Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA, is delivering the commencement address today at Hillsdale College.
The ceremony, closed to the public and open to limited members of the media, begins at 2 p.m. in the Biermann Center. A livestream will be available at cw.hillsdale.edu. The event, according to the college, usually lasts around 2.5 hours.
Who is Erika Kirk?
The school announced the selection of Kirk as commencement speaker March 6. Kirk was appointed to lead Turning Point USA following the assassination of her husband, the organization’s founder Charlie Kirk, in September 2025.
Kirk holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and international relations from Arizona State University and a juris master in legal studies from Liberty University, according to Hillsdale College. Her professional work includes nonprofit and entrepreneurial ventures. She also hosts the podcast “Midweek Rise Up” and leads a clothing and lifestyle brand.
In a statement, Kirk wrote she was honored by the invitation and reflected on her husband’s connection to the college.
“Charlie loved Hillsdale deeply and was often a grateful student of its online courses, learning from (President Larry P. Arnn) and the remarkable faculty, who are so committed to truth and the pursuit of wisdom,” she wrote.
“Hillsdale represents something rare in our time — a steadfast devotion to faith, learning, and the principles that sustain a free nation.”
Charlie Kirk was shot and killed Sept. 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University. Arnn, a longtime friend and collaborator, praised his influence on higher education and said the college planned to award him an honorary degree.
Is there a protest planned today in Hillsdale?
Numerous groups are planning a peaceful protest before the commencement ceremony begins at Broad Street and N. Howell Street in Hillsdale.
The event is being planned in part by Hillsdale In Action, according to posts on social media.
“This is bigger than one speaker,” the organization wrote May 3. “This is about the networks, the ideology, and the harm being normalized in real time. We’re not ignoring it. We’re not accepting it. We’re showing up.”
HIA advises participants to “bring signs, bring your energy, bring your outrage.”
The protest is slated to begin at 11 a.m. on the sidewalks near the Hillsdale County Courthouse.
— Contact reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @cmurrayhdn.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Erika Kirk is speaking today at Hillsdale College. What to know
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
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