On Tuesday, February 3rd, 2026, David M. Rubenstein spoke at the 24th Annual Blavatt Lecture hosted by the Eisenhower Institute at Gettysburg College. The lecture was held in the Mara Auditorium in Masters Hall at 7 p.m. Rubenstein’s lecture is titled “The Declaration of Independence at 250: Its Origins and Importance.”

The Blavatt Lecture Series features speakers whose careers offer first-hand insight into the American political system, with an emphasis on public service, civic responsibility, and respectful dialogue. Past lectures have included members of Congress, authors, educators, researchers, and political scholars who bring a wide range of perspectives to discussions on public life.

David M. Rubenstein is an investor, philanthropist, author, historian, and interviewer. He is the co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, a global private investment firm founded in 1987 that today manages approximately $465 billion in assets across 27 offices worldwide.

A Baltimore native, Rubenstein is also the chairman, CEO, and principal owner of Major League Baseball’s Baltimore Orioles.

Rubenstein has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and currently serves as chairman of the boards of the Council on Foreign Relations, the National Gallery of Art, the Economic Club of Washington, and the University of Chicago. He also serves as a trustee of several major institutions, including Johns Hopkins Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, the Brookings Institution, and the World Economic Forum, and sits on the boards of Moderna, Inc. and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Widely recognized for his leadership in patriotic philanthropy, Rubenstein has made significant contributions to the preservation and restoration of many national landmarks and cultural institutions, including the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Mount Vernon, Monticello, the Kennedy Center, the Smithsonian, the National Archives, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

Rubenstein is an original signer of The Giving Pledge and hosts several public affairs programs, including The David Rubenstein Show, Bloomberg Wealth with David Rubenstein, Longevity with David Rubenstein, and Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories. He is also the author of several books, including The American Story, How to Lead, The American Experiment, How to Invest, and The Highest Calling.