James Finnegan is a resident student from Washington, New
Jersey, a rural town of roughly 5,000 citizens. He selected St.
John’s from a pool of twenty universities, based on the strength of
its accounting program and location in New York City. A
Presidential Scholar and member of the Honors Program, James is
pursuing a B.S/M.S degree in accounting, to be completed in
2013.
As the second oldest of ten children, James demonstrates a natural
attentiveness to community service and the needs of others. On
campus he has taken an active role in Campus Ministry,
participating in Midnight Runs, St Nick’s Men’s Shelter, and
Students for Life. He is also the treasurer for Circle K
International, a campus minister student assistant, and serves as
an overnight host/tour guide to incoming freshman. He has spent
many summers in Spain, Mexico, and the Bronx helping to combat
illiteracy among children, while devoting numerous winter breaks to
ongoing recovery efforts in New Orleans, LA. Needless to say, he
has taken the Vincentian call to action to heart in his efforts to
serve his family, school, and community.
In his downtime, James enjoys playing trumpet in the Pep Band and
attending New York Yankee games. He plays intramural softball and
tennis, in addition to umpiring for Little League Baseball. James
also takes full advantage of St. John’s proximity to Manhattan by
exploring the multi-cultural museums, restaurants, parks, and
landmarks that offer internationally acclaimed places of leisure to
the adventurous college student. In his freshman year in
particular, James attained a vast wealth of knowledge regarding in
the ins and outs of the city, thanks to the weekly walking tours
offered by his Honors Discover New York class.
Asked to share some of his favorite activities, James cited
attending a performance of Il Barbiere di Siviglia (sponsored by
the Honors Program), the 2009 playoffs at Yankee Stadium, and a
night spent at a local homeless shelter with campus ministry as
‘defining memories of the incredible college experience offered by
a Vincentian and Metropolitan University nestled in the heart of
the greatest city in the world.’ He encourages incoming freshman to
‘immerse themselves in the wonderful social, service, and academic
extracurricular opportunities present at St. John’s.’ As part of an
on campus society or metropolitan organization, ‘students naturally
develop professional leadership, communication, and social skills
that translate directly to the workforce.’
James hopes to find future employment with a Fortune 500 company in
the New York area and plans to make the most of his final years
with the Red Storm. No matter the employer or city however, James
has one simple directive when it comes to an occupation; as Abraham
Lincoln so succinctly stated, ‘whatever you are, be a good
one.’