OREM, Utah (KUTV) — Utah Valley University announced it will no longer have a keynote speaker at this year’s commencement ceremony after the selection drew criticism from students and state leaders.
Author Sharon McMahon was announced as UVU’s keynote speaker for this year’s commencement ceremony, scheduled for April 29.
The choice was heavily scrutinized due to McMahon’s previous comments on the assassination of Charlie Kirk, which happened on the university’s campus at the beginning of the academic year.
“Due to increased safety concerns related to the speaker and in consultation with public safety professionals and Sharon McMahon, Utah Valley University has decided to proceed without a featured commencement speaker for this year’s ceremony,” UVU officials said.
The posts, which have since been deleted, were published by McMahon shortly after Kirk’s assassination. In them, she criticized Kirk’s rhetoric and addressed “why there is so much backlash to posts eulogizing his death.”
“It’s important to remember that the incredible tragedy of a public assassination does not erase the harm many experienced from his words and the ensuing actions his followers took,” the posts read.
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McMahon previously addressed the concerns in a statement, saying she repeatedly called his death a tragedy.
“Sharon unequivocally condemned the murder of Charlie Kirk, repeatedly and publicly calling his death a tragedy and stressing that public debate must never be met with violence. Sharon’s goal is to unpack what is happening in society and help people understand how government works. That spirit is reflected in her work—bringing together voices from across the aisle in closed-door conversations with her book club community, from Amy Coney Barrett to Kamala Harris, and in interviews with Utah Governor Spencer Cox and Nikki Haley, to foster the kind of dialogue and perspective democracy depends on. She believes what we need most is more bridge-building and more people willing to show up for one another.”
UVU officials said this class is the largest in the university’s history, with more than 13,400 graduates.
Heidi Hatch contributed to this report.
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