Honorable Mention Winner
Nour Kawa
University of Florida
Senior in Political Science and Finance
3.93 GPA

As directed by the FBI, Nour Kawa, 21, took a polygraph test. The agency interviewed all her family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers, past and present. In most circumstances, if the FBI is keeping such close tabs, you’re in a heap of trouble. But Kawa just took it all in stride; actually, she welcomed the invasion. That’s because Kawa, a Jordanian-American who speaks English, Arabic, and Spanish, was one of 56 lucky college juniors nationwide selected for the summer 2001 Honors Internship Program at FBI headquarters in Washington, D.C. “I learned a lot about what the FBI stood for, their culture,” Kawa says.

Working for the FBI is only a small part of the countless leadership roles that Kawa has taken on since she began at the University of Florida in 1998. The way she approaches leadership positions “is based largely on David Gergen’s [editor-at-large for U.S. News and World Report] philosophy that ‘a leader’s role is to raise people’s aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there.’” Kawa sees herself as a role model and a resource for her fellow peers.

Kawa’s first chance at being a mentor was through Alpha Kappa Psi—an international professional business co-ed fraternity that helps develop well-trained, ethical, skilled, and resourceful business leaders. Kawa created a mentoring program that helped 200 members choose careers and network. Kawa also expanded the fraternity’s professional development programs to include resume critiquing and workshops. “Presently, the professional program is very successful and many students feel more confident about preparing for life after graduation because of this resource,” Kawa says.

As service committee member for Phi Sigma Pi—an honor and service organization on campus—Kawa has helped plan street clean-ups, Habitat for Humanity days and helped recruit members for Big Brothers Big Sisters, a program she has been involved with since spring 2000. Being a Big Sister has given Kawa “the opportunity to affect the life of an 8-year-old child by instilling in him a desire to succeed and to enjoy learning.”

“She’s always looking for ways to improve things for people,” says Myra Morgan, associate director of UF’s J. Wayne Reitz Union. “[Kawa] is among the very best. She is bright, personable, hard-working, and a very caring individual."

As a dual major in political science and finance, Kawa will earn a minor in economics and is in an 18-credit certification program for international relations. Kawa plans on pursuing a law degree, focusing on either corporate law or international diplomacy. “Hopefully down the road, [I’ll] get into politics,” Kawa says.

Kawa, although still an undergraduate, has already presented some of her research work on international human rights at conferences. Her research work has mainly focused on honor crimes in Islamic countries. Most notably, in January, she was among 30 students chosen nationwide to present her research at Rice University’s Third Annual Undergraduate Research Conference. Her work, “The Price of Honor—Globalization Lifts the Veil of Prejudice, Torment, and Silence in the Islamic World,” has led her to become recognized as a University Scholar. This prestigious award helped finance Kawa’s Spring Break 2002 visit to Jordan where she interviewed the first female Jordanian judge, a journalist, and other Jordanians about legislation pertaining to honor crimes.

“Her academic capabilities, mental toughness, assertiveness, and energy level place her among the top two or three percent of students I have observed during my 10 years at UF,” says Leann Brown, associate professor of political science.

Kawa covers expenses through her work as a student assistant for UF’s law school, and through grants, scholarships, and loans.

Contact Kawa at nourkawa@hotmail.com