Professor Paul Manna: Moving Civics Beyond the Classroom

William & Mary faculty are known for public engagement, bringing their knowledge and expertise to the broader world. Paul Manna, the Hyman Professor of Government and Public Policy, has proven his mettle outside of the lecture room to do just that. Recently, he undertook two projects that reflect his passion for civic education and commitment to the Virginia community.

This past year, Manna led the Public Policy Program in collaboration with the Cape Charles Rosenwald School Restoration Initiative (CCRSRI).  Originally established to renovate the historically significant Rosenwald School,  this organization seeks to revitalize Virginia’s Eastern Shore community through civic engagement.

During the 2025-26 school year, Manna worked with Audra Nikolajski (MPP 2026) to create a seven-module course called “Learning for Public Engagement on the Eastern Shore.” Manna and Nikolajski worked with community members on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and staff of The Impact Center, the name of the new community center in the revitalized Rosenwald School space.

Designed with survey and focus group responses from the community, the course covers important topics for community engagement like writing op-eds, speaking at public meetings, and understanding social media. This project deepened the CCRSRI’s existing relationship with the Public Policy Program and provided valuable experience for Nikolajski as she launched her career in education policy analysis.

Additionally, Manna has begun hosting his own spot on local public radio, WHRO/WHRV. Entitled Civics Minute, the program offers bite-sized (90 second) insights on important civics concepts. It is structured in an A to Z format, with each episode being a letter in the alphabet representing a specific concept.

Civics Minute’s first episode, “‘A’ for Accountability,” went online on September 6, 2026 and saw Manna discuss what it means for citizens to hold government officials to account for their performance. The series will continue through all letters of the alphabet, running weekly through mid-Spring 2027.

These projects were made possible through W&M Strategic Cultural Partnerships, of which Manna was a Faculty Fellow during his project with the CCRSRI, and which helped start the relationship with WHRO. These efforts demonstrate Manna’s continued engagement within the university and his commitment to civics at W&M.

The projects also showcase Professor Manna's ability to promote civics education through diverse mediums. In particular, the digestible format of Civics Minute makes it easy for listeners to learn about civics as they go about their day. They also highlight his willingness to work directly with the community and involve W&M students, as demonstrated by his project with the CCRSRI. 

Congratulations to Professor Manna on his accomplishments!