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

"Steamboat Foundation gave me the best experience of my life. 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 future of nuclear power and its potential to mitigate global warming during the next 50 years. As a member of the University Press Club, one of the oldest groups of professional collegiate journalists in America, James reported for The Trentonian and The Trenton Times, two local New Jersey newspapers. Building on his repertoire as a reporter, James evaluated the effectiveness of the Illinois Sex Offender Registry for his Investigative Journalism class after sifting through numerous under-utilized primary and secondary documents and conducting extensive on-site field research. Outside his academic pursuits, James’s leadership roles extend 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 Highlight

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?

James is currently working at McKinsey & Company in Chicago.