At a time when democracy is under strain both globally and domestically, Rima Kawas is helping students at the Humphrey School of Public Affairs understand not just the mechanics of governance, but the heart behind it: people.
An alumna of the Humphrey School herself, Kawas teaches a course on democracy and governance called The Realities of Democracy Promotion in Practice, which blends real-world experience with practical skill building.
After an early career advising former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty and working in government affairs for Target, Kawas shifted her focus to international development—a move she said was made possible by the Humphrey School.
“I came back to Humphrey in my early 30s because I thought I had missed my chance to pivot internationally," Kawas said. "Thanks to Humphrey, I realized it was never too late to follow your curiosity and pay your privilege forward."
Kawas enrolled in the Humphrey School’s mid-career Master of Public Affairs program and was recognized with a Swain Fellowship, which is awarded to students demonstrating exemplary leadership.
She also was selected as a Humphrey School Policy Fellow, a prestigious 10-month fellowship that supports emerging leaders to develop their skills in public affairs.
Promoting democracy
Over the past decade, Kawas has worked with emerging democracies around the world through the nonprofit and nonpartisan organization International Republican Institute (IRI), helping countries implement democratic practices rooted in transparency, accountability, and local ownership.
Her work, ranging from promoting anti-corruption efforts to strengthening local governance, consistently centers the lived experiences of the people most impacted by policy decisions. This people-centered approach infuses her teaching.
“Democracy isn’t a checklist,” she said. “It’s alive. It’s messy. It’s about people—their hopes, their struggles, their right to shape the world around them.”
In the classroom, Kawas structures her course to bring democracy to life. Weekly guest speakers from around the globe—from Nigeria to Argentina—connect students directly with practitioners on the ground. Her students analyze real-world democratic challenges, write grant proposals, and participate in simulations like participatory budgeting exercises—gaining tangible skills for navigating complex civic spaces.
Promoting dialogue
Her approach fits perfectly with the Humphrey School’s strategic focus on Constructive Dialogue, one of the School’s Constellations of M(pact). Kawas’s work teaches students to engage across differences, to listen without offense, and to build trust as a foundation for dialogue.
"I tell my students, you don’t have to agree with everyone. But you do have to listen," she said. "You have to build relationships that see people first—before party, position, or background."
Kawas brings lived experience to that belief. With a multicultural background navigating complex identity conversations from a young age, and later as a bipartisan policy advisor, she honed the skill of meeting people where they are. “When we take time to listen, we find common ground,” she said.
The relevance of Kawas’ teaching feels even more urgent now. As she tells her students, “Democracy doesn’t just happen in legislatures. It starts at home, in communities, even within families.”
One of her most moving examples is that of a young woman in Jordan who used her leadership training—not to influence a government official, but to advocate to her father for the right to pursue an education abroad.
“That’s democracy, too,” Kawas said. “It’s the everyday fight for voice, choice, and dignity.”
For students feeling overwhelmed by the scale of today’s challenges, Kawas offers a grounding mantra: pick one issue. Focus. Start local. “You can’t solve everything," she tells them. "But you can move something.”
Her impact as a mentor is already visible. Students leave her classroom not only with a sharper understanding of global democratic systems, but with a renewed sense of hope: that change is still possible, and that public service remains a worthy, necessary pursuit.
In many ways, Kawas’ leadership models the very future she hopes her students will build: courageous, grounded in humanity, and committed to the slow, essential work of democratic renewal.
“This work is messy, but it’s worth it," she said. "Democracy survives through people—and that’s where the real hope lives."
