While many spend their four years in college learning new drinking games, how to cram for a final exam in one night or creative ways to stomach Sodexo food, Alexander Grgurich ran for city council of Norwalk, Iowa.

He won his first election when he was just 21 and started his own company in the same year.

Grgurich (G’08) has the calm demeanor of someone who has it all together. Just a little over a year after graduating with a degree in finance, Grgurich has his first business, Rockstar Party Buses, up and running. He’s also started a second company, a real estate business called Foundry Coworking.

Grgurich currently sits on the city council of Norwalk, a town 30 minutes south of Des Moines of about 7,000 people.

He is currently facing an incumbent and an ex-Air Force general as challengers in another bid for the office, having lost his first campaign in 2007 by only eight votes.

His focus works to his benefit during campaigning, which Grgurich said is “a lot of door-knocking.” While seemingly all fundraising, door-knocking and cold-calling, the campaign is all worth it in order to pursue his plans for the city. These plans include improving infrastructure, boosting the town’s image, property tax reform for private homeowners and bringing fresh leadership to the town. Grgurich said he feels he can achieve this as mayor, and make many changes.

Grgurich said he doesn’t remember the point he chose to go into politics, but his drive to serve has always been present. He said that he never felt represented growing up in a humble family.

To accomplish this, during his time as city councilman, he pushed for lower property taxes. Another accomplishment during his time on the council is his service on the Metro Waste Authority Board. He acknowledged that it doesn’t sound glamorous, but the results are rewarding.

“We increased recycling by at least 20 percent,” Grgurich said.

The implementation of programs such as single-stream recycling, something Drake recently implemented, contributed to that figure.

Although he doesn’t have a political science degree, Grgurich said he believes graduating in finance will be an asset to his campaign, especially because one of his main issues is property tax reform.

“It’s important to have a broad knowledge base,” Grgurich said.

He also said that he doesn’t want to get a paycheck from politics. Grgurich views it more as a platform for change rather than a springboard to the White House.

When asked how far he has set his sights politically, he laughs.

“Experience has taught me that I already have a job to do, and I’d be doing a disservice to the people if I (concentrate on re-election),” Grgurich said. “People who do that are in it for the glory.”

The young politician acknowledges that sometimes his age is an issue. While campaigning during the current race, he spoke to a Norwalk resident who said he would not receive her vote, because she assumed he wouldn’t be responsible enough to show up to meetings.

“Being young is hard,” Grgurich said. However, he believes in bringing fresh leadership into the city council, and is trying to use his age as a selling point.

Election Day, Nov. 3, is only weeks away. Grgurich said he is optimistic.

“We are reaching out to the people,” he said.

The engaging Drake grad is working on educating and connecting with the voting public. He said he hopes to inspire the citizens of Norwalk to feel the same passion for their community as he does.