HILLSDALE, MI (WTVB) – Hillsdale College announced Friday that Erika Kirk, the CEO of Turning Point USA, will deliver the keynote address at the college’s 174th commencement ceremony May 9.
The selection comes as the college continues to honor the legacy of her late husband, Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated in September 2025.
During the ceremony, both Erika and Charlie will be awarded honorary degrees, a distinction Hillsdale President Dr. Larry P. Arnn described as the “greatest respect a college can give”.
The invitation highlights a deep, longstanding connection between the Kirk family and the Michigan-based liberal arts college. Charlie Kirk was a frequent student of Hillsdale’s online courses and a vocal supporter of its mission before his death during a speaking appearance at Utah Valley University.
Erika Kirk, who stepped into the leadership of Turning Point USA following the tragedy, expressed that it is a “great honor” to address the class of 2026, noting that the institution represents a rare “steadfast devotion to faith, learning, and the principles that sustain a free nation,”
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