It didn't take long for one of Stetson Athletics' newest staff members to make a strong impression on other members of the athletics departments staff.
 
Maddie Massa, who serves in the role of Assistant Director for Marketing and Promotions, was named Stetson Athletics staff member of the month for September, which was her first full month at Stetson.
 
The award is selected each month by the members of the department's Championship Culture Committee.
 
Take a moment to get to know Maddie Massa.
 
What do you do at Stetson?
I am the Assistant Director of Athletics Marketing and Promotions, so I handle all of the in-game activations for all 18 sports as well as external marketing to the community and social media.
 
How did you get started in this career field?
I interned in the athletics marketing department at Stony Brook University from the time I was a sophomore until I graduated with my masters' degree. I love the gameday excitement and fell in love with the job immediately. It was something I could see myself doing for the rest of my life and now, here I am.
 
What is a typical day look like for you?
There is no such thing as a typical day for me. I never have the same day twice. A lot of what I do is graphics work, promotional videos, writing scripts and run of shows for athletic events and communicating with a number of people about external appearances for the department or with coaches on what their expectations are for their game production.
 
If you had to explain your job to someone who knew nothing about college athletics, what would you compare it to?
This is a tough one. I would have to say in some ways the job is like being a stage director for a Broadway production because of all of the cues and the showmanship. But I would also compare it to any other marketing position for a large company. I just think I get to have more fun.
 
What are some of the challenges you face, and what are the rewards?
Some of the challenges I face usually pertain to things constantly changing. You can only plan for so much and something is inevitably going to happen. However, at the end of the day when the games are over and the teams, coaches and fans are happy with the image and the production, that makes my job, and the stress, all the more worth it. It's all done for the student-athlete experience, the coaches' experience with me and the fans enjoying the game atmosphere and wanting to come back. That is the biggest reward I could get.
 
Is there anything about marketing people don't know you think they should?
Marketing is just as much behind the scenes as it is the face of everything. It's definitely a balance because people remember the show they see so if something doesn't go according to plan, especially on gameday, it's my job to make sure it looks like it was supposed to happen and not like it's a mistake.
 
Fast Fun Facts about Maddie Massa

• College: Stony Brook University
• Favorite Food: Anything Italian  
• Favorite Place to Visit: Woodstock, Vermont
• Favorite Sports Team: The New Orleans Saints (but I'll cheer for my New York teams)
• Favorite thing about Stetson: The people and the sunshine

 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.