BIG RAPIDS, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Just eight days after the assassination of conservative commentator and Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Mecosta County commissioners wasted no time taking action. In a 5-1 vote, they approved sending a letter to Ferris State University President Bill Pink, proposing a “joint venture” to create a life-sized bronze statue of Kirk – modeled after a photo presented by Chairman Chris Zimmerman.
Commissioners urge Ferris State to honor Kirk’s legacy.
The commissioners cited Kirk’s “overwhelming contribution to society” as justification for the tribute and expressed interest in having the university’s art department design and sculpt the statue.
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The letter said, “Charlie’s gift of public speaking, debate style, and inspirational messages has influenced millions of people across our great nation. He had a real knack for engaging young people in civilized discussions on various topics that influenced public policy. As horrific as his assassination may be, we should not quickly forget his legacy.”
The letter told the university that the commissioners would overwhelmingly pay for any costs involved in making the statue, and stated that the proposed inscription on the statue would say “The Mecosta County Board of Commissioners and Ferris State University remember Charlie Kirk and his message of peaceful debate and love of country.”
Ferris State declines tribute.
However, FSU president Bill Pink declined the offer.
Pink politely – but unmistakably – shut down the offer from consideration in a letter sent back to the commissioners. While expressing sympathy for Kirk’s death, Pink informed officials that the school’s policy only allows statues of individuals who made “significant, direct contributions” to the university. And for all of Kirk’s fame, fiery speeches, and online presence, Ferris State was never part of his personal or political orbit.
Bronze ambition meets university policy.
For context, the only statue currently standing on the Big Rapids campus is that of Woodbridge N. Ferris, the school’s founder — a man who built the university. That’s a high bar for entry into Ferris’ Hall of Bronze Fame.
In the end, Ferris State may have passed on the statue, but the effort itself was a tribute – a reminder that Charlie Kirk’s voice still echoes far beyond any campus walls. The commissioners’ proposal wasn’t just about bronze and stone; it was about honoring a man whose message of patriotism and free expression continues to inspire.
