Education
FSU College of Social Sciences and Public Policy announces 2026-2027 Distinguished Alumni
The Florida State University College of Social Sciences and Public Policy will honor three graduates with Distinguished Alumni Awards for their professional achievements, contributions to society and support of the college and university.
Jeralynn (Lynne) S. Cossman, Larry Hogan and Gene Moran will be honored at the college’s Distinguished Alumni Gala in spring 2027.
The honorees join 58 other COSSPP Distinguished Alumni who have been honored since the college began recognizing graduates with this award in 1992.
“This year’s honorees show the remarkable range of what COSSPP alumni accomplish,” said COSSPP Dean Tim Chapin. “Through leadership in higher education, public service and government affairs, they have strengthened institutions, served their communities and put their Florida State education to work. We are proud to recognize their achievements and welcome them as COSSPP Distinguished Alumni.”
Jeralynn (Lynne) S. Cossman, Ph.D.
B.S. Sociology and Women’s Studies ’90, M.S. Sociology ’92, Ph.D. Sociology and Demography ’96
Jeralynn (Lynne) S. Cossman is provost and vice chancellor for academic and student affairs at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, a role she has held since August 2026.
Cossman previously served in several roles at the University of Texas at San Antonio (UT San Antonio) from 2020 to 2026, including professor of sociology and demography, the Mark G. Yudof Dean’s Endowed Professor and inaugural dean of the College for Health, Community and Policy. At UT San Antonio, she led the transformation of a collection of legacy departments into an R1-aligned college with shared governance, a coherent academic strategy and a growing national research footprint. Before joining UT San Antonio, Cossman served as professor and chair of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at West Virginia University from 2014 to 2020. From 2001 to 2014, she served as professor and department head of sociology and as a research fellow at the Social Science Research Center at Mississippi State University.
While at UT San Antonio, Cossman served on several civic and nonprofit boards, including as chair of the City of San Antonio Mayor’s Fitness Council, an executive board member for the Center for Health Empowerment in South Texas and a board member for the San Antonio Council for International Visitors. In 2025, she received the Janet P. Realini Trailblazer Award from Healthy Futures of Texas.
Cossman’s research and teaching interests center on medical sociology, demography and health services, with her current work examining spatial disparities in mortality and morbidity. She has led research funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Mississippi’s Division of Medicaid. Her work has been published in journals including the American Journal of Public Health, Social Problems, Health & Place and Population Research and Policy Review.
“Receiving this award is especially meaningful because Florida State was more than the place where I earned three academic degrees; it was where I became the person and leader I am today,” Cossman said. “I arrived at 17 and left 11 years later with a profound appreciation for the transformative power of education and the mentors who invested in me. Their example continues to inspire my commitment to creating opportunities for the next generation.”
The Honorable Larry Hogan
B.S. Political Science ’78
Larry Hogan is a two-term former governor of Maryland and a proud graduate of FSU.
He earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from FSU in 1978, where his interest in government, public service and problem solving helped shape a career defined by leadership in both the private sector and public life.
Hogan was elected governor of Maryland in 2014 and was reelected in 2018. During his two terms, he focused on economic development, fiscal management, infrastructure and crisis response. In 2019, he was elected as chairman of the National Governors Association, where he launched an initiative on infrastructure and represented governors from across the country.
Hogan left office in 2023 after serving two terms. His career in public service reflects a longstanding focus on bipartisan collaboration, strategic communication and solving complex challenges.
“This is a tremendous honor. Florida State helped set me on the path to a life of public service, and I will always be grateful for the education, the encouragement and the Seminole spirit that shaped me,” Hogan said. “In public life, I have always believed that the best results come when we put people ahead of politics and common sense ahead of division. That is a lesson I carried with me from Tallahassee to Annapolis, and it is one I am proud to celebrate with the Florida State family. Go Noles!”
Gene Moran, Ph.D.
B.S. Political Science ’84
Gene Moran is president and founder of Capitol Integration, a strategic advisory firm he launched in 2013 to help technology and defense companies align business strategy with the realities of how Congress, the executive branch and the national security community make funding and policy decisions. His clients range from early-stage technology firms entering the federal market to established defense primes managing multi-year procurement and appropriations cycles. Bloomberg Government has named him a top-performing defense lobbyist six times, and he has also been recognized as a Top Lobbyist by the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics.
Before founding Capitol Integration, Moran served as senior vice president at Leonardo DRS. That role followed a 25-year career in the United States Navy, from which he retired as a captain. His Navy service included multiple commands at sea, senior legislative affairs leadership with the U.S. Congress and national security assignments. That experience continues to shape how he advises clients on how government decisions actually get made, long before a deal ever reaches a vote.
Moran earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Florida State in 1984, a master’s degree in financial management from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1987 and both a Master of Philosophy (2021) and Ph.D. (2022) in Public Policy from Walden University. He now serves as an adjunct professor at FSU, teaching federal budgeting and lobbying, and is the author of seven books, including “Government Deals are Funded,” “Not Sold” and “Pitching the Big Top.” His most recent book is called “The Fourth Ring: Navigating the New Circus of Federal Power.”
“This recognition means a great deal to me,” Moran said. “My years at Florida State gave me a foundation and sparked an interest in government that I still rely on when advising clients in Washington. I hope my coming back to teach public policy and share practical experience inspires that same interest in future graduates of FSU.”
For a list of all COSSPP’s Distinguished Alumni, visit the college’s website.