Lissa Mann – COSSPP alumna (’25 Political Science) and Master’s of Applied American Politics and Policy student – is balancing full-time graduate studies with a career in political communications, currently serving as a digital strategist at Media Designed to Win (MDW) Communications and as Director of Communications for the FSU MAAPP Association.
The Master’s of Applied American Politics and Policy (MAAPP) program at Florida State University prepares students for careers in politics, advocacy, and policy through practical coursework and professional networking opportunities. As Director of Communications for the MAAPP Association, the program’s student organization, Mann strengthens engagement and communication within the MAAPP community while continuing her graduate studies and professional work in political communications.
“FSU has prepared me with political science knowledge and real-world experience that I apply every day in my career,” Mann said. “I feel completely confident that any upcoming success I make in my career will be 100% dedicated to the MAAPP program and my master’s degree.”
A first-generation college student, Mann graduated from Florida State University in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in political science and a minor in international affairs. Her path to FSU was shaped by personal loss – two weeks before her high school graduation, her father passed away unexpectedly. FSU, the only school she had toured with him, became a source of strength and connection.
During her undergraduate years, she completed 10 internships and roles spanning Capitol Hill, the Florida State Legislature, and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). On campus, she was involved in Alpha Omicron Pi, Women in Government, Alpha Phi Omega, Hall Council, and served as vice president of FSU Veggie Power.
This year, Mann was awarded the Gene and Julie Moran Scholarship, which is annually presented by the MAAPP program to one exceptional student who demonstrates a strong commitment to civic engagement. Mann was also the recipient of the Naples Woman’s Club College Persistence Scholarship (2024) and the Arnold L. and Priscilla Moss Greenfield Fund in Public Policy Scholarship (2023).
Outside of her academic and professional success, Mann is actively engaged in community service. She volunteers with the Daughters of the American Revolution, where she serves as chair of the organization’s Women’s Issues Committee, supporting initiatives for veterans, public schools, teachers, and women in need. She previously served in a leadership role with the Florida Young Democrats’ Campaign Committee, was a member of the Horace Mann League of the USA, and worked as director of digital fundraising for Florida Future Leaders, one of the state’s largest youth-led political action committees (PACs).
When asked about her most impactful experience at FSU, Mann reflected on her study abroad semester in London, “I always knew so much of our own government, but never as deeply for another country. In London, I had such amazing professors where I learned, in depth, the inner-workings of the UK and European governments,” Mann said. “These differences really opened my eyes to both challenges and opportunities in our own government. Not to mention, it was the experience of a lifetime to live and study just 5 minutes away from the British Museum!”
After graduating in August 2026, Mann plans to relocate to Washington, D.C. and continue building her career in political communications and advocacy, with a long-term goal of promoting animal rights policies.
To learn more about Mann’s academic programs, visit cosspp.fsu.edu/polisci and cosspp.fsu.edu/polisci/masters-of-applied-american-politics-policy.