OREM, Utah — There's little doubt that before the deadly on-campus shooting of Charlie Kirk, relatively few people around the country had heard of Utah Valley University. A day later, alumni and school leaders are hoping people consider the Orem school for its core values and not what occurred this week.
“It’s the type of place that a lot of people want to be able to call home,” shared alum Hannah Ashley.
Ashley said the school is a campus and its surroundings are full of people who are both kind, empathetic.
The home of the Wolverines has grown to 47,000 students, the largest student population in the state.
“UVU is this place that cares about its students," said Ashley, who graduated in 2023. "It cares about our success. [The shooting] is not a reflection of who we are. We need to rise above this.”
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Former Utah Gov. Gary Herbert now leads the Herbert Institute at Utah Valley University and shares the concern of others.
“...certainly not what Utah Valley University is about. Certainly not what Utah Valley University community is about," Herbert said. "We have a lone shooter who’s made a decision to assassinate somebody, and that’s an evil person.”
Ashley echoed others, including the former governor, who said the school is a safe space and one person's actions don't change that.
“We’re going to continue on, we’re going to continue being a great university for people to learn and grow,” added Herbert.
The goal is to show people unfamiliar with UVU the growth, strength and empathy that will exist on campus in the future.
“UVU is this place that cares about its students. It cares about our success, it cares about us as individuals,” said Ashley.
“Understand that we can have different opinions and still be able to feel empathy for each other.”
