Senior Nathaniel Flanagan spent his summer mapping out one of the world’s most famous urban green spaces.
Flanagan, a business management major with a minor in data analytics, landed an internship with New York City’s Department of Parks and Recreation. From June to July, he worked inside The Arsenal building as a data analyst for the Business Development and Special Events Team.
“It was so cool because it was basically like a castle in Central Park,” Flanagan said.
According to the department’s website, parks serve as vital spaces for New Yorkers, not just for play and recreation, but also as “an important tool in mitigating the effects of climate change, critical engines for economic growth and development.” NYC Parks’ mission is to “grow, maintain and program a world-class park system prioritizing equity, access, safety and nature.”
The internship required Flanagan to utilize ArcGIS, a geospatial data tool, to map various sections of the park. His work helped the department visualize licensed premises for vendors and potential lessees.
Another project — Flanagan’s favorite — involved the famous Wollman Rink. The ice rink converts into a city pickleball hub during the summer months, and Flanagan tracked its weekly court usage.
“I think the court utilization for Wollman Rink was the coolest,” Flanagan said. “I’m most proud of the fact that I was able to give data to the people at New York City Parks who needed it. It wasn’t just an internship where you’re grabbing people coffee; I was doing data that was actually used for the city.”
From ‘Air Capital of the World’ to the ‘Big Apple‘
During the summer, Flanagan lived in Brooklyn Heights and commuted 40 minutes by subway to Midtown Manhattan. He quickly learned that New York operates at a different speed than Kansas.
“If I could describe my summer in a word, it would be ‘hectic,’” he said. ‘Being in New York … there was never a dull moment.”
The experience provided more than just professional skills; it offered a lesson in resilience. Flanagan said the fast-paced environment helped him develop “thick skin” and a new sense of independence. It also enhanced his appreciation for Kansas, where “a lot of people are nice.”
“It kind of tests you and shows you what you’re made of,” Flanagan said. “It showed me all sorts of people. I had coworkers who spoke Russian. The diversity there was just really cool.”
The Newman connection
Flanagan wouldn’t have had the confidence to apply to such a competitive role were it not for his Newman experiences, he said. He applied for the job just two minutes after it was posted on Handshake, a career network available to Newman students.
He credits several professors for helping him prepare for the role: David Cochran, Ph.D., dean for AI & Emerging Technologies and director of The Newman Institute for AI & the Common Good, Larry Straub, DBA, associate professor, as well as his Navigator classes with Teresa Wilkerson, MBA, MAC, director of adult and professional studies.
“I think landing this internship just shows me that the world’s my oyster and I can do anything if I apply myself to it,” Flanagan said. “I didn’t want to limit myself for the summer. … I wanted to see what was out there in the world.”
With a May 2027 graduation on the horizon, Flanagan is already looking toward a career in big tech. His dream is to become a business analyst for a major company like Meta or Amazon.
“I want to be a person who’s dependable to other people at work and someone who can be trusted by my managers,” he said.
For other Newman students considering a leap into a big-city internship, Flanagan’s advice is simple: “Just apply.”
“It’s a numbers game … but don’t be discouraged,” he said. “If you show up and apply every day or put yourself out there to people who might know someone, you’re going to get some results.”
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