Turning Point USA Tour: List of Events, Speakers Set to Honor Charlie Kirk
Vice President JD Vance is set to appear tonight at the University of Mississippi for a Turning Point USA event honoring slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The visit marks the first stop on the “This Is the Turning Point” campus tour, led by Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, who will introduce Vance before a student Q&A session modeled after her husband’s signature style. What Is Turning Point USA? Turning Point USA is a conservative nonprofit student organization founded in 2012 by Charlie Kirk and Bill Montgomery. The group says its mission is to identify, educate and organize students to promote principles of free markets, limited government and individual liberty. Over the past decade, it has become a major force in conservative youth politics through its campus chapters, media network and national events. Supporters see it as a counterweight to liberal bias in higher education, while critics accuse it of fueling polarization and controversy through its tactics and messaging. Turning Point USA Tour: Full List of Stops Turning Point USA’s “This Is the Turning Point Tour” features a series of campus events across the country this fall. Future stops include Auburn University on November 5, and the University of California, Berkeley on November 10. The tour’s organizers say additional stops may be announced. The series is designed to engage students on issues such as free speech, conservative values and activism on college campuses. Erika Kirk wipes her eyes as a military aide reads the citation before President Donald Trump posthumously awards the Presidential Medal of Freedom to her late husband Charlie Kirk in the Rose Garden of the White House, Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) Who Is Speaking at the Turning Point USA Events? The “This Is The Turning Point Tour” boasts a robust lineup of prominent conservative speakers and public figures. Among the high-profile names set to appear are media personalities Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly, biotech entrepreneur and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, and governors Glenn Youngkin of Virginia and Greg Gianforte of Montana. The tour also features actor-comedians Russell Brand and Rob Schneider, Christian author Frank Turek, commentator Allie Beth Stuckey, and other well-known conservative voices — including like Michael Knowles and Glenn Beck. These events are billed as opportunities for students to engage directly with leading figures in the conservative movement and participate in what TPUSA calls the “Prove Me Wrong” debate format. The organization says the tour aims to equip young conservatives with the tools to challenge prevailing campus narratives and promote free market and limited-government ideas. When Was Charlie Kirk Shot? Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot and killed on September 10, 2025, while speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The shooting occurred during an event on his “American Comeback Tour” and sparked national outrage over political violence. Witnesses said Kirk was struck in the upper body as he addressed the crowd. The attack remains under investigation, and political leaders across the spectrum have condemned the killing. Where Did Charlie Kirk Go to College? Charlie Kirk briefly attended Harper College, a community college in Palatine, Illinois, before leaving to focus full time on political activism. He was accepted to Baylor University but chose instead to grow Turning Point USA, which he founded at age 18. Kirk later took online courses at King’s College in New York but did not complete a degree. Despite not finishing college, he became one of the most visible young conservative figures in the country.
