After Supreme Court Justice David H. Souter recently announced his retirement, set for June of this year, the debate over who qualifies as the next Supreme Court justice began.

With President Barack Obama’s nomination of Judge Sonia Sotomayor, a native New Yorker who grew up and attended Cardinal Spellman Catholic High School in the Bronx, another seat could be filled with a female.

Judge Sotomayor is the first Latino woman and the third woman ever to be nominated to the United States Supreme Court. Before her, Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female appointed by former president Ronald Reagan, sat on the bench from 1981 to 2006. Ruth Bader Ginsberg, the second female justice and also a New Yorker, is the only woman currently on the bench.

The daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants, Judge Sotomayor, who graduated from Princeton University and Yale University Law School, has an impressive legal background. According to the New York Times, based on Judge Sotomayor’s legal work, many people view her as being smart, extraordinarily well prepared, and deeply engaged.

“Judge Sonia Sotomayor is an inspiring woman who shares a compelling story with many Americans, including those from the Hispanic community. Like President Obama, Judge Sotomayor is making and changing history today,” said political science major at CSI, Julius Levy.

Yet, as with each Supreme Court nomination, questions have emerged. Should the next justice be a woman, have liberal or conservative leanings, balance the bench, or introduce controversy? What is Judge Sotomayor’s position on abortion, executive authority, the Second Amendment? Has President Obama selected a justice who shares some of his same views? These queries and more will be debated in the coming weeks as Judge Sotomayer goes before the Senate during her confirmation hearings.

“I have decided to nominate an inspiring woman, who I believe will make a great justice,” said Obama, standing with Sotomayor by his side in the East Room of the White House.

“I think that it is great to have an Hispanic woman holding a position of that caliber. I think that this nomination shows that America is a country filled with possibilities,” said senior Leticia Lucero.

Judge Sonia Sotomayor’s nomination has a great impact on many women in the United States and Latin American countries. She represents a new vision of a better America. She represents the second minority group in America. Being the first Latin American woman judge on America’s highest court is inspirational for everyone. For decades Caucasian men have dominated the Supreme Court and general politics. So, this nomination is promoting change and reshaping the United States.

“I think it’s great that the Supreme Court is becoming more diversified. Now we have a female Latina who can bring a different perspective to challenging issues,” said senior Liana Inzerrillo.

Pending approval of Congress, Judge Sotomayor will start her life time tenure as a judge on the United States Supreme Court in October 2010.