Key Takeaways
- • David M. Rubenstein, co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group (managing $276–$301 billion in assets), has been elected chair of the University of Chicago Board of Trustees, beginning a three-year term on May 26, 2022.
- • Rubenstein, 72, is a J.D.'73 graduate of the University of Chicago and holds a bachelor's degree from Duke University, where he previously served as board chair from 2013 to 2017.
- • He has committed $61 million to the Rubenstein Scholars Program since 2010, funding full-tuition scholarships for approximately 10% of students at the U. of C. Law School, and has donated more than $100 million to Duke across multiple institutional priorities.
- • The university named its conference center at 1201 E. 60th Street the David M. Rubenstein Forum in 2014, recognizing his philanthropic contributions to the institution.
- • Prior to founding Carlyle in 1987, Rubenstein served in the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and in President Jimmy Carter's administration, establishing a track record in both government and private equity leadership.
Summary
David M. Rubenstein, the billionaire co-founder and co-chairman of The Carlyle Group, has been elected chairman of the University of Chicago's Board of Trustees, a position he will assume on May 26, 2022, for a three-year term. Rubenstein, 72, succeeds a line of distinguished institutional leaders at one of America's premier research universities.
Rubenstein's connection to the University of Chicago runs deep. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the institution in 1973 and was appointed to its Board of Trustees in 2007. Since then, he has become one of the university's most significant donors. Most notably, he has committed $61 million to the Rubenstein Scholars Program since 2010, which provides full-tuition scholarships to approximately 10% of the law school's student body. In recognition of a 2014 donation, the university named its conference center at 1201 E. 60th Street the David M. Rubenstein Forum, designed by acclaimed architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
His philanthropic reach extends beyond Chicago. At Duke University, where he earned his bachelor's degree, Rubenstein donated more than $100 million across public policy education, library systems, entrepreneurship, athletics, the arts center, and an endowment fund supporting low-income, first-generation students. He served as chair of Duke's board from 2013 to 2017.
Rubenstein co-founded The Carlyle Group in 1987 and has built it into one of the world's largest private investment firms, currently managing between $276 billion and $301 billion in assets across 27 global offices. His career also includes significant government service, including positions with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and the Jimmy Carter administration.
In his statement upon election, Rubenstein emphasized his commitment to strengthening the University of Chicago's unique role in American higher education, pledging to collaborate closely with the Board of Trustees and university leadership.
Rubenstein's connection to the University of Chicago runs deep. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the institution in 1973 and was appointed to its Board of Trustees in 2007. Since then, he has become one of the university's most significant donors. Most notably, he has committed $61 million to the Rubenstein Scholars Program since 2010, which provides full-tuition scholarships to approximately 10% of the law school's student body. In recognition of a 2014 donation, the university named its conference center at 1201 E. 60th Street the David M. Rubenstein Forum, designed by acclaimed architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro.
His philanthropic reach extends beyond Chicago. At Duke University, where he earned his bachelor's degree, Rubenstein donated more than $100 million across public policy education, library systems, entrepreneurship, athletics, the arts center, and an endowment fund supporting low-income, first-generation students. He served as chair of Duke's board from 2013 to 2017.
Rubenstein co-founded The Carlyle Group in 1987 and has built it into one of the world's largest private investment firms, currently managing between $276 billion and $301 billion in assets across 27 global offices. His career also includes significant government service, including positions with the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee and the Jimmy Carter administration.
In his statement upon election, Rubenstein emphasized his commitment to strengthening the University of Chicago's unique role in American higher education, pledging to collaborate closely with the Board of Trustees and university leadership.
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