that specifically interests me is Adopt a School, in which college students volunteer an hour each week to tutoring local elementary and middle school students. I have also joined the club PenPALS, where I will be volunteering one hour each month to writing back and forth with a local elementary school student.

About Me

I am Jessica Manzon, a Politics, Society and Law Scholar at Ohio State. My interest in law and politics has inspired me to pursue a major in Political Science on a Pre-Law track. I am additionally completing a double minor in International Business and Mandarin. My academic goals include completing research concerning voter trends in America and how immigration affects these patterns. I was also involved with the Junior Statesmen of America debate organization in high school, and will continue pursuing my passions with College Democrats and Mock Trial. Aside from academic aspirations, my passions include blogging and trying food from different cultures, which is why I currently serve as the Photography Director for the college food blog Spoon University.

Year in Review

[ “Year in Review”  is where you should reflect on the past year and show how you have evolved as a person and as a student.  You may want to focus on your growth in a particular area (as a leader, scholar, researcher, etc.) or you may want to talk about your overall experience over the past year.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]

Career

[“Career” is where you can collect information about your experiences and skills that will apply to your future career.  Like your resume, this is information that will evolve over time and should be continually updated.  For more guidance on using your ePortfolio, including questions and prompts that will help you get started, please visit the Honors & Scholars ePortfolio course in Carmen. To get answers to specific questions, please email eportfolio@osu.edu. Delete these instructions and add your own post.]