Nathan Cross ’26
Nathan Cross ’26
Quantitative Economics
Mathematics
At Providence College, Nathan Cross ’26 has paired a lifelong love of sports with a growing passion for economics. By combining data, research, and hands-on experience, he is preparing for a career in college athletics leadership.
A member of the Honors Program, Nathan is majoring in quantitative economics with a minor in mathematics. He initially was drawn to the major for its practical value in an increasingly analytics-driven sports industry. His professors have fueled his enthusiasm for understanding how economics shapes policy, responsibility, and decision-making.
“My major started as a means to an end, but I genuinely love the field now,” he said.
Nathan conducts research with Michael Mathes, Ph.D., associate professor of economics, examining the impact of alcohol sales at Division I football stadiums on drunk-driving fatalities.
Nathan, who hopes to be a director of college athletics, has used his academic knowledge in a range of campus leadership and athletics roles.
For the past three years, he has worked with the Providence College Athletics marketing team as a gameday assistant for hockey and basketball. He also served as a ticket office analytics intern, contributing to data-driven donor engagement tools, and supported hospitality operations for Friars basketball and hockey. Previously, he interned with the Hub City Spartanburgers, a minor league baseball team in South Carolina, working with corporate sponsors, merchandise, and marketing.
“The internship that connected most directly to what I learned in class was my ticket office analytics role,” he said. “The skills I gained from my coursework helped me succeed.”
He serves as an executive officer in Student Congress, where he applies analytical thinking to budgeting and leadership while staying closely connected to the campus community.
“Student Congress has filled my life with these unexpected experiences,” he says. “There is always someone who is down for an adventure.”
Nathan also studied abroad in Copenhagen, taking economics courses while traveling to 14 countries.
Athletics remains central to his life. A former high school basketball player, he has been a practice player for the women’s basketball team since his first year at Providence College. “More than anything,” he says, “I love feeling like I’m contributing, even in a small way, to a team’s success.”
