Princeton and community leadership

Studying sport and society

Chris also explored the relationship between sport and society in his academic work. His 2007 sociology thesis, advised by Mitchell Duneier, examined the NBA and the management of Black male athletes. The thesis formed another link between his sociology studies and his developing career in sports.

Building from an early idea

Chris co-founded Crossover Apparel in 2004 and served as its CEO while he was a student. The business drew on the streetball culture of the period. A December 2006 Princeton Packet profile reported that he used prize money from a business-plan competition to help fund the company. It was an early opportunity to develop an idea, assemble resources and put it into operation.

Basketball provided another practical setting. Having organized tournaments in Germany, Chris brought that experience to Princeton through an annual charity streetball tournament. He also served as a student manager for the university's basketball team, gaining experience with the work that supports competition.

Creating spaces for exchange

In 2006, Chris founded the Princeton Sports Symposium to connect students with professionals across the sports industry. The event developed into the Ivy Sports Symposium and became a continuing part of his work in professional education and mentoring.

As co-president of the Black Men's Awareness Group, he also helped create a forum for discussion of the experiences of Black men in America. The State of Black Men in America Conference brought students together with scholars, business professionals and community leaders. That work later featured in Shaun R. Harper's national study of Black male college achievement.

Learning through service

In summer 2005, Chris joined a Princeton student trip to Ghana organized by the Fields Center. The three-week program combined cultural study with community projects. Princeton's account pictured him helping lay the foundation for a library in Obodakaba, where students also supported a water-treatment project.

Chris's campus involvement continued through graduation, when he served as a Class Day co-chair for the Class of 2007. His Princeton experience joined academic study with entrepreneurship, event organization, service and the responsibility of representing his peers.

Continuing the connection

Princeton's Career Chats network includes Chris among alumni available to discuss careers, internships and jobs with students. The relationship continues a theme established during his own undergraduate years: making professional experience accessible to people preparing for their next step.

A continuing connection to Princeton

In a November 2026 interview with The Daily Princetonian, Chris reflected on studying in the United States as a student from Germany. He described a lasting appreciation for Thanksgiving and the sense of community created by bringing people together.