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Tishler: Tell us about your internship and what sparked your interest. Why this project?
Jarrett: Each summer ten to fifteen parks are selected to receive a team of two business or public policy graduate students to work with the senior park staff to write a business plan. This summer, in addition to Fort Stanwix, [where I work] teams are at the Grand Canyon, Joshua Tree, Cape Hatteras, Gettysburg, and others. The business plan is used to improve the management and financial accountability in the park by incorporating best practices from the private sector.
Specifically, the plan has two purposes. First, as a management tool to more effectively spend the park's appropriated dollars. Second, as a communications tool to relay the park's priorities and financial history to constituents such as the surrounding communities, related nonprofits, and Congress.
Ultimately, I would like to merge the passion and impact of a nonprofit with the tools and focus of a private company in a for-profit, social purpose business. |
Josh Jarrett, intern, National Park Service |
In general, I knew I wanted to work in a nonprofit for the summer. In my previous experience as a consultant with McKinsey & Company and as a product manager at a fledgling software company I learned a lot but felt somewhat unfulfilled. I was never able to completely take ownership of the issues I was working on. I hoped that working in nonprofit would help me identify some issues about which I feel more passionate.
Q: What's a typical day like? Who do you work with?
A: My desk is in the park superintendent's office so I am exposed to all the issues that cross his desk. My formal duties include interviewing senior park staff and analyzing financial data to understand where the park currently spends its money and recommend where to spend money in the future. My informal duties include advising the superintendent on strategic issues such as how to manage the relationship with the local government, how to address opposing land use desires, and how to staff a new visitor center.
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My Business Plan Initiative partner is an MBA candidate from the Fuqua School at Duke University. He and I work closely every step of the way to carry out our assignment. In addition, we work with the park superintendent We also meet regularly with park staff including trained archaeologists and historians, as well as frontline interpretive rangers and maintenance workers. We also have had the opportunity to meet with many local leaders including the mayor of Rome and the local Chamber of Commerce.
Q: Did your HBS class work impact your experience?
A: The relevance of leadership and organizational behavior is evident every day as we work with the superintendent to appease constituents, resolve labor issues, and negotiate among the senior staff. Additionally, marketing has been helpful as we think about changing the paradigm of how the park thinks about their "customers,"their daily visitors.
Q: What business lessons, or personal lessons, did you take away from this internship?
A: Ultimately, I would like to merge the passion and impact of a nonprofit with the tools and focus of a private company in a for-profit, social purpose business The program seemed to be a good introduction to the social sector through exposure to government work at the federal and local level, the Congressional funding process, and nonprofits in general through the NPCA.