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Hundreds of University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) students stood in the rain Wednesday afternoon, lining sidewalks with umbrellas and handmade signs hours before Vice President JD Vance and Erika Kirk arrived for a Turning Point USA (TPUSA) campus event honoring the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
The crowd, which began forming early in the morning outside The Pavilion at Ole Miss, stretched across campus as students wore MAGA hats and ‘Freedom’ shirts in tribute to the slain Turning Point founder.
Leslie Lachman, president of the Turning Point USA chapter at Ole Miss, told Fox News the excitement was palpable.
“We are so beyond thrilled that they chose Ole Miss,” she said. “It’s an American-loving college, and we’re seeing red, white, and blue. People lined up for hours in the rain. The energy has been electric, and we can’t wait to see this event happen.”
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Students line up outside a TPUSA event at Ole Miss, headlined by Vice President JD Vance and TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk, Wednesday. (Matt Leach/Fox News Digital)
Lachman said Charlie Kirk’s assassination last month has only deepened student engagement.
“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.
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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.”
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The event is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) inside The Pavilion at Ole Miss.
Fox News Digital’s Matt Leach and Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.