Sienna Stern
Law School Applicant · Pennsylvania State University
About Me
My name is Sienna Stern and I am a student at Pennsylvania State University pursuing a dual Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology and international relations with an additional minor in italian.
After graduation, I plan on attending law school to further develop in my skills in legal analysis and advocacy and seek out a career in political reform. Through my studies at Penn State I have developed strong abilities in critical thinking, research, and analytical writing, particularly in examining complex social, political, and legal issues.
I have completed several works that highlight my engagement with issues of public policy, justice, and equity and showcase my ability to advocate for change. I not only have a passion for understanding systematic challenges, but I have a deep interest in understanding the world and psychological factors that shape human behavior and societal structures. I encourage you to view my e-portfolio that showcases several works that reflect these interests, and demonstrate my ability to thoughtfully engage in complex issues.
Empathy & Advocacy
Empathy is often treated as a fixed human trait, yet historical and societal evidence suggests it is deeply shaped by cultural, political, and technological contexts. While many discussions of empathy focus on its moral or emotional importance, I found myself interested in examining its evolution and how cultural, political, and technological forces have shaped the most human qualities of empathy and emotion.
My work, available above, traces the development of empathy from prehistoric communities to the digital age and explores how changing environments continue to reshape human capacity for connection and compassion.
Education Policy
Education and Public Policy are one of my leading interests, as it is what encouraged me to become heavily involved with policy reform in general. I believe every student deserves an equal chance to succeed; therefore, the school system requires amendment. Thousands of public schools around the country do not receive the funding students deserve, and it is crucial that these students are advocated for. My work in this section features two blog posts that fall under the "Personal is Political" category. They discuss the meaning of privilege and why the education system must support students in disadvantaged circumstances. After my blogs, I featured a cover letter that reemphasizes the same topics.
This is my first blog of the "Personal is Political Series" and it is essentially an introduction to my beliefs. It explains why I am so passionate about educational reform and examines the relationship between personal experience and systemic inequality in education.
This blog once again highlights my indirect, personal experience with educational inequality and dives into the importance of DEI.
To highlight my deep passion for advocating for the school system, I also wanted to include a cover letter I wrote to Chairman Peter Schweyer, the Democratic chairman of the Pennsylvania Department of Education. I spoke about current inequalities in Pennsylvania and even provided specific examples and data from high schools in Pittsburgh, PA.
Economic & Political Structures
This section of my e-portfolio examines how economic systems and political structures in the United States shape inequality, opportunity, and civic participation. Through an analysis of wealth distribution and voter engagement, the essays explore how institutional design influences both access to the American Dream and the functioning of democracy itself. Both works highlight my interest in how policy and power intersect to produce lasting social and economic consequences.
This essay goes into detail about the voting crisis within the United States. I discuss how citizens are not exercising their democratic rights and are no longer advocating for their beliefs due to a lack of time, energy, or simply a lack of care.
This second essay delves into another problem within the United States that many citizens are facing: Wealth Inequality.
Law, Policy & Public Health
Access to health and well-being is shaped not only by individual choices, but also by the policies and systems that structure everyday life. This work reflects my interest in how law and regulation intersect with public health, particularly in shaping the environments that influence American dietary habits. It is included in this portfolio as part of my broader exploration of how policy decisions impact equity, opportunity, and quality of life.
By developing an issue brief to discuss the serious conversation surrounding public health, I explored how federal policies and laws are shaping Americans' diets and are preventing widespread access to nutritious foods. In addition, I proposed my own policy reforms to address this issue and demonstrate my ability to implement complex policy changes.