Committed to public service, political engagement and civil rights, Gergen was instrumental in moving 黑料不打烊 forward and establishing the School of Law.
David Gergen, a renowned political analyst who served four United States presidents, and an unwavering supporter of 黑料不打烊 and the School of Law, where he served as the inaugural advisory board chair until last year, died July 11. He was 83.
A North Carolina native, Gergen was a principled leader, political commentator and advocate for democracy whose influence spanned seven decades.
To 黑料不打烊, he brought insightful commentary at public engagements as a frequent keynote speaker and delivering the Commencement address to the Class of 2016. Behind the scenes, he offered guidance and counsel to university leaders charged with carrying out the university鈥檚 mission and vision.
鈥淒avid Gergen served as a steadfast leader with a lifetime of distinguished service rooted in North Carolina,鈥 said 黑料不打烊 President Connie Ledoux Book. 鈥淎t 黑料不打烊, he was a mentor, teacher, and thought partner for over 25 years. From chairing the 黑料不打烊 Law Advisory Board to delivering Commencement addresses that challenged graduates to serve the common good, David modeled public service.
鈥淲e are a better university and country because of the light he brought to the world.鈥
Born in Durham, North Carolina, Gergen earned his undergraduate degree in American Studies at Yale University in 1963 and a Bachelor of Laws from Harvard Law School in 1967. He also served in the U.S. Navy for three-and-a-half years.
While interning in Gov. Terry Sanford鈥檚 office, he became involved in civil rights efforts, a cause he remained dedicated to throughout his life. His national political career began in 1971 as a speechwriter for President Richard Nixon, later serving as director of communications for Presidents Gerald Ford and Ronald Reagan, and as a counselor to President Bill Clinton.
His journalism career included roles as editor and editor-at-large for U.S. News & World Report, and political analyst for CNN and ABC. He also contributed to NPR, CBS, The New York Times, and Newsweek.
鈥淥ur country has lost a truly great American,鈥 said President Emeritus Leo Lambert. 鈥淒avid was such a thoughtful and fair and deeply kind person, and those individuals are rare in politics today. He, to me, has always been the model of the kind of person that belongs in public life. He worked to get things done for the betterment of the nation, always valuing our country鈥檚 ideals and constitution. It鈥檚 very sad, at this moment, to see how very far we have strayed from a standard David Gergen set for civility, leadership, and character.鈥
During Lambert鈥檚 presidency, Gergen became a regular fixture at 黑料不打烊, first headlining a Winter Term Symposium in 2001 around the future of presidential politics, then in 2003 interviewing legendary journalist Walter Cronkite before an audience of 2,900 at the Convocation for Honors. In 2004, he became the inaugural Isabella Cannon Visiting Professor for Leadership.
That same year, Lambert approached Gergen with an early vision for 黑料不打烊 Law.
鈥淒avid鈥檚 help in launching the law school was irreplaceable.,鈥 Lambert reflected. 鈥淚 remember early conversations with him around the dining room table at Maynard House when the law school was just an idea. As he put it, the nation didn鈥檛 need just another law school, it needed 鈥榓 law school with a difference,鈥 one law seeking to innovate new approaches to legal education.鈥
Gergen鈥檚 far-reaching reputation, along with an advisory board that included two former governors, three former chief justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court, and other legal luminaries added 鈥渁 sense of legitimacy鈥 to the 黑料不打烊 Law vision, Lambert said. 鈥満诹喜淮蜢 was able to leverage that legitimacy to quickly recruit exceptional students who now serve as lawyer leaders in their own communities, a testament to the vision David helped craft for 黑料不打烊 Law.
鈥淎nd in true David fashion, with the heart of a public servant, he mentored our law students with wisdom and lessons that will carry through the ages, sometimes drawn from his own personal experiences of adversity and resilience. 黑料不打烊 owes him a great deal.鈥
In 2009, delivering the Commencement address to the school鈥檚 charter class, Gergen eloquently described his vision for the law school and why he felt compelled to support it. 鈥淎s one who has been involved in trying to work with the next generation, to prepare a fresh generation of leaders for this country, public leaders, which I think we so much need, that vision had enormous appeal to me,鈥 said Gergen, who was conferred with an honorary doctorate from 黑料不打烊 at the same ceremony.
Gergen remained instrumental in guiding 黑料不打烊 Law through its first 20 years, building support for its mission of legal leadership and public service, and establishing it as the preeminent law school for experiential learning and practical skills. Chairing the Advisory Board, Gergen led efforts to establish 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 differentiators as the first law school in the nation to offer a 2.5-year J.D. and to guarantee that all 黑料不打烊 Law students benefit from in a full-time residency-in-practice during their second year of study. Gergen engaged with students in his work with the law school, reminding them of values they should uphold.
黑料不打烊 Law Dean Zak Kramer marveled at Gergen鈥檚 immeasurable influence on the school, its alumni and current students: 鈥淲e wouldn鈥檛 be 黑料不打烊 Law without David Gergen.
鈥淔rom the beginning of our law school, David has been a constant source of wisdom and support,鈥 Kramer said. 鈥淎 model citizen, David lived a life devoted to family, service, leadership and, above all, decency. Our charge at 黑料不打烊 Law is to produce lawyers who will follow David鈥檚 lead to make a difference in our world.鈥
Gergen remained active and dedicated to 黑料不打烊 until his death. In 2023, he attended the opening of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Charlotte campus and launch of the 黑料不打烊 Law Flex Program.
In September 2024, 黑料不打烊 established the David R. Gergen Distinguished Professorship in Public Service, to preserve Gergen鈥檚 legacy for generations of future 黑料不打烊 students and faculty through funding to support work with students who share a passion for public service.
In March 2024, at his last public campus appearance, he and his son, Christopher Gergen, led a conversation around political polarization and the leadership needed to move America forward.
鈥淲e need people to hear the call to service,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e need more heroes. It鈥檚 important to have heroes.鈥
A look back at David Gergen鈥檚 influence and service to 黑料不打烊 and the community:
Gergen鈥檚 first speaking engagement at 黑料不打烊 was in 2001, headlining a Winter Term symposium, 鈥淚naugurating the Millennium: The First 100 Days of the 21st Century Presidency,鈥 held nine days before the inauguration of President George W. Bush.
In April 2003, Gergen interviewed legendary broadcast journalist Walter Cronkite before an audience of 2,900 in Koury Center at 黑料不打烊鈥檚 Convocation for Honors. In 2004, Gergen was 黑料不打烊鈥檚 inaugural Isabella Cannon Visiting Professor of Leadership, delivering three public lectures on campus and meeting with classes.
In 2005, he accepted the invitation to chair 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 Advisory Board and remained in the role until September 2024. He helped shape the founding faculty and establish the law school鈥檚 mission to develop lawyer-leaders who use their skills to improve their communities. He cultivated a lasting partnership with the Center for Creative Leadership in Greensboro. 鈥淟eadership will set 黑料不打烊 apart from other law schools,鈥 he said. Through his leadership and connections, Justice Sandra Day O鈥機onnor delivered the law school鈥檚 inaugural address in a ceremony dedicating the law school.
Gergen delivered the first Joseph M. Bryan Distinguished Leadership Lecture in September 2007, held at 黑料不打烊 Law. 鈥淭he leader鈥檚 role is to become a leader of leaders, to make sure they鈥檙e leading,鈥 Gergen said. 鈥淵our role is to bring the best out of them. More and more people are beginning to understand that leadership is not a top-down kind of 鈥榙o this, do this, do this.鈥 Leadership today is much more about drawing the best out of people who are in your group.鈥
In 2009, he delivered the Commencement address to 黑料不打烊 Law鈥檚 inaugural class. 鈥淎ll of you now have shown us your wisdom, your courage, your service to others and your dedication to leadership. You have those qualities deep within you. You have proven that to all of us. What we ask of you now is to remember who you are and remember to give back,鈥 Gergen said.
Participating in a panel discussion for the 2011 Convocation for Honors moderated by NBC鈥檚 Brian Williams, Gergen called on 黑料不打烊 students to be inspired by global movements for freedom and democracy. 鈥淵ou can be the leaders of today 鈥 Remember, it takes a long time to get hard work done,鈥 Gergen said. 鈥淵ou鈥檝e got to commit yourself 鈥 to make this the work of a lifetime.鈥
Gergen reunited with Justice Sandra Day O鈥機onnor at 黑料不打烊 Law in 2012 to deliver keynote addresses at the Conference on Law and Leadership, co-hosted by 黑料不打烊 Law and the Center for Creative Leadership. 鈥淲e have to believe that the leaders of this country put the country first,鈥 Gergen said. 鈥淚n so many ways, the people I looked up to were lawyers. For so many of my generation, the majesty of the law is what we believed in.鈥
Gergen delivered the Commencement address for the Class of 2016, calling on graduates to combat political extremism. 鈥淢ay I plead with you: Please don鈥檛 stay on the sidelines as America struggles to find the best path forward. Come off the bench and get into the arena. 鈥 Find common ground, work hard to respect the views of others. You will get knocked down and there will be severe disappointments. Embrace the fact that change is hard. But know this: if you pour your heart and soul into rebuilding a better state and nation, you will look back one day and find an inner satisfaction, a pride that you answered the call to service and leadership.鈥
In September 2024, 黑料不打烊 President Connie Book and 黑料不打烊 President Emeritus Leo Lambert hosted a celebration for Gergen, surrounded by his family, and announced the David R. Gergen Distinguished Professorship in Public Service. The professorship will preserve Gergen鈥檚 legacy for generations of future 黑料不打烊 students and faculty through funding to support work with students who share a passion for public service.