Article continues below advertisementErika Kirk, the CEO of Turning Point USA and widow of its founder, Charlie Kirk, was vilified for receiving an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree from Hillsdale College during its commencement on Saturday, May 9. She accepted the degree for herself and a posthumous one for her late husband, who was assassinated in September 2025.The move has drawn widespread accusations of hypocrisy from critics who highlight the stark contrast between accepting prestigious academic honors and the Kirk family's long-standing public stance against higher education.