Erika Kirk set to speak at Hillsdale College commencement May 9
Erika Kirk will deliver the commencement address at hillsdale college on Saturday, May 9, bringing Turning Point USA’s chief executive to the school’s graduation stage. Hillsdale said the speech reflects its work in faith, learning, and public questions that reach beyond campus.
Erika Kirk and Hillsdale
Kirk said in the announcement that Hillsdale “represents something rare in our time — a steadfast devotion to faith, learning, and the principles that sustain a free nation.” She is slated to speak as graduates gather for the spring ceremony, adding another public moment for a school that has built a national profile through its online courses, classical education work, and Washington presence.
Charlie Kirk had already singled out the school in a February 2025 talk, saying, “There is no place like Hillsdale College.” He added, “The students are different. They’re focused on the right things.”
Hillsdale's national reach
The commencement appearance comes as Hillsdale has gained recognition for efforts to combat activist, left-leaning education on its own campus, in K-12 charter schools, and in state-level education policies. The college also has an endowment of more than $970 million, giving it unusual resources for a private liberal arts school.
That reach has extended into national politics. Hillsdale has been repeatedly enlisted by the Trump White House to shape narratives about American history and civic engagement, including work tied to President Donald Trump’s Freedom 250 initiative.
Arnn and Charlie Kirk
In September 2025, Hillsdale president Larry Arnn praised Charlie Kirk at his memorial service and said Kirk had “completed over 30 online Hillsdale courses.” Arnn also awarded honorary degrees to Charlie Kirk and Erika Kirk, tying the family more closely to the college’s public identity.
Charlie Kirk also said in February 2025 that “The philosophical basis of this new administration is largely an outgrowth from the hard work that Hillsdale has been doing over the last couple of decades.” He described Hillsdale’s political influence as having made it “a cultural powerhouse.”
What Hillsdale says
Hillsdale spokesperson Emily Stack Davis said the school’s mission is to “teach and defend the principles of the Declaration of Independence.” She said, “What has changed is that more Americans are now asking serious questions about education, citizenship, and the country’s founding principles.”
She added that “The College’s broader work, including online courses, Imprimis, K-12 classical education, our Washington, D.C. presence, and our 250th anniversary programming, grows out of the same conviction: self-government depends on citizens who know their history and can reason carefully about public questions.” For graduates and their families, the speech places Hillsdale’s academic ceremony squarely inside its larger political and educational network.
