“I love working at the Capitol. I think it’s a great opportunity for students. I wish more would do it,” said Emily Fredin, a Drake student who clerks in the Iowa Legislature.

When recruiting students, Drake University advertises a close relationship with the political scene of Des Moines, boasting a wealth of political internship opportunities, faculty who double as elected representatives and a handful of students clerking.

Amy McCoy, a professor of strategic political communications and public relations in Drake’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication, believes that Drake’s liberal arts education and proximity to the Capitol offer students a plethora of opportunities to get connected to the legislature.

“You can find a Drake connection in just about every pocket of what’s happening up there — from the lobby, where Drake students who have graduated come back and do guest speaking, to actual legislators to even our federal congressional delegation,” McCoy said.

Eli Benson, a junior who clerks at the Capitol, said that a friend in his fraternity encouraged him to clerk to gain political experience and helped him get the job. Benson explained that Jennifer Konfrst, Iowa’s current House Minority Leader and a professor in Drake’s journalism school also helped him secure the role.

“[She] reaffirmed with my representative that I work for now that I was qualified and good enough, so that’s another Drake connection that got me there,” Benson said.

Fredin also learned about clerking through a friend.

“My best friend and roommate freshman year worked there. She was a page and then she was a clerk, and she absolutely loved it. And I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, let me get in on that,’” Fredin said. “I was already switching to an American politics major and you need professional credits, and I knew it would be a good way to do that.”

Beyond fulfilling degree requirements, clerking has set students on specific career paths. For Aaron Khan-Gumm, a former clerk who graduated from Drake in May 2024 with degrees in politics and strategic political communications, clerking served as a path to a career in politics.

“My dream as a kid was to be president,” Khan-Gumm said. “I’ve always had an interest in policy and how it’s a way to make true visible change. I ended up going to Drake for politics, and working at the legislature was a natural segue into that process.”

Khan-Gumm was initially planning to clerk for Izaah Knox, who represents the Drake area, but that plan fell through. However, he was still able to clerk for another representative because of his connections through Drake.

“He [Knox] ended up sending my resume to the Iowa Democratic State Caucus, and through that I was able to become the clerk for Pam Jochum, the Senate Minority Leader,” Khan-Gumm said. “If I wasn’t at Drake and able to make those connections, I probably wouldn’t have been able to work at the legislature.”

Benson characterized the Drake connection to the legislature as “really strong.”

“It’s really cool to walk in and see 10 other students who are all clerking and see a strong Drake presence,” Benson said. “And we’ve got a big clerk group chat that we all text each other in, which is always fun.”

Fredin knew when applying to Drake that the Capitol was only a few minutes away and that working there was a possibility. She said that having both faculty and students involved in the legislature strengthens the University’s connection to the political scene.

“There are so many politics students that have to work there for credit for their major. So academically, there’s a strong connection,” Fredin said. “Obviously the real-world experience that it’s providing me with has helped a lot with getting [academic] credit for working in a legislative position. And then the knowledge of every professor in the politics department very much helps, and they care about getting you that experience.”

Khan-Gumm pointed to campus engagement as the most valuable connection Drake has.

“The biggest thing that Drake has been able to achieve is cultivating a culture of active engagement,” Khan-Gumm said. “No matter what you’re doing, you’re able to not just learn, but experience [your interests] no matter your major. Developing the student organizations that allow people those opportunities has made it a very strong, unique connection.”

According to McCoy, student organizations are also a way for students to find connections to the legislature. Organizations like the Adams Leadership Institute, the Robert and Billie Ray Center and the Harkin Institute are all ways for students to become involved in lawmaking or advocacy through leadership training, preparation and education.

Fredin said she appreciates the flexibility that the clerking job offers her to balance school and professional work.

“When I applied, I had no idea what my classes were going to be,” Fredin said. “But once I got the job, they were very willing to let me leave at 11 a.m. every day to go to class, which I really love. It’s a great way to get involved in politics firsthand while still being a student.”

Khan-Gumm highlighted clerking as a unique way to gain real-world insight into politics.

“It was very fulfilling in the sense that there are so many things that you learn in lectures and in books that give you an image of what politics looks like, but it’s a totally different thing to experience it firsthand,” Khan-Gumm said. “Seeing the way that Democrats and Republicans work together or fail to, seeing all the different techniques and activities that politicians use to leverage power and make changes is almost a surreal experience.”

Looking ahead to the future, Benson hopes to secure an internship in D.C. and is confident that his Drake credentials and connections will help.

“Drake is everything. Drake is connections. Drake is being prepared. Drake is the skills you actively learn here,” Benson said. “No other students in the country get to have this.”

He referenced his D.C. J-term experience, working the CNN debate, clerking and other internships that he experienced through Drake as opportunities that have prepared him for a future career in politics.

“Drake is not only preparing me through coursework and experiences, but it’s also connecting me professionally to people that are out there doing the things that I want to end up doing.”

Fredin agreed that the connections Drake offers are important for future political work.

“In Iowa politics, Drake is just known. It’s got name recognition,” Fredin said. “If you were a Drake politics student, people will know you, lawyers in the area will know who you are. They respect the institution as a whole.”

McCoy credits the University for preparing students through coursework and engagement for a potential career in the legislative process, whether through politics, journalism or advocacy.

“Students are very prepared for what they’re going to encounter,” McCoy said. “Whether it be from navigating a bill to writing a speech to reaching out to the media or to creating an advocacy plan, they have this breadth of knowledge and an amazing amount of exposure [through Drake]. There’s so much in the legislature that pulls from the knowledge base that we offer.”

Khan-Gumm said he believes clerking is also a way to explore other career options in politics.

“If anybody [at Drake] is considering working in politics, it’s a no-brainer that you should clerk,” Khan-Gumm said. “That experience will tell you whether or not politics is meant for you and if it’s something that will make you happy and fulfilled. Even if you don’t necessarily want to be a politician, it can show you so many other ways to make an impact on our society. You’ll be very happy with your experience, even if you hate it.”

Editor’s note: Amy McCoy is the faculty advisor of The Times-Delphic.