A Turning Point on campus and in America: The lasting impact of Charlie Kirk and his passing

by Sierra Perkinson

On Sept. 10, 2025, at Utah Valley University, renowned political activist and entrepreneur Charlie Kirk was assassinated while on Turning Point’s “The American Comeback” tour. 

This event sparked major reactions from both political parties, but despite the intensity of the incident, one thing is sure: individuals are coming together and a fire has been flamed. 

In the wake of Kirk’s death, Cedarville’s Turning Point USA (TPUSA) president Brynn Hartian, along with other members of the organization, held a student gathering in remembrance of Kirk. 

When initially learning of the assassination, Hartian was unsure whether the event would spark a reaction on campus. However, learning how supporters were grieving, she and leaders from Living Room Worship, a student-led worship team, came together to host a night of prayer and worship. 

“God really orchestrated it in a way that it worked out so beautifully, in a way that only God could,” Hartian said. 

In the midst of this difficult time, the TPUSA organization at Cedarville has seen an overwhelming amount of individuals eager to support and contribute to Kirk’s organization and its cause.

“I’ve seen unity,” Hartian said. “There’s a lot of people here who want to get involved. And I think that is a very, very beautiful thing.”

This eagerness to serve has not been limited to Cedarville’s campus, but has been exemplified among supporters across America. Andrew Kolvet, executive producer of Kirk’s renowned radio talk show, “The Charlie Kirk Show,” commented on the influx of chapter requests since Kirk’s passing. As of Sept. 23, Kolvet posted on X:

“After Sunday’s memorial for Charlie, TPUSA received a massive surge of inquiries to start new chapters […] Post-Sunday: We are now at over 120,000 inquiries,” Kolvet wrote. “Even accounting for attrition and duplicates, we are on the cusp of having a TPUSA or Club America chapter in every HS and College campus in America.”

With a positive reaction and influx of individuals prepared to be bolder in America, individuals may wonder whether this spark is only due to the emotions that come with a public loss, or whether this spark will die out. Hartian believes that despite the fact that grief typically begins with the initial shock of a loss before it fades away, the impact of Kirk and his passing is not something that will go away. 

“Because of the way that humans operate, I think it will fade a little bit, but I don’t think it will ever go away,” Hartian said. 

Kirk’s death caused millions of individuals to step up and be bolder in their beliefs. Many are thinking more critically about what they support and believers are being reminded of the ultimate spiritual battle they are fighting. Hartian pushes individuals to have this mindset, and encourages them to attend a TPUSA event to challenge their thinking.

“I would encourage people to, even if they don’t necessarily agree with what people say, to listen and think critically,” Hartian said. “I think one of the most important things to remember is that we are not fighting against flesh and blood. It is a spiritual battle. I think that is something this whole Charlie Kirk thing really sparked.” 

Despite the chaos of this time and outside of Kirk’s own organizations, individuals have been immensely impacted by the loss of a bold father, husband and friend.

“Even just in a wider scope…I’ve seen so many people on social media especially be like, ‘I want to get involved,’ or, ‘I went to church for the first time,’ or, ‘I opened my Bible for the first time in five years,” Hartian said. 

While acknowledging the impact of this loss, Hartian encourages students to consider how the Kirk incident should remind believers that God is in control. 

Hartian said, “I can really see God’s hand in the fact that this was such a terrible thing, but God took it, and he was using it for so much good and so much beauty.”

Sierra Perkinson is a sophomore psychology student and reporter for Cedars. She enjoys spending time with family and friends, laughing, reading and is fascinated by the human mind.