The Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, home of the Harkin Institute for Public Policy & Citizen Engagement at Drake University, serves as a venue and catalyst for dynamic non-partisan research, learning, and outreach to promote understanding of the policy issues to which Senator Tom Harkin devoted his career.

Our primary focus includes four of the issue areas important to our founder, Senator Tom Harkin: labor and employment, people with disabilities, retirement security, and wellness and nutrition.

The Harkin Institute was founded on the premise that good public policy is best achieved when policymakers have access to high-quality information, political processes are open and well-understood and citizens are informed and active participants.