James Obasiolu

James Obasiolu is a first-year student in Canaday Hall, hoping to concentrate in Environmental Science & Public Policy. He's from Columbia, Maryland, where he served as the 37th Student Member of the Howard County Board of Education and Associate Principal Cellist with Carnegie Hall's 2024 National Youth Orchestras (NYO2).

At Harvard, James is an Associate with the Harvard Association for US-China Relations (HAUSCR) and Junior Director for the Harvard Summit for Young Leaders in China (HSYLC), the largest student-run conference in Asia. In Fall 2025, he was an Associate on former U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona's team at the Institute of Politics and is a member of the Program on Environmental Politics, where he attends environmental law clinics and participates in policy debates at Harvard Law School.

James plays cello with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra (HRO)—the nation's oldest symphony orchestra—and the Brattle Street Chamber Players; he also occasionally performs as a guest principal with other campus ensembles.

He joined the Student Survey Advisory Group because his Board of Education experience showed him that student feedback is often ignored without intentional systems to elevate it. He wants to help ensure Harvard listens when students speak up about what's working and what isn't.

On a given day, you'll probably see James hunting for new study spots around campus, practicing in Memorial Church, or grabbing a late-night Brain Break at Annenberg.