The Online Reflector

By Sarah Haefner
Staff Writer

The University of Indianapolis, in conjunction with Senator Richard G. Lugar’s office, announced the conceptual development of a proposed Richard G. Lugar Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders on campus on Dec. 8, 2007. The official launch of the new program is scheduled for the summer of 2008.

Proposed by UIndy President Beverley Pitts in October 2007, Sen. Lugar quickly approved the Lugar Center. According to Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Mark Weigand, the center’s mission is to stimulate and inspire the next generation of public leaders through permanent establishment of the Lugar Symposium for Tomorrow’s Leaders.

The center will include programs that emphasize the study of Sen. Lugar’s life and the qualities and values that shaped him as a leader.

“The idea for the center has been floating around for a long time,” Pitts said. “We approached Sen. Lugar’s staff, and they were very supportive. We’ve held the Lugar Symposium for more than 30 years now, but it wasn’t institutionalized. We felt like we needed something more permanent to build programming to develop leadership and a partnership with K-12 schools.”

The Lugar Symposium celebrated 31 years in operation last December. Since its creation, the center has drawn 15,000 students to the symposiums. Each year, Indiana high schools pick two juniors to attend the symposium and experience programs, seminars and speakers to learn the importance of civic responsibility, engagement and leadership. Debates are held about current issues, and representatives of each perspective of the issue are given the opportunity to speak. Sen. Lugar also attends, meets many of the students and gives a speech in Ransburg Auditorium. The senator has never missed a Lugar Day.

“The Lugar Center will take the existing symposium and build more opportunities, structures, networks and programs to support the core mission,” Weigand said. “It will provide experiences for high school and college students that will expose them to leadership opportunities, as well as the value of leadership and service to others, [and] issues of ethics, integrity, leadership and the qualities of strong leadership.”

The center will not be academic- or curriculum-based, but will include mentorship programs for students, as well as training programs for student -government leaders.

“We need the next generation of public leaders,” Pitts said. “The center is designed to produce just that.”

The center is currently a broad concept, but Pitts said she has an optimistic outlook.

“We may have to do some trial and error, but the world is at our feet,” Pitts said.

The next developmental tasks are already underway. The search for a director to hold the position for two years is in progress, as well as for members of an advisory board to build a business plan that will outline the manner in which funds will be accumulated for each program incorporated in the center. A staff member in Sen. Lugar’s office also will be on the advisory board to ensure that the senator is comfortable with the activities. Each program will have its own funding from grants, as well as contributions from members of the community and alumni.

“We hope to engage folks from within the campus and surrounding communities to help develop these programs for leadership,” Weigand said.
UIndy students may get involved in the center by linking with high school students through mentoring and volunteering, which in turn will provide a glimpse into careers in public leadership.

The relationship between UIndy and Sen. Lugar stems from a unique past.

“Sen. Lugar was actually a professor in the history department here,” Weigand said. “It’s been said that during the duration of his run for office, he never missed a class.”

Since his senatorial win and continual re-election, Lugar has continued his commitment to UIndy, said Sen. Lugar’s Deputy Press Secretary Emily Krueger.

“The senator hopes to continue to give young people the opportunity to think seriously about the country, issues it is facing and how they may play a role. He hopes to encourage public service and was very excited to accept the invitation of the new center,” Krueger said.

Sen. Lugar’s ties with UIndy have created benefits for the university.

“To have someone of the caliber of Sen. Lugar put his name on something at UIndy is a huge compliment. His commitment to us is extraordinary,” Pitts said. “Furthermore, helping young people see public service as valuable fits with the mission of this campus.”