Hillsdale College in Michigan drew protests and a torrent of online criticism on 9 May after inviting conservative activist Erika Kirk to deliver its commencement address and accept an honorary degree on behalf of her late husband, prompting one demonstrator to quip that 'next year maybe you can get Megan Markle.'
Hillsdale College had announced earlier this year that Erika Kirk would headline its graduation ceremony after she took overTurning Point USAfollowing the death of its founder, Charlie Kirk, in 2025. Her selection locked the small, proudly conservative college even more firmly into America's culture‑war crosshairs, given Turning Point's high‑profile alignment with the MAGA movement and Christian right.
On the ground in Hillsdale, the pushback was not limited to a few angry posts. Protesters travelled in from several Michigan counties, including Branch, Monroe, Macomb and Calhoun, to stand outside the campus before the ceremony began. What might have been a standard weekend of caps, gowns and photo calls instead became a staging point for a broader argument about what Hillsdale represents and where its influence is spreading.
Some demonstrators targeted Erika Kirk directly, questioning why she should be honoured at all. Others turned their signs and speeches on the college itself, and on what they see as a stealth campaign to reshape public education under the banner of 'classical' schooling.
🚨WATCH: Turning Point USA CEO Erika Kirk encourages graduating students at Hillsdale College to get married young and start families."These are not secondary callings. They are among the most significant ways a life can be rightly ordered."📹: C-SPANpic.twitter.com/HwmqVoaty6
Online, the reaction toErika Kirk's Hillsdale appearance was unfiltered. 'Someone explain why Erika Kirk is getting an honorary doctorate and delivering a commencement address at Hillsdale College in Michigan.... never even heard of this school.... must be some MAGA Christian bullsh*t,' one X user wrote, capturing the scepticism of those who view the college as an ideological project rather than an academic one.
'Apparently that doesn't matter to Hillsdale. Interesting,' another user commented.
.@MrsErikaKirkencourages young Americans to get married and raise families during her commencement address at Hillsdale College:"To the men, you are called to provide, you are called to lead, to anchor your families in strength and consistency. To the women, you are called to…pic.twitter.com/g34D41g3nX
Others went further, suggesting the invitation confirmed their worst suspicions about the institution's direction. 'I think Hillsdale probably is one of these fake Christian things, like the 'ministers' who are worshiping Trump's golden statue at the golf course,' one post read.
'Bad look for Hillsdale. This is disappointing,' another user wrote. 'I thought Hillsdale was better than this. Sad,' added another.
Source: International Business Times UK
