The University of Indianapolis has launched a $7.5 million fundraising campaign to establish its Institute for Civic Leadership & Mayoral Archives, the private college announced Friday.

Before announcing the public phase of the campaign, the university raised more than $1 million from current and former members of its board of trustees.

The Institute will house a collection of official documents, correspondence, speeches, photos, audiotapes and other artifacts from the administrations of four Indianapolis mayors: Dick Lugar, Bill Hudnut, Steve Goldsmith and Bart Peterson. During their administrations, Indianapolis overhauled its governing structure, lured the Indianapolis Colts and numerous amateurs sports events, and revitalized its downtown with the opening of Circle Centre mall.

“Success doesn’t just happen, whether in business or the public sector,” said David Frick, a deputy mayor under Hudnut and now chairman of UIndy’s campaign. “It involves careful planning, strategy and implementation. This institute will help develop new civic leaders and guide communities across the state and beyond, as they transition from the manufacturing era to the new technology-based era.”

The institute intends to spearhead research, workshops, conferences and public conversations on urban government and community leadership. The institute also plans to digitize the mayoral records, which are now in hard copies in UIndy’s Krannert Memorial Library.

Plans for the institute were announced on March 11 when UIndy hosted a panel discussion with the four former mayors, as well as with current Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard.