Utah Valley University will close its campus on September 10, 2026, to allow students, faculty, and staff to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the assassination of Charlie Kirk. Dr. Jon Anderson, the university's new president, stated that his own daughters were present and within yards of the incident, an event that has deeply impacted the institution.
Anderson, who took the helm at UVU shortly before the fall 2026 semester, was previously president of Pennsylvania Western University. He learned of the assassination from his wife, whose family has ties to Utah. "I had two daughters and a son-in-law, they were about 10 yards from the assassination when it happened," Anderson told Fox News Digital. "And so I knew that our future would be tied to it in one way or the other."
He expressed his desire to help the university heal and move forward. "When the opportunity came up to come home — this is the place that I'm from — and help this institution move forward and heal, it's something I leaned into immediately," he said. "I have found since coming here, this place is so resilient. Its people are gritty, they're ready to move forward, and they're to learn from everything that we can learn from that day."
The campus closure is intended to provide space for individuals to process the event in their own ways, acknowledging that traumatic events can trigger delayed reactions. While the university will not host an official event, Turning Point USA, an organization co-founded by Kirk, is planning a memorial service at UVU's UCCU Center.
Kirk, a founder of Turning Point USA, was assassinated on September 10, 2025, while speaking at a TPUSA-sponsored event on campus. The group's memorial is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. MT on the anniversary.
Plans for a permanent memorial are also in development, involving university board members and students. Anderson indicated that the process will be thoughtful and inclusive, incorporating various perspectives. "I can't guarantee that it's going to be anytime soon, but I can tell you if and when that happens, it will be thoughtfully done and well placed."
Anderson emphasized UVU's commitment to free speech, stating, "We don't jump in the fray, but we host the frays." He described the university's role as providing a platform for civil dialogue and the exploration of diverse ideas. "We allow people to come in and focus on civil dialogue, engaging in new and good ideas, and that's where we hope to excel," he said. "A place that anyone can come with any idea, have a place for open, honest, violence-free debate, and that's what our future is, and that is what institutions of higher education are, when they are at their best."
Meanwhile, the legal proceedings against Tyler Robinson, 23, the suspected assassin, are ongoing. Robinson pleaded not guilty to all charges through his attorneys on September 1, nearly a year after his arrest. He is due back in court on October 23, when a trial date may be set. Robinson faces the possibility of the death penalty if convicted of the top charge of aggravated murder. Kirk was 31 at the time of his death and is survived by his wife and two children.