Centers and Institutes
Centers of Excellence
Center for Aging & Community
Founded in 2001, the Center for Aging & Community is one of Indiana's leading gerontology centers, helping businesses and community organizations engage older adults in the key focus areas of "aging in place" and "meaningful work for older adults." Using an interdisciplinary approach that draws from UIndy faculty and resources in health care, education, business and other fields, the center develops partnerships to promote older adults as community assets and to improve their quality of life. The center also offers a Master of Science in Gerontology degree and a Graduate Certificate in Gerontology.
Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning
Created in 2001, the Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning (CELL) is focused on ensuring all children graduate from high school with the skills and knowledge needed for success in postsecondary education and the world of work in a 21st century economy. CELL has generated $30 million in funding to support its work as the leading convener, catalyst and collaborator for dynamic, innovative change in Indiana's education system.
CELL provides leadership that is both cutting-edge and action oriented. Through partnerships with international, national and local education leaders and organizations, CELL brings together districts, schools, communities, universities and businesses to build a sense of urgency and form collaborations for equity focused, sustainable, statewide educational and economic improvement. Key funders include Lilly Endowment, Inc. and Lumina Foundation for Education.
Richard G. Lugar Center for Tomorrow's Leaders
For more than 30 years, UIndy has been honored to host the Lugar Symposium for Tomorrow's Leaders. The University and Senator Lugar have partnered to create an extraordinary experience for thousands of Indiana high school students, introducing them to the world of public service leadership. In 2007, the University created a permanent home for the Lugar Symposium in honor of Senator Lugar. By establishing the Richard G. Lugar Center for Tomorrow's Leaders, the University will offer opportunities to develop a new generation of public leaders for Indiana.
The Lugar Center for Tomorrow's Leaders is student-focused. Its goal is to provide extended experiences for Indiana high school and college students that expose them to leadership opportunities, the value of leadership in service to others, issues of ethics and integrity in leadership and the qualities of strong leaders. In addition, the Center will build upon the core values of the University of Indianapolis by exposing young people to the value of a liberal arts education while preparing them to be tomorrow's leaders.
Institute for Civic Leadership & Mayoral Archives
UIndy's new Institute for Civic Leadership & Mayoral Archives, still in the early stages of development, is envisioned as a hub for research, teaching and community conversation. The archives will enable scholars, urban planners and others to study and discuss the issues all cities grapple with—urban revitalization, population shifts, education, crime and affordable housing—informed in particular by the Indianapolis experience with unified county government and development of a vital city core. The institute's inaugural event featured a public discussion about many of these issues with current Indianapolis mayor Greg Ballard and former mayors Richard Lugar, William Hudnut, Stephen Goldsmith and Bart Peterson.
Watch highlights from the conversation ►
UIndy’s mayoral archives, which include papers and related items from mayors Lugar, Hudnut, Goldsmith and Peterson, capture a significant era in the city’s development – a period that began with Unigov and included the creation of White River State Park, the financing of Circle Centre Mall and the arrival of an NFL football team.
The new institute will digitize the mayoral collection, now contained in 450 boxes, while continuing to acquire and preserve other materials that chronicle the Indianapolis story. As such, the collection is conceived as a living archive. The institute and archives will be housed in a renovated section of Krannert Memorial Library.
The institute also will fill a role in civics education for Indiana secondary and post-secondary students, connecting with UIndy’s academic programs and the Lugar Center for Tomorrow’s Leaders.
Other Centers and Institutes
Center for Business Partnerships
The Center for Business Partnerships is an outreach program that identifies and develops opportunities for School of Business faculty to assist and partner with local businesses and community organizations. A key goal is to involve students in “real world” projects that provide practical experience and reinforce classroom concepts.
Institute for Leadership and Professional Development
The Institute for Leadership and Professional Development, a division of the University’s School for Adult Learning, consists of noncredit seminars, workshops, certification programs and related offerings to help working professionals develop leadership skills. Key elements include a three-day Supervisory Institute offered numerous times throughout the year, a three-day Leadership Management Institute and various financial seminars and online courses.
Institute for the Study of War and Diplomacy
The University of Indianapolis has established the Institute for the Study of War and Diplomacy as an academic and community service institute committed to the study of warfare and international conflict resolution. It draws upon the expertise of UIndy faculty in History, Political Science and International Relations, along with outside specialists. Founded in the belief that a functioning representative government requires the participation of an informed citizenry, the institute provides programs to educate and enlighten the community as well as UIndy students.