Amsterdam News has been reporting the news of the day from a Black perspective for 113 years. Donors who choose to give monthly or annually will receive Amsterdam News’ Weekly E-Edition and acclaimed weekday newsletter Editorially Black to their inbox!Columbia University pitcher James Vaughn has one more year of college eligibility after recently being awarded an undergraduate degree.
As Harlem native James Vaughn spends his final days on the campus of Columbia University, he reflects on his two years as a member of the baseball team. He walked at the recent graduation ceremony and will take his final two courses this summer. Training continues as Vaughn, a pitcher, has another year of eligibility and hopes to join a Division I team, allowing him to continue to play the sport he loves while also working on a master’s degree.
Vaughn came to Columbia after spending a year and a half at Duke University and one semester at Monroe College. While his family relocated to Atlanta a couple of years ago, attending Columbia made him feel more rooted and he was genuinely satisfied with the student-athlete experience despite the baseball team being predominantly white.
While he wishes that there were more efforts toward growing diversity, his love for the sport shines through. Vaughn’s baseball journey began when his father signed him up for Harlem Little League when he was about four. “I was a rambunctious kid and it was a sport that could tire me out. He played when he was younger,” he said. “I’ve loved baseball ever since.”