Buckeye Spotlight – Jacob Mandel
8/29/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Cross Country
Aug. 29, 2016 Aug. 29, 2016
Mandel stays busy during the school year as a runner for the cross country team in the fall and as a member of the track and field team in the spring. As a freshman, he won a 3,000m steeplechase race and owns a personal record of 9:33.94 in that event. The Columbus, Ohio native took fifth place in the 1,500m run at the 2016 Oliver Nikoloff Invite with a time of 4:09.49. Mandel is a two-time Ohio State Scholar-Athlete honoree.
What was your favorite part of Bucks Go Pro? – My favorite part of Bucks Go Pro has been getting to know all of the other interns.
What is the best piece of advice you received from BGP? – The best piece of advice I received throughout BGP has been to leave a positive impression on everyone that you come in contact with.
Which site visit did you enjoy the most? – My favorite site visit was the community service day where we had the opportunity to work with the kids at the South Side Learning Center.
What was your group project, and what was your role in it? – I was in the analytics group where we analyzed trends in men’s basketball game attendance, and made recommendations to increase student turnout. Within the group, I organized a list of campus events that took place on historical Game Days so that a correlation between these could be found. Also, I had a large role in creating the platform to display the data that we found.
How did you decide to come to OSU? – The vision of the distance program’s future here at OSU that Coach Allen conveyed on my visit was what ultimately sold me on becoming a Buckeye.
How long have you been doing your sport? – I have been competitively running since seventh grade.
Do you have any pre-game/match superstitions or rituals? – I stick to a fairly rigid eating schedule on race days. I always try to have a peanut butter bagel about two hours out from the race.
What is your favorite part about your sport? – My favorite part about being a member of the cross country and track team has been bonding with all the guys on runs.
What is the hardest thing about sport? – The hardest thing about running is motivating yourself each and every day to get out the door and get a run in even when the weather may not be favorable or you do not necessarily feel good, knowing that all the hard training will pay off in the race.
How do you balance athletics and academics? – Balancing academics and athletics can be very challenging. I have been thankful for the structure that having set practices each day has provided to my week though. With little free time during the day due to practice and class, I know that I have to set aside time in the evening to get to the library and get my work done.
Why did you choose your major? – I chose to major in Finance and Economics initially due to the analytical nature of the fields as well as the implications that the curriculum within these areas of study can have on the broader financial markets.
What is your favorite study spot on campus? – My favorite study spot on campus is the area of cubicles in Mason Hall.
What is your favorite class you have taken here so far? – All of the economics classes I have taken so far have been really interesting.
What is a fun fact about you that not many people know about? – I really like Panda Express.
If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? – See previous question.
Who do you most admire and why? – I admire and look up to my parents because they always have good insights and advice.
Describe OSU in one word. – Excellence
