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In the days since Turning Point USA co-founder Charlie Kirk was assassinated on Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University, the conservative student organization has seen an unprecedented surge of interest, with thousands of students across the country asking to start new chapters in his honor.
Turning Point USA (TPUSA) officials said they have received more than 18,000 new chapter requests since Kirk’s death. The organization had roughly 9,000 college chapters and 1,100 high school chapters before the killing. Leaders say the influx represents a doubling of the group’s national presence and the largest wave of student engagement in its history.
“This is the Turning Point,” one staff member wrote in an internal message shared with supporters. “The grief is real, but so is the commitment to carrying forward Charlie’s vision.”
Students and alumni are calling the surge the “Charlie Kirk effect,” describing it as both a tribute to Kirk’s legacy and a renewed effort to expand conservative activism on campuses. At Vanderbilt University, students announced the creation of a new chapter within 48 hours of Kirk’s death. At the University of Florida, students organized a candlelight memorial service that drew hundreds. Similar tributes have taken place at schools nationwide, many accompanied by chapter application drives.
Kirk, 31, co-founded TPUSA in 2012 with Bill Montgomery. Over the next decade, he transformed the group into a dominant force in campus conservatism, backed by major donors and supported by prominent Republican politicians. He rose to national prominence as a close ally of former President Donald Trump, frequently appearing on conservative media and leading high-profile conferences such as AmericaFest and the Student Action Summit.
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox called the shooting an “assassination” during a Friday news conference and vowed a full investigation. Authorities identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson, a 22-year-old Utah resident, who was arrested following a multi-agency manhunt.
Supporters describe TPUSA as a vital counterweight to what they view as left-leaning dominance on college campuses. The organization advocates free markets, limited government, and what it calls traditional American values.
But TPUSA’s rapid growth has long come with controversy. The group drew national attention in 2016 when it launched the “Professor Watchlist,” a website naming faculty it accused of promoting “leftist propaganda.” In 2021, it unveiled the “School Board Watchlist,” targeting officials who supported mask mandates or anti-racist curricula. Both projects drew condemnation from educators and civil rights groups, who accused TPUSA of intimidation and harassment.
The Anti-Defamation League has described TPUSA as “alt-lite” and criticized its ties to far-right activists, while the Southern Poverty Law Center has flagged connections to white supremacists. The organization has also faced internal turmoil, including allegations of racial discrimination, fundraising controversies, and public spats with other conservative groups such as Young America’s Foundation.
Despite the criticism, TPUSA has continued to expand. Its revenue grew from $78,000 in 2013 to more than $55 million in 2021, according to tax filings.
Kirk’s sudden death leaves TPUSA at a crossroads. For many students, the decision to launch new chapters is as much about personal grief as political action.
On social media, supporters have circulated the hashtag #ForCharlie, encouraging peers to apply for chapter status or attend upcoming TPUSA conferences. Critics, however, caution that the wave of activism could heighten tensions on already divided campuses.
