Shaw has been working throughout the fall semester with a team that included Karen M. Kedrowski, center director, and Carrie Ann Johnson, associate director of outreach and communication, on the development of Cyclone Civics, a new university-wide civic education initiative. Starting in the spring semester, Shaw and Kedrowski will be managing the day-to-day operations of the initiative, which will be coordinated through the Catt Center.
“Kelly’s diverse professional and political experiences give him a valuable perspective on the nature of today’s politics and the need for civic education,” Kedrowski said. “He’s a great addition to the team as we move forward with this exciting new initiative.”
Shaw has been a teaching professor at Iowa State University since 2011, as well as serving as the department’s internship coordinator since 2022. He teaches courses in public policy and public administration, comparative politics, and American and state politics. Among his many service activities at Iowa State, Shaw has served as the faculty advisor to the Midwest Model European Union Simulation since 2021 and has served on the selection committee for the Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for Research on Women and Politics multiple times.
Prior to his time at Iowa State, Shaw was a lecturer and the director of the Des Moines Internship Program for the Department of Political Science at the University of Iowa, a visiting assistant professor of politics and international relations at Drake University, and the associate director of the European Union Center at the University of Missouri. Shaw is also a former mayor of Indianola, Iowa, and former Washington, D.C., staff member for Iowa Congressman Jim Lightfoot.
Shaw received a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Missouri in 2002 and holds an M.A. in political science from Iowa State University.
“I am excited to join the Catt Center and to be part of the vital work it accomplishes in fostering civic engagement,” Shaw said. “The new Cyclone Civics initiative offers an incredible opportunity to help students build both civic literacy and essential skills for leadership. I look forward to contributing to this effort and supporting students as they grow into informed and active participants in our democracy.”