Pursuing Public Service

As an undergraduate student, Kelly Nuckolls planned a meal packaging event for her college that helped her discover a desire to alleviate hunger around the globe—an ambition she knew would be more possible with a legal education.

"I read that we have more than enough food to feed everyone in the world yet millions of people are starving," said Nuckolls, now a third-year law student. "Many activities just put a Band-Aid on this problem, but my law degree will allow me to make a more sustainable impact."

She found the perfect fit for her ambitions at Drake Law School, where she is working toward a certificate in food and agricultural law and a certificate in legislative practice.

Nuckolls dove into both programs upon her arrival at Drake. Locally, she has interned at Drake’s Agricultural Law Center, helping with its Buy Fresh Buy Local initiative, and with the Des Moines Area Religious Council’s food assistance program.

Nuckolls has worked at the Harvard University Food Law and Policy Clinic and served as a panelist during the Food Law Student Leadership Summit at Harvard this past fall. She will spend part of her last semester of law school trying to move a bill she drafted through the Iowa Legislature on behalf of the Iowa Food Bank Association.

Nuckolls said Drake Law’s generous scholarships have also made it possible to pursue her desired career path, particularly the Drake Law Public Service Scholarship and the David and Sara Walker Scholarship, which both recognize strong leadership and a commitment to public service.

"With my financial assistance I can be more confident pursuing jobs that may not pay very much but have a significant impact on the world," she said. "One of the only reasons I can do that is because I received those scholarships. Paying back student loans with those jobs would not be feasible without the assistance I have received."

Help Create a Student Legacy
If you would like to explore the ways to provide students like Kelly Nuckolls with much-needed scholarship support, contact John Amato at 515-271-2849 or john.amato@drake.edu to discuss your giving options.