Hundreds of people gathered in the Williams Center on Sept. 19 for a vigil, hosted by the Turning Point USA (TPUSA) chapter at Georgia Southern, in remembrance of the late political commentator, Charlie Kirk.

Kirk, the founder and former Chief Executive Officer of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed on Sept. 10 while holding an event for his American Comeback Tour at Utah Valley University. 

In the days following Kirk’s death, memorial services have been held at universities and cities across the country, with Georgia Southern’s TPUSA among one of the most recent to hold a tribute service. 

The vigil included remarks by Speaker Jon Burns and Representative Lehman Franklin of the Georgia House of Representatives, TPUSA chapter president Cody Garcia, and other TPUSA members and alumni.

Burns spoke about the impact that he believed Kirk had on college communities. “I don’t believe there is anyone who’s had a more profound impact on the generation of young conservatives as Charlie,” he started. “Seeing this incredible group of young people here tonight is a testament to just that.”

Various TPUSA alum were in attendance, all of which held leadership positions in the Georgia Southern chapter. They organized the vigil in one week, gathering speakers from around the state.

Garcia took on the role of TPUSA president at Georgia Southern this year. After sharing his experience with the organization, he left the crowd with this: “We will not let fear dominate us. We will not let hatred consume us. We will speak and share. We will do so honorably, gracefully, kindly, just as Charlie Kirk would have wanted.”

Ben Mincey is a Georgia Southern alum who previously served as the president of this TPUSA chapter. During his speech, he spoke about the influence that Kirk had on his life, after meeting him at a conference. “For me personally, Charlie was a major influence of mine, especially throughout college,” Mincey started. “He encouraged us to be bold in our beliefs, and he also encouraged the younger generation to never back down, not to wait our turn when people told us to wait.”

Between each speaker, those in attendance joined together in singing songs and hymns such as “America the Beautiful,” “Amazing Grace,” “The Star Spangled Banner,” and “It Is Well.”

The service proceeded from 7:30 to 8:30, with TPUSA chapter members staying afterward to speak with attendees and students who were potentially interested in joining the organization’s Georgia Southern chapter. 

Kirk’s memorial service was held Sunday in Glendale, Arizona, with President Trump and Vice President Vance in attendance and among those speaking. 

We will have more coverage on this event coming this week. Stay up-to-date on our website for more information.