Studies

James started his formal education in August of 1988 at Roanoke Valley Christian School.  In September of 1991 he entered the Roanoke City Public Schools system, specifically at Huff Lane Intermediate School, situated only a few miles from his childhood home. 

From there, James progressed to William Ruffner Middle School where he showed great interest, as well as gained notable attention, in the arts and social sciences.  For example, James took part in the school's concert band and won the City-Wide Social Studies Fair two out of three of his years at William Ruffner.

In September of 1997 James began his first year at William Fleming Senior High School. Throughout his four years in high school, James enrolled in a number of honour courses in History, English, French, and Music.  Along with his studies, James took an active part in student life appearing in the school's productions of Witness for the Prosecution and The Mouse that Roared as well as performing in a number of band concerts for which he received such awards as the Top Male English Student of the Year and the Top Ten Bandmen's Award. 

James graduated from William Fleming Senior High School with an Honours Diploma on June 6, 2001 at a ceremony held at the Roanoke Civic-Centre. 

In August of 2001 James matriculated at Roanoke College where he majored in History.  There, in addition to his schoolwork, he participated in several campus activities (such as the College's Canterbury Club and its Fencing Club, the latter of which he served as founding President) while also working as an assistant to professors in the College's History Department.  

James graduated from Roanoke College on May 7, 2005, a day before his twenty second birthday, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and minor studies in both British Literature and French.  Less than two years later in 2007, James went on take his Master of Arts degree in Humanities from Hollins University where he, again, focused much of his coursework as well as his thesis on Late Modern British History, specifically examining modern iconography in Victorian Era portraiture. 

James is currently pursuing a second Master of Arts degree, this one in Religion through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary and Graduate School, with the intent to transfer his work towards a Masters of Divinity.