PSL November Question

Congressional apportionment is the division of all 435 seats in the United States House of Representatives between all 50 states. Not included in this are all United States territories and Washington D.C.. Congressional apportionment has been a part of our country’s government since 1790, and seeing how it is still active in the same way today, I do not think there is a way to change it in order to make it fair. Some states are larger than others , and more populated, thus requiring more representatives for their residents. As the results from the census changes, the amount of representatives states have change. For instance, Ohio went from having 18 representatives to having 16 representatives.

Because this process has been going on for so long, I think it would take a lot of time to change it in order for all states and territories to have equal and more fair representation. I also think that in order for congressional apportionment to change, Congress would have to discuss how to make the process result in a more equal way for all of the states and territories. This can take a long time as the House and Senate are currently controlled by different parties. Furthermore, I think that since congressional apportionment is in the constitution, in order for it to change there would have to be a new amendment or a change to the current amendment which would mean that it would have to be voted upon by the citizens.

In summary, I think the way congressional apportionment is done in the United States has worked for so many years, it shouldn’t be changed even if it is unfair. People in places such as Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico have gone this long without representatives that if they were given representatives it would have to be added to the Constitution so as to take away representatives from the states. Even though representation may not be equal in the United States, it has been the same way for so long, and it has been constantly changing as far as diversity amongst the representatives is concerned. Therefore, I do not think there is a way to change it to make it more fair.

-Jaime

Artifacts

Mentor Interview

My PSL mentor is Marissa. She is from Akron, Ohio which is about 20 minutes north of where I live. Marissa is double majoring in Criminology and WGSS, and intends on going to law school out of state to become a lawyer after she graduates in 2021. Social justice issues and television shows such as Criminal Minds are some of the reasons why Marissa is encourages to go into law. Marissa has an older sister who attends Kent State University. In high school, she was involved in theater, mock trials and volunteering. Currently, she is involved in the PSL executive board, works at the Ohio Union Market, and wants to join the Ohio Innocence Project.

Her favorite class that she’s taken here at Ohio State is a Black Literature class because it exposed her to different writers in history. She also enjoyed learning about different writing styles and information she did not learn in high school. For fun, she likes to go to the movies, explore Columbus, and go dancing. Marissa decided to attend Ohio State because she likes the distance from home, not too far and not too close, and the Criminology program here is very highly ranked. Furthermore she loved the campus, and felt as if she would fit in well here. Marissa’s first year experience at Ohio State was a learning experience. She cane here not knowing anyone and was very nervous. It took her a while to find herself here. Also, there was a culture difference as there is less diversity than at her high school, so it was very different for her emotionally.

I am very glad to have Marissa as my mentor because not only has she helped me here while we are on campus, but I feel as if I can reach out to her when school is not in session because we live so close to each other and she is very approachable. I see her all the time around campus, and each time I see herI am greeted with a smile and a “hello.” It is very reassuring to see a familiar face on such a big campus. She has already helped me become adjusted to college life, and I know she will continue to help me throughout the school year.

-Jaime 

About Me

Hi! My name is Jaime Petit and I am a first year political science major with a minor in Spanish. I am from Canton, Ohio which is about two hours north of Columbus. I am the oldest child in my family, and I have three younger sisters. I love spending time with my friends and family, shopping, and watching Buckeye Football (one of the reasons Ohio State was my first choice school). In high school, I packed my schedule full of rigorous courses, so I am used to putting a lot of effort into my schoolwork which is why I believe I will have a successful four years here. I hope to become bilingual in Spanish and English, and I want to study abroad in Madrid, Spain. Also on my bucket list for college is a trip to Washington, D.C. to go see President Trump speak. As of right now, I do not 100% know what career I want to pursue, but I am thinking about going to law school to become a lawyer (like my dad) and possibly a politician. However, I am also considering dentistry after seeing how much my mom loves her career as a dentist. Despite the differences in these career choices, I know I for sure want to go to professional school after I graduate from Ohio State. I am looking forward to these next four years as a Buckeye, and as a student in PSL!

 

-Jaime 

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.]

G.O.A.L.S.

  • Global Awareness: Over the summer I decided to add a minor in Spanish to go along with my Political Science major. I want to study abroad in Madrid, Spain to learn more about the Spanish culture, and to immerse myself in the language. My first semester I am taking a Spanish pronunciation, and in this class I am learning about all of the different dialects in the Spanish language. I hope to also acquire an internship in New York City, a place in the United States where Spanish is a common language.
  • Original Inquiry: I know I want to do some kind of research while I am here at Ohio State, but I am not sure on the subject area I want to look into. I am currently taking a voters & elections course which I find to be very interesting, so I think a possible subject could be voting patterns, or something involved with the past Presidential election in 2016.
  • Academic Enrichment: Throughout high school, I took rigorous courses which helped me prepare for courses I would take in college. This being said, I am used to putting a lot of effort into my school work. I want to not only perform well in my classes, but also acquire knowledge I can use in my future career.
  • Leadership Development: While I haven’t looked into any leadership roles for my first year, I intend on eventually acquiring a leadership role in College Republicans or in PSL. I am not sure what kind of a role I want to fulfill, but I know for sure I want to be a leader for my peers like I was in high school.
  • Service Engagement: In high school, I participated in Key Club which was a student organization dedicated to serving others. My senior year I was a lieutenant governor for the Ohio District of Key Club International which is how I fell in love with service. I want to participate in some kind of service project such as Buckeye-Thon, something in the Columbus community, or even a mission trip somewhere around the globe.

-Jaime

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.]