Football | 4/29/2020 8:23:00 AM

Periodically this spring Minnesota State University Moorhead Athletics will do a Q and A with a MSUM athlete alumni to see what he/she is up to after their time as Dragons.

Next to be featured is Dragon football alum Drew Lingle, who played football at MSUM from 2014-17 and graduated with a history degree in Spring 2018 and currently works in Washington DC as a legislative aide for North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer

Drew Lingle
Hometown: Bismarck, N.D. (Century HS grad)
--Graduated from MSUM in 2018 with degree in history
Current job: Legislative Aide for North Dakota Senator Kevin Cramer

1. What led you to attend MSUM originally?
Lingle: "What drew me to MSUM was the culture of leadership and personal development that Coach Laqua created. The football program is built on taking in 18 year-old kids and developing them into future husbands, fathers, and professional leaders. I knew that I was never going to go to the NFL, thus I wanted to use my experience as a college football player to grow into the most complete person I could be. Since leaving MSUM, I can say that I made the right decision and I still use the lessons I learned from MSUM on a daily basis."

2. What was your experience of being a student-athlete at MSUM like?
Lingle: "My experience as a student-athlete at MSUM was great. I got the opportunity to compete at the highest level of Division II football, while being involved on campus. As a student, I was on the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Gender Equity in Athletics Committee, I became a published author for Prairie Public Radio, and was a Dean's List student every semester. The structure that the football program inserted into my life is something that I have continued since leaving MSUM. A student-athlete's life isn't easy, whether it is 5:30 am lifts in the summer, late-night study sessions for finals, long hours in the training room, 5:00 am spring football practices, or intense film sessions. MSUM taught me the discipline that is necessary to be successful, this is something that I will forever be grateful for."

3. What is you fondest memory or memories of your athletic career?
Lingle: "My fondest memory doesn't have to do with any of the games we won. My fondest memory is from film sessions before practice every day. This was time where you were alone with your position group learning and growing together. You made fun of each other, laughed with each other, and learned together. I believe the meeting room is the place where you grow the most as a person and player. I still will randomly start laughing when I think back to moments we had in the position meeting room."

4. You obviously are working in a hotbed of political activity and media coverage in Washington DC...can you describe what it's like working in an environment?
Lingle: "I moved to Washington, D.C. on April 31 last year. Since moving one year ago my experience has been great. I have seen the Robert Mueller investigation come to a close, a Presidential impeachment trial, and a $2 trillion stimulus bill to respond to a global pandemic. When I first moved here I worked for U.S. Senator John Thune. After eight months, Senator Cramer's office offered me a Legislative Aide position with a policy portfolio. I accepted the job and began working for my home state of North Dakota at the beginning of this year. My experience working for Senator Cramer has been a fantastic one. I meet with industry stakeholders to hear issues or concerns they are experiencing. Then I use that information to develop policy with fellow Senate/House legislative staff and federal agencies. Since joining Senator Cramer's office I have assisted him with the telecommunications, trade, and agriculture portfolios."

5. How did attending MSUM impact you, professionally and/or personally?
Lingle: "An easy way I always summarize how MSUM impacted me is the four-to-win motto Coach Laqua instilled in us as players. The four-to-win motto is a leadership motto that Coach Laqua developed as a way to grow leadership within the program. The motto is as follows: I always do what is right, I find a way to get the job done, I'm a great teammate, and I am always in persistent pursuit of my highest potential. By using these four leadership precedents, I have moved across the country, began working for one of the most powerful lawmakers in the world, and experienced the political world first-hand."