On January 31st, 2009 Senator Richard Lugar received the IUPUI Chancellor's Medallion from Chancellor Charles R. Bantz for his contributions to improving the life of Hoosiers and making our nation safe and secure.
As mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 to 1976 Lugar was instrumental in creating a university in downtown Indianapolis: "Lugar became enthusiastic about the idea that a great university would be
built and would grow in the heart of Indianapolis . . . A number of diverse educational institutions could be united to provide a central focus and a large institution that would attract national and international recognition". With the combined efforts of community leaders and the presidents of Indiana University and Purdue University, Lugar's dream for a downtown university was conceived in the formation of IUPUI.
In 1977, Lugar was elected state senator for Indiana. He held his position for 6 terms, becoming the longest-serving senator in Indiana's history. Lugar exercised leadership on critical issues such as food security, nuclear non-proliferation, energy independence, and free trade. After leaving the Senate, Lugar created a nonprofit organization, The Lugar Center, that specializes in the policy areas he pursued while in office.
Lugar also serves as a Professor of Practice and Distinguished Scholar at the School of Global and International Studies at Indiana University. He is also a co-chair of the IU International Advisory Committee. The Richard G. Lugar Center for Renewable Energy is located on IUPUI's campus housed in the Purdue School of Engineering & Technology.
