Join fellow Yalies for a special evening featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning Yale Professor David W. Blight, Sterling Professor of History at Yale.
📅 Thursday, November 19, 2026
📍 Columbus Museum of Art | Pavilion Room
🖼️ Museum galleries open: 5:30 PM
🥂 Meet and Mingle: 6:45 PM
🎓 Lecture and Q&A: 7:30 PM
🍽️ Reception: 8:45 PM
🎟️ Tickets are $85 per person. Registration is through the Crichton Club.
A Welcome and Invitation from Yale Club of Central Ohio President Doug Rund
Dear Members of the Yale Club of Central Ohio,
We have an opportunity to join members of the Crichton Club in attending a lecture by Yale Sterling Professor David Blight, PhD on November 19, 2026.
This will be our third major event of the year following our event at the home of Molly Hughes '03 and our Yale entering student sendoff hosted by Michael Fitzpatrick '95 on August 9.
As graduates of Yale, we share a deep appreciation for rigorous thinking, thoughtful dialogue, and the kind of community that forms when people come together around ideas. Here in Columbus, one of the most rewarding places to continue that tradition is the Crichton Club—a century-old institution dedicated to bringing distinguished speakers, scholars, and public thinkers to our region. The Crichton Club offers an environment that feels both intellectually alive and genuinely welcoming. This year marks the non-profit club’s 107th season.
We have received the following invitation from the Crichton Club:
To help you become acquainted with this unique club and its educational focus, Crichton Club Members are inviting Members of the Yale Club of Central Ohio to a lecture by Pulitzer Prize Winning Yale Professor, David W. Blight Ph.D. Professor Blight is the Sterling Professor of History and the Director of the Gilder Lehrman Center for the Study of Slavery, Resistance, and Abolition at Yale University.
The event will be held on Thursday, November 19, 2026 at the private Pavilion Room in the Columbus Museum of Art.
Members and guests may come to the museum as early as 5:30 pm to tour the beautiful art galleries before attending the lecture and reception. Parking is free and conveniently located in large parking lots behind the museum.
At 6:45 pm, the Pavilion Room opens for a Meet and Mingle Social gathering featuring a fully stocked Cash Bar. Complimentary non-alcoholic beverages will also be available.
Professor Blight will begin his One-Hour Lecture at 7:30 pm followed by an audience Question and Answer period.
At 8:45 pm, guests gather together for a lovely Reception where hors d'oeuvres and delicious desserts will be served. The Cash Bar reopens and non-alcoholic beverages are served again. Guests are encouraged to introduce themselves to Professor Blight during the reception, while sharing lively conversations and ideas.
Guest Tickets cost $85 per person, and Yale Club members may register for this Engaging Evening with Professor Blight by clicking on the link to the Crichton Club site.
This will be an opportunity to greet fellow alumni, meet current Crichton Club members, learn more about the Club’s programs, and experience firsthand the warmth and camaraderie that define its community.
Another option to consider is to become a Crichton Club member for the entire 2026-2027 season. The new season begins in October, concludes in April, and features three talented speakers. Information about the other speakers can be found on the Crichton Club website. The seasonal membership dues will include the David Blight lecture and are only $250 per person.
The President of Crichton Club and the Board of Directors, look forward to welcoming Yale Club members to an Evening with Yale Professor David W. Blight.
If you have any questions regarding the November 19 event or the 2026-2027 season, please contact Crichton Club President, Karen Wilkins using this email address crichtonclub@gmail.com.
As officers of the Yale Club of Central Ohio, we hope you will join us for this evening of connection and curiosity.
Dr. Doug Rund '67, President, Yale Club of Central Ohio
Molly Hughes '03, Vice President
Marty Lewis '73, Secretary-Treasurer