Utah Valley University Cancels Sharon McMahon as Graduation Speaker Over Charlie Kirk Posts
Utah Valley University canceled best-selling author Sharon McMahon as its graduation speaker after her old social media posts about Charlie Kirk's assassination resurfaced. Kirk was shot and killed at the Utah campus last year.
Utah Valley University has withdrawn its invitation to Sharon McMahon, a best-selling author and podcaster, to speak at its upcoming graduation ceremony. The decision came after her old social media posts about Charlie Kirk's assassination drew strong objections from students and campus groups.
Charlie Kirk, a conservative political activist, was shot and killed at the Utah Valley University campus last year. McMahon had made remarks about the assassination on social media that sparked backlash when they resurfaced after her speaker announcement.
The university initially celebrated landing McMahon as their commencement speaker. She has built a large following as an educator and author who explains government and civics to general audiences.
Student groups and others at UVU pushed back against her selection once her posts about Kirk's death became public. The controversy forced the university to reverse course and find a new speaker for the ceremony.
The incident reflects the challenges universities face when selecting speakers, especially at campuses where traumatic events have occurred. Social media history has become a key factor in vetting public figures for major events.
This shows how past social media posts can derail major speaking opportunities, even for established authors. It also highlights ongoing tensions at colleges where violent incidents have occurred.
Utah Valley University will need to find a replacement graduation speaker. Details about the timing of the ceremony have not been announced.
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