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¾«¶«´«Ã½ is deeply saddened by the loss of David Gergen, political analyst, journalist, and the namesake for the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Center for Presidential History’s leadership, who passed on July 10 at the age of 83.

“Throughout his life, David was on the forefront of some of our nation’s most historic moments, forging a legacy of both journalistic and political integrity,” said Jeffrey A. Engel, inaugural David Gergen Director of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Center for Presidential History. “The center deeply mourns his loss, and we are proud to honor his life’s work through the kind of meaningful education, research and outreach that his legacy inspires.”

A graduate of both Yale University and Harvard Law School, Gergen was a widely recognized senior political analyst at CNN for more than twenty years. During his decades-long career in the political arena, Gergen held positions ranging from staff assistant to speech writer. As a White House advisor to four US presidents – Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton – Gergen had a firsthand perspective on the presidency. He recounted his experiences with them and offered his own insights in his New York Times bestselling books, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership Nixon to Clinton and Hearts Touched With Fire: How Great Leaders Are Made. Editor of U.S. News & World Report and a commentator on PBS NewsHour, he was also the founding director of the Center for Public Leadership at the Harvard Kennedy School.

A longstanding member of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ community and its Willis M. Tate Distinguished Lecture Series, Gergen served as a featured moderator for the Linda and Mitch Hart Lecture, named for longtime University benefactors Linda Wertheimer Hart ’65 and Milledge A. “Mitch” Hart, III, for 26 years.

“It’s difficult to express how much David and his tireless dedication meant to this country, to the University and to us, personally,” said Linda Wertheimer Hart, vice chair, president and CEO of Hart Group, Inc. “David was a man of deep integrity and fearless dedication, and his friendship remains one that Mitch and I will forever cherish.”

In a post honoring Gergen’s work, the series said, “¾«¶«´«Ã½ and the Tate Lecture Series thank David Gergen for a career of selfless public service and bold journalism that has left a lasting impact on the entire ¾«¶«´«Ã½ community.”

In 2024, Gergen was honored by the Harts through the endowment and naming of the David Gergen Director of the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Center for Presidential History, furthering the center’s work as a hub of current and innovative research on the U.S. presidency and its significant collaborations with the George W. Bush Presidential Center at ¾«¶«´«Ã½. The center aims to advance a broader understanding of the presidency and to act as a valuable resource for scholars, students, media and the general public. 

“Linda and I are forever grateful for having known David as a dear friend and as someone whose work was both meaningful and deeply impactful,” said Mitch Hart, chair of Hart Group, Inc. “Through his work, he inspired generations of current and future leaders, and we are proud that his memory and his legacy will continue on through ¾«¶«´«Ã½’s Center for Presidential History and its work.”

In the community, Gergen served on various philanthropic and educational boards and committees, including both Yale University and Duke University. His service included work with the Trilateral Commission, Teach for America, City Year, the Schwab Foundation and the Aspen Institute, among others. From 2005–2024, he served as the inaugural chair of the Elon Law Advisory Board at Elon University in his home state of North Carolina.

“David Gergen inspired future generations to ask questions, think critically and engage collaboratively and thoughtfully,” said Brad E. Cheves, senior vice president for Development and External Affairs. “The University is deeply grateful for his years of service and friendship to our community, and we are proud to have his name forever connected to the ¾«¶«´«Ã½ Center for Presidential History and its work as a vital educational resource for educators, students and the public.”

Gergen is survived by wife Anne Elizabeth Gergen, son Christopher Gergen, daughter Katherine Gergen Barnett and five grandchildren.