In a show of unwavering enthusiasm, hundreds of University of Mississippi students gathered on a rainy Wednesday afternoon, lining the campus sidewalks with umbrellas and homemade signs. They assembled hours ahead of the anticipated arrival of Vice President JD Vance and Erika Kirk, who were attending a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) event in honor of the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The eager crowd began forming early in the morning outside The Pavilion at Ole Miss, extending across the campus. Many students donned MAGA hats and shirts emblazoned with ‘Freedom,’ paying homage to the slain founder of Turning Point USA.
Leslie Lachman, who leads the Turning Point USA chapter at Ole Miss, expressed her excitement in an interview with Fox News.
“We are beyond thrilled to have this event at Ole Miss,” she remarked. “This is a college that loves America, and the display of red, white, and blue today is incredible. Despite the rain, people have been waiting for hours, and the energy here is just electric. We can’t wait for the event to begin.”
The anticipation was captured outside the TPUSA event at Ole Miss, where Vice President JD Vance and TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk were set to headline. (Matt Leach/Fox News Digital)
Lachman noted that Charlie Kirk’s untimely death last month has only intensified student involvement and engagement with the organization.
“People came together in prayer and vigil. They want to be more involved with the campus now more than ever,” she said. “It was a devastating tragedy, but honestly, this really is the turning point. People want to get involved now more than ever.”
The Ole Miss stop marks TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk’s first and only appearance on Turning Point USA’s national college tour, where she is set to join Vance for a live Q&A with students, a format inspired by her late husband’s campus speaking events.
Students line up outside before Wednesday’s Turning Point USA event at Ole Miss, headlined by Vice President JD Vance and TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk. (Matt Leach/Fox News Digital)
“It’s the absolute most,” Lachman said. “And especially them choosing the elite university of Ole Miss to do it — out of all the organizations, they see Ole Miss as a forefront to have it. It’s an absolute honor not only for Turning Point, but for Ole Miss, a conservative-loving land.”
Lachman also noted that while some universities have resisted recognizing Turning Point chapters, Ole Miss has embraced the group’s message.
Students line up outside before Wednesday’s TPUSA event at Ole Miss. (Matt Leach/Fox News Digital)
“I have friends who have reached out to me about the pushback they’ve received from campuses all around the country. It’s disheartening,” she said. “Don’t push the message of voting and then not back it by having both sides. I’m proud that I go to a university that backs the message of Turning Point USA.”
TPUSA Spokesman Andrew Kolvet shared on X that more than half the student body was packed into the venue, writing, “Over HALF of the student body (14,000 of 27,000 students) registered for tonight’s event (along with 13,000 adults we couldn’t fit).”
