Utah Valley University Faces Backlash for Selecting Charlie Kirk Critic as Commencement Speaker: 'A Slap to the Face'

Utah Valley University (UVU) is under fire for its decision to invite author and educator Sharon McMahon as the commencement speaker, a choice that has drawn ire due to her comments regarding Charlie Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, who was recently assassinated on campus.

In the wake of Kirk's tragic death, McMahon took to social media platform X to express her views, stating, “Millions of people feel they were harmed, and the murder that was horrific and should never have happened does not magically erase what was said or done.” She further elaborated, “To many Americans, especially if you are Black, LGBTQ or Muslim, Charlie Kirk was not a person who simply engaged in good-faith debates on college campuses.”

Caleb Chilcutt, president of the Turning Point USA chapter at UVU, voiced his discontent during an appearance on a national news program, labeling the university's choice as a “slap to the face.” He remarked, “They could have brought any other speaker. If they liked Charlie, didn’t like Charlie — I honestly don’t really care. But the fact they brought someone who was so critical, literally days after the assassination on my campus, is just shameful for me.”

Chilcutt noted a divide among students at UVU; conservative students expressed their outrage while some liberal peers appeared to celebrate the decision. This polarization reflects broader societal tensions surrounding free speech and political discourse.

Former Utah Congressman Jason Chaffetz also criticized the selection of McMahon, calling her a “horrific choice” for the commencement address. He described her as a “liberal hack” and expressed disappointment that Utah’s largest university would make such a decision. Chaffetz urged the institution to reconsider its choice, suggesting that there is still time to rectify the situation.

“Look, there’s still time to correct this. This hasn’t happened. And if the university is gonna step up and do the right thing, they’re gonna cancel her and put in somebody like an astronaut or an athlete or somebody, anybody. But this person, this partisan hack, she should not be addressing the students, not at the commencement,” he stated emphatically.

The controversy surrounding McMahon's invitation raises questions about the role of universities in fostering inclusive environments while also upholding free speech principles. As UVU prepares for its graduation ceremony, the debate over its speaker choice continues to unfold.