Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, a Zubrow Distinguished Visiting Journalist and Seth Klarman ’79, CEO and portfolio manager of The Baupost Group and 2026 Hatfield Fellow, will offer “On Democracy, Conservatism and Journalism: A Conversation with Bret Stephens” on March 6 at 4:30 p.m. in the Rhodes-Rawling Auditorium in Klarman Hall. This wide-ranging conversation will be introduced by Peter John Loewen, the Harold Tanner Dean of Arts and Sciences.
“Seth and I have known each other for nearly 20 years and have shared many meaningful conversations. I hope this event brings to Cornell some of the energy and relevance that have shaped our discussions over the years,” Stephens said.
“One of the essential components of a healthy democracy is a free press and another is a shared commitment to truth – values Bret Stephens has long upheld. I’m looking forward to a candid conversation about how we strengthen practices and institutions that underpin a strong democracy – encouraging open debate, promoting civic responsibility and preserving an independent press corps that asks hard questions,” Klarman said.
In addition to this public event, Klarman will be in conversation with Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff for the Hatfield Lecture earlier in the day at 11:30 a.m. in Lewis Auditorium.
Since joining the New York Times in 2017, Stephens has written about foreign policy, domestic politics and cultural issues. He won the Pulitzer Prize in 2013 for his commentary at the Wall Street Journal and previously served as editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post. He has reported stories from Gaza to Greenland and is the author of “America in Retreat: The New Isolationism and the Coming Global Disorder,” published in 2014.
Klarman has overseen Baupost investments since its inception. He is the author of "Margin of Safety," a book that outlines his value investment philosophy, and editor of and contributor to the Benjamin Graham and David Dodd classic "Security Analysis, Seventh Edition." He serves as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Broad Institute, and on Beth Israel Hospital’s Board of Managers and as a member of their Board of Trustees. He is a member of Harvard Business School’s Board of Dean’s Advisors and is co-chairman of The Klarman Family Foundation. He regularly teaches investment classes at leading colleges and business schools and speaks at various industry gatherings. In 2020, he was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Klarman and wife Beth are among the College of Arts and Sciences’ strongest supporters. They gave the lead gift to construct Klarman Hall, significantly advancing the humanities at Cornell, and created the Klarman Fellows program, one of the most selective of its kind in the country, with a cohort of postdocs pursuing leading-edge research across disciplines.
The College of Arts & Sciences’ Distinguished Visiting Journalist program is funded through an endowment from Jan Rock Zubrow ’77 and Barry Zubrow, as well as additional philanthropic support from Carol MacCorkle ’64, Jay Branegan ’72, Rose Gutfeld Edwards ’78 and the Dr. Guinevere Griest ’44 Fund for Public Engagement in A&S.
Linda B. Glaser is news and media relations manager for the College of Arts and Sciences.
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