A statue of slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk will soon stand on New College of Florida’s Sarasota campus.
“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.”
Kirk owned a vacation home in Longboat Key in Sarasota County, which is also home to the college campus. He was shot and killed at age 31 in Utah last week, speaking at Utah Valley University, where he was in the middle of a signature public debate of ideas with students.
Since becoming president of New College, Corcoran, a former Florida House Speaker, has promised that the liberal arts school will serve as a platform for a range of policy and cultural debates, particularly in connection with the Socratic Stage series. While Kirk never visited the campus, Corcoran met the activist several times.
Next week, the college will host a discussion of media bias with speakers including conservative physician Scott Atlas, former One America News broadcaster Chanel Rion, conservative radio host Ben Domenech and The Federalist editor Mollie Hemingway.
In announcing the statue’s commission, Corcoran said the public art represented New College’s larger mission of ensuring students, faculty and the community experience free speech and civil discourse at its highest level.
The public university announced on Tuesday that it plans to commission the statue, but that it will be funded entirely through public donations. A location has not yet been announced.
Debra Jenks, Chair of the New College Board of Trustees, said that it has been core to the college’s mission for its entire life span.
“Since its founding in 1960, New College has stood as a place where the free exchange of ideas is not only protected but celebrated,” Jenks said. “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.”
Where on the campus is that brick building, and that quad with the pathway?
The article photo should have said “Representation” in the cutline. We have updated it online. The statue has not yet been installed.