New College announces Charlie Kirk statue to honor assassinated conservative influencer

• New College of Florida will commission a statue of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
• Kirk, 31, was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University on September 10.
• The statue will be privately funded and is intended to symbolize the college's commitment to free speech.

New College of Florida will commission a statue of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the school announced on Sept. 16.

The announcement comes as hundreds of vigils at universities have been held across the country in Kirk’s memory, with conservative leaders launching similar efforts to memorialize him. Kirk, a 31-year-old conservative activist and co-founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a 3,000-person event at Utah Valley University on Sept. 10. 

The statue will be privately funded by community leaders, and its location will be announced in the coming months. The statue will “stand on campus as a commitment by New College to defend and fight for free speech and civil discourse in American life,” said Jamie Miller, vice president of communications and chief marketing officer. 

“Charlie Kirk knew that universities are ground zero for free speech and the marketplace of ideas. These ideas are not luxuries, but the foundation of a free republic,” said New College President Richard Corcoran. “His life and tragic death remind us all that a nation cannot survive if it abandons these rights. At New College, we will not step back from this responsibility — we will champion it and seek to be known as the number one college in the nation when it comes to supporting civil debate and freedom of speech.”

The announcement of the statue comes after New College prepares to launch a “Socratic Stage” series, which is set to kick off on Sept. 23. The college will host public discourse and debates at the Mildred Sainer Pavilion. 

“Since its founding in 1960, New College has stood as a place where the free exchange of ideas is not only protected but celebrated,” said New College Board of Trustees Chair Debra Jenks. “This statue will serve as a reminder of that history and our responsibility to carry it forward. Public discourse is not optional in a free society — it is essential.”

Melissa Pérez-Carrillo covers breaking news and public safety for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Reach out at[email protected].