University where Charlie Kirk was shot confronts unwanted infamy: Here is why its future depends on resilience and healing

Utah Valley University (UVU), long known as one of the safest campuses in the US, now faces a sudden and unwanted spotlight after the assassination of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

The shooting took place during an outdoor event on campus where Kirk, the founder of Turning Point USA, was speaking to a large crowd. The incident has left the university community grappling with grief, fear, and anxiety, raising questions about how the institution will move forward.For nearly two decades, UVU grew from a small community college into Utah’s largest university, with a student population approaching 50,000.

Situated beneath the Wasatch Mountains, the campus was widely regarded as safe, with minimal reports of violent crime. However, Kirk’s death has challenged that reputation and thrust UVU into national headlines.Campus safety and university responseUniversity officials emphasise that prior to this tragedy, the campus experienced very low levels of violent crime. Data from the US Department of Education shows that between 2021 and 2023, UVU’s main campus in Orem reported only four aggravated assaults, 13 rapes, one arson, and no murders or manslaughters.

A university spokeswoman, Ellen Treanor, confirmed that Kirk’s shooting was the first known murder on campus.

The university continues to highlight these statistics to support its claim as one of the safest colleges in the country.Kyle Reyes, a UVU vice president, said the university is focusing on student safety and community healing. “We know that the eyes are on us and we’re not going to shy away from demonstrating our resilience collectively on this,” Reyes told the Associated Press.

University leaders have also begun discussions about how to reshape UVU’s identity following the event.Student experiences and campus atmosphereStudents returning to classes have reported a change in atmosphere on campus. Marjorie Holt, an 18-year-old elementary education student, described arriving late to the rally where Kirk was shot. She said she felt the university failed to provide adequate security and expressed concern about attending classes near the crime scene.

Nevertheless, Holt added that the shared trauma has brought many students closer.

“We’re all people who, you know, loved him or hated him. We’re all still coming together no matter how we believed, and I feel like this has made our school closer than ever,” she told the Associated Press.Student body president Kyle Cullimore urged classmates to stop labelling each other and to see beyond political divisions. During a recent vigil, he called for dignity and respect even amid disagreement.Matthew Caldwell, a 24-year-old student, noted a change in classroom discussions. “It felt as if the professor was more understanding of all beliefs and that ultimately it’s about sharing those beliefs,” he told the Associated Press.University’s identity and historical contextUVU is closely connected to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, hosting the world’s largest education institute for young Mormons.

Its mascot, the wolverine, symbolises determination and fearlessness. The university website states, “Just like wolverines, UVU students are determined, ambitious, and fearless.”Similar institutions that have experienced violence have taken different approaches to recovery. For instance, after the Columbine massacre in 1999, schools implemented heightened security and active shooter training. Other shootings at Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary, and Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School led to increased activism and policy changes.

Some institutions, like Kent State University, have integrated their tragic past into their identity, emphasising free expression and dialogue while also evolving their branding over time.State officials and future outlookUtah Governor Spencer Cox visited UVU recently and acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. “It has been rough, right, for all of us,” Cox said, as quoted by the Associated Press. He urged students to be the source of change rather than relying on politicians.

Cox highlighted the university’s positive attributes, saying, “This place is incredible and it’s incredible because of the students that are here, amazing faculty.

”As UVU confronts its new reality, university leaders, students, and the wider community are focused on healing and resilience. The coming months will be critical in defining how the university responds to this tragedy and how it rebuilds its reputation.