Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie has announced that, with the approval of the IU Board of Trustees, the School of Global and International Studies will be named in honor of former U.S. Rep. Lee H. Hamilton and former U.S. Sen. Richard G. Lugar -- two immensely accomplished Indiana statesmen and two of the nation's most distinguished and influential voices in foreign policy.

Proud Hoosiers committed to pragmatic, nonpartisan solutions, Hamilton and Lugar exemplify the belief that the United States is more secure and prosperous and the world is a better place when we engage with it. The spirit of the School of Global and International Studies is rooted in this tradition.

Hamilton and Lugar remain pre-eminent figures in U.S. international relations. Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian award, by President Barack Obama, both statesmen led efforts to shift U.S. foreign policy away from a Cold War footing and toward the challenges and opportunities of a new century.

The naming of the Lee H. Hamilton and Richard G. Lugar School of Global and International Studies kicks off a $25 million fundraising campaign to establish a scholarship program and endowed faculty positions within the school. The Global Leadership Scholars Program will support scholarships and fellowships for high-achieving students demonstrating a commitment to global engagement. The Hamilton Lugar Political Leadership Scholars Program will fund faculty positions for top policy scholars focused on areas central to Hamilton's and Lugar's legacies, such as homeland security and nonproliferation.

The Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies builds on more than a half century of excellence in global affairs at Indiana University. Established in 2012, the school promotes understanding of contemporary and global issues informed by a deep knowledge of history, culture and language.