Drake’s All Staff Council Recognition Committee recognized staff at the Harkin Institute with a Bulldog Applause. Read the Q&A below to learn more about the Harkin Institute.

How many staff members are in the department?   
Seven full-time staff, 15 student employees, plus our honorary Harkinistas, political papers archivist Hope Bibens and senior advancement officer Stephanie Sinovic. 

What is the primary function of the team? Do you have a mission/vision/motto?  
At The Harkin Institute, our mission is to inform citizens, inspire creative cooperation, and catalyze change on issues of social justice, fairness, and opportunity. We conduct research and analysis in four policy areas that Senator Harkin (retired) focused on during his 40 years in Congress: labor and employment, people with disabilities, retirement security, and wellness and nutrition. We also host events to engage the Drake community, Iowans, Americans and individuals around the world with important policy issues and timely topics. 

Who has been with the team the longest, and what is their job title and length of employment?  
The Harkin Institute is young—we were established at Drake in 2013. Executive Director Joseph Jones has been with the Institute since August 2016.  

Who is the newest team member, and what is their job title and month/year of start?  
Our newest team member is Meg Johnson, our administrative assistant. She joined us in April 2019. 

What campus buildings do your team members “live” in?   
We currently live in the strip mall along University Avenue, next to Great Clips and across the street from Jimmy Johns, but we have a new home under construction at the corner of University Avenue and 28th Street. It will be a state-of-the-art accessible space that we can’t wait to share with the Drake community. 

What are some recent challenges and accomplishments of note that others in the University might not know about?  
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, monumental civil rights legislation. Senator Harkin was the principal author of the ADA and we have a whole host of events and activities planned to celebrate this important anniversary – on campus, online, and across the U.S. 

Anything else noteworthy/interesting/special about your department that bears mentioning?  
The Harkin Institute works closely with the Drake Archives and Special Collections, which is home to the papers of Senator Harkin and Ruth Harkin. Senator Harkin’s papers arrived at Drake in 2015 and include more than 800 boxes and 2.5 terabytes of legislative and campaign materials, photos, and memorabilia. 

— Amelia Klatt, On behalf of All Staff Council