Local Turning Point ties mourn loss of co-founder Charlie Kirk
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Those with local Turning Point USA ties who knew Charlie Kirk said Thursday they, along with the rest of the nation, are still in complete shock.
“I can speak for other young people like myself. The whole nation was in a state of shock yesterday,” said Claire Gorlich, a founding member of the Unofficial Turning Point USA Chapter at Saint Mary’s College.
Gorlich says Kirk led the young conservative movement across college campuses and she was inspired to follow in his footsteps when she began her freshman year at Saint Mary’s.
“I went through the ringer trying to get this club approved on campus for months and months,” she said. “It was an ongoing fight between the school and myself, and the club was rejected several times on the basis of the school believing that Charlie Kirk himself is a homophobic, racist individual. It was really, really sad,” she added.
The Turning Point chapter at Saint Mary’s was never officially recognized by the Catholic college, but in 2024, Kirk honored Gorlich with a Campus Warrior Award for her contributions.
Maryn Setsuda, a Niles resident, also tried to start a Turning Point chapter at Grace College but was denied. She later became a field representative for the organization.
“What he did, he created not just a movement but a legacy, an empire that is like no other,” said Setsuda. “I believe he was able to help secure Trump’s election by getting the youth more and more enthusiastic and involved in politics. You see it all over college campus,” she added.
Supporters say they are relying on faith to get through this difficult time.
“God works in mysterious ways as we know,” said Setsuda. “Keep the faith and keep pushing on because that is what Charlie would want,” said Setsuda.
Gorlich has since passed the torch of the Saint Mary’s chapter to Macy Gunnel, who now serves as president. Gunnel is also the national press secretary for College Republicans of America.
“Charlie Kirk woke up right. He woke up right among Gen Z, and he is the reason I’m doing what I’m doing today,” said Gunnel.
She says the act of violence that took Kirk’s life will not silence their voices, but will instead amplify their right to free speech. She is planning to meet with campus leaders next week to once again push for the Turning Point chapter to be officially recognized at Saint Mary’s.
“The message he’s spreading is we gotta keep having this civil dialogue,” said Gunnel. “We gotta prevent what happened to him from happening to others. We gotta keep speaking, keep having these engagements across the aisle, and that’s exactly what we’ll do. We’ll follow his lead,” she added.
A Turning Point Notre Dame Instagram post shared a similar message last night, stating they must continue Charlie’s fight.