Kowsar Mohamed, a PhD student from the Twin Cities, has officially begun her term as the student-at-large representative on the University of Minnesota’s Board of Regents, becoming the first Somali American woman to hold the position.
Mohamed was born in Minneapolis to Somali immigrants and raised in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, a bustling immigrant community known for its cultural vibrancy. In a recent interview with Mshale, Mohamed said she grew up seeing firsthand how public policy affects families like her own – an experience that shaped her commitment to civic engagement and community advocacy.
“I started this work as a young person advocating for my community,” Mohamed said. “That commitment to public service has guided me ever since.”
Mohamed was one of four new members appointed in August by Gov. Tim Walz to the University of Minnesota’s governing body…