Erika Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA, will deliver the commencement address at Hillsdale College on May 9.
The school announced the selection March 6. Kirk was appointed to lead Turning Point USA following the September 2025 assassination of her husband, the organization’s founder Charlie Kirk.
“Charlie Kirk became a national and international sensation, and he built something amazing,” wrote Hillsdale College President Larry P. Arnn. “At his memorial service were the great, the near-great, and tens of millions watching. But that isn’t why we loved him. We loved him because he was, at heart, a student who worked hard to get it right.
“Erika Kirk, brave and widowed, intends to carry on — and we will help her.”
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 (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.”
The ceremony will be closed to the public but available to view via livestream.
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.
— 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 will deliver graduation address at Hillsdale College
Reporting by Corey J. Murray, Hillsdale Daily News / Hillsdale Daily News
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