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Thank You Grace

In 2019 Marine Park Alliance started an exciting Internships Program. We can host one intern each semester — Spring, Summer and Fall. An intern can work with board members, with the park director on administration or with park gardeners in the field.

Today I’d like to highlight the work of Fordham University sophomore Grace Getman, who really “upped our game” in our online presence this spring semester.
As an Environmental Studies/Urban Studies double major, Grace had previously researched New York City history and Parks development and was eager to do more. Five minutes after we listed our need for a history intern to research how Marine Park came to be, she called and was delighted to fill our position. The park director took her on a long walk, showing her the whole Park. Then she took on the research. After many hours in the archives at Brooklyn Historical Society, Pratt Institute and NYC Parks online archive, she refined our history webpage and edited the Parks Department’s historical signs for Marine Park. 

College students today are digital natives, so naturally Grace had lots of suggestions about our on line presence, which led to her refining our website functions and then our Facebook page too. At school she is the Opinions Editor of the Fordham Observer so she is incredibly thoughtful about messaging, accompanying visuals, and getting things right. Lucky for us.

When the coronavirus pandemic hit mid-semester and her school closed, Grace moved back to her family upstate, but that didn’t stop her from helping us. Weekly conference calls and emails kept her working from afar and so much was accomplished. She even gave our board members a tutorial to carry on her work.

Grace says, “Working at Marine Park has been an incredible opportunity for which I am beyond grateful. From researching to web-designing to fundraising, I’ve been able to get involved at the ground level of park management. I’ve learned so much about Marine Park, and moreover, the important role parks play in our communities and our lives. Even in the midst of these strange and confusing times, I’ve found a welcoming and supportive work environment at the Marine Park Alliance. I’m so excited to see how the Alliance continues to develop its mission and plan to stay connected.”

As the semester comes to a close, we’d like to take this opportunity to thank Grace publicly for sharing her expertise and helping us get our messages to you in the best ways possible. We are grateful to have had such a smart, talented and patient person generously donating her time to us.

If you know of someone interested in interning, please have them check out http://www.marineparkalliance.org/donate/internships/
As always, the park is here for you.

Use it well and stay healthy.

Maria D’Alessandro

Board Chair, Marine Park Alliance