Charlie Kirk’s death has prompted a wave of interest in Turning Point USA and sharpened resolve among some young conservatives to be more open about their faith and political beliefs, students and the group’s leaders said.
Maggie Thorsby, a sophomore at the University of Oregon, told Fox & Friends she was "done hiding behind the doors" and intends to carry forward what she described as Kirk’s example of openly expressing his Christian faith. "Charlie Kirk was such an inspiration for me and so many others," she said, adding she wants to create a campus environment where students who share her views can speak freely without fear of judgment.
Turning Point USA officials said inquiries to start new campus chapters surged by tens of thousands in the days following Kirk’s death. Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of "The Charlie Kirk Show," said the organization received more than 37,000 inquiries from people wanting to start new college chapters, in addition to an influx of job applications. Kolvet said TPUSA currently has roughly 900 official college chapters and about 1,200 high school chapters.
Thorsby, who described her campus as "deep blue," said the momentum following Kirk’s death encouraged her to stop concealing her beliefs and to help other students who may be reluctant to speak up. "The way that he was so boldly able to say that and share the word [of God] is just something that inspires me every day," she said, adding that carrying forward Kirk’s faith was the part of his legacy she most wanted to honor.
TPUSA and allied conservative organizations have held vigils and memorials on college campuses and at the group’s Phoenix headquarters during the period of public mourning. Organizers and supporters said those events included calls to expand outreach to students who they say have been hesitant to discuss conservative views or religious convictions in liberal-leaning campus environments.
On several campuses, students and local activists said they planned near-term efforts to form new chapters or expand existing ones, and some described outreach initiatives intended to provide spaces for discussion without what they called fear of backlash. Thorsby said she expects to return to campus later this month to begin organizing such spaces.
Turning Point USA was founded by Kirk and has grown into a national youth organization that promotes conservative principles on high school and college campuses. The organization’s leaders framed the posthumous surge in inquiries as both a tribute to Kirk and an organizational opportunity to broaden their campus presence.
News organizations and university officials reported memorials and statements in the days after Kirk’s death. The developments reflect a mix of personal expressions of grief and immediate organizational responses from a conservative youth movement that has been active on many campuses nationwide.