About James

Hometown:
Chicago, IL

University Partner:
Princeton University

Degree:
A.B. in Woodrow Wilson School, Certificate in Environmental Studies, 2008

Grant Partner:
Forbes Media

Senior Mentor:
Matthew Miller, Senior Editor, Forbes 400

"My summer has been truly life changing. I had been craving new experiences, and Steamboat provided so many. I now have ten new lifelong friends and a foundation prodding me towards my passions. This has been a wonderful gift."

Scholar Background

James, an avid writer with an interest in environmental policy, wrote his junior thesis on the origins of climate change skepticism in the United States. As a member of the University Press Club, the oldest group of professional collegiate journalists in America, James reported for the Trentonian, Trenton Times, and Fast Company Magazine. Outside his academic pursuits, James’s college leadership roles extended from Outdoor Action, one of Princeton’s orientation programs, to Best Buddies, a community service organization he helped rebuild and expand. James is also a swing dancer, having competed professionally in the American Lindy Hop Championships. He graduated from Princeton summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa.

Internship Description

As a contributing author to the 2007 Forbes 400 List of Richest Americans, James performed financial valuations and drafted biographies of 80 individuals. He also had the unique opportunity to interview prominent billionaires on the list. Through James' research efforts, a new billionaire was added to the list. 

Where are they now?

Upon graduation, James worked at McKinsey & Company in Chicago, where he served clients in the insurance, finance, and consumer packaged goods industries. In August 2010, he received a Fulbright Grant to study black carbon emissions in India for one year.

He is currently an Associate on the Business & Operations team at Google.