Wake Forest students recently started a chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) on campus to honor its founder, Charlie Kirk, who was shot on Sept. 10, 2025 during a campus speech at Utah Valley University. On Monday, Nov. 3, TPUSA at Wake Forest put on a tabling event in Benson University Center to engage with the student body. 

“Our chapter’s goal is to increase membership and campus awareness of TPUSA here at Wake Forest, giving students a space to engage with like-minded peers or to hear an opinion differing from their own,” said the President of Wake Forest’s chapter, Paige Shephard. 

Kirk, the 31-year-old activist, founded TPUSA in 2012 to spread conservative ideals on high school, college and university campuses. Kirk planned to visit multiple U.S. college campuses to speak on behalf of TPUSA before his assassination.

The tabling event

On the table were signs stating messages like “strong family, strong country” and “before the womb you were already known, called and appointed by God,” Additionally, the chapter was handing out pamphlets of the Constitution of the United States, as well as stickers and buttons that said “don’t just pass exams, vote to pass policies” and “socialism sucks.” 

Junior Esrom Ghirmay originally approached the table to see what their plans were on campus. After some personal reflection, he felt the need to come back later and ask the chapter about more serious topics.

“I came back and asked if they thought that the values they promoted could make certain students feel unsafe, specifically the LGBTQ+ community, because they had a sign on their table that suggested the recognition of only two different genders, which is disrespecting the lives of members of our Wake community,” Ghirmay said.

Chartering on campus

Tabling was just the first step for the chapter to create space for student discussion. The chapter began in the spring of 2025, but the organization is now in the process of obtaining an official charter. This means the chapter would be officially recognized by the national Turning Point USA organization and signifies that they have met the national organization’s requirements for formation and operation, including having a minimum number of members.  

“Although we had already begun our chartering process on campus before his death, we noticed an eruption of passion after Sept. 10, with 160 current members,” Shepard said. “If awarded a charter, we are excited to bring speakers to campus for larger events, working with the school to organize and execute events larger than just tabling.” 

According to @tpusawfu on Instagram, the chapter said they are “thrilled with how our tabling event went. There were great and respectful discussions.”

Ghirmay recounted the manner of conversation at the table.

“The conversation was relatively calm-mannered; it was just frustrating that the members of the group would frequently interject themselves while I would be mid-sentence and also disregard essentially anything I said that was not aligned with their views,” Ghirmay said.

Sophomore chapter member Maddox Watson said he is proud of what TPUSA was doing at its tabling event. 

“Students should feel comfortable voicing their opinions regardless of different perspectives they have,” Watson said. “I think TPUSA allows that to happen openly and respectfully, creating an environment where people can disagree productively.” 

The TPUSA chapter at Wake Forest is rooted in Kirk’s values, but not every student on campus stands for the same ideals. 

“They negatively affect all minority students and other marginalized groups,” Ghirmay said. “It is extremely disappointing that Wake allows a group that believes that an entire group of people should not and does not find a home on this campus. This is scaring me for what the university will look like for students in the years to come.”