The Harkin Institute exists to inform citizens, inspire creative cooperation, and catalyze change on issues of social justice, fairness, and opportunity.
Founded on the premise that good public policy is best achieved when (1) policymakers have access to high quality information, (2) political processes are open and well understood, and (3) citizens are informed and active participants, the Harkin Institute offers programming, experiences, research, and connectivity focused on the areas that defined Senator Harkin's career.
[1] As he was preparing to retire after 10 years in the House of Representatives followed by 30 years as a United States Senator, Harkin wished to establish a nonpartisan policy institute to uphold his legacy and carry on the policy work his career focused on.
[2] Shortly after, the Harkin Institute settled at Drake University in the state's capital city.
In 2022, the Institute dedicated its new building, the Tom and Ruth Harkin Center, on the south side of the Drake University campus.