Last Thursday, Sept. 18, students and community members filled the Brown-Lupton University Union (BLUU) ballroom at TCU for a memorial tribute to Charlie Kirk, the late founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated by a gunman eight days earlier. The event, organized by TCU’s chapter of TPUSA, drew hundreds of attendees to a near-capacity crowd.

As attendees entered the packed ballroom, student members of TCU TPUSA distributed small handouts with a short eulogy on Kirk, along with the scripture from 2 Timothy 4:17, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.”

The program began with opening remarks from Annie Cellar, the president of Turning Point USA at TCU, followed by statements from other student leaders, who spoke about their relationship with Kirk and his passion for activism and debate, which inspired them to become more engaged.

Many shared that Kirk inspired them to have the courage to ask questions, organize events, and unapologetically, yet respectfully, stand up for their beliefs. Their message was consistent: activism is not about anger, but about showing up, engaging, and building communities rooted in conviction.

Lance Cashion, a pastor and the founder and CEO of the Forge Room Foundation, delivered the keynote message. Cashion reminded students that conviction and civility can — and should — go hand in hand. “Courage and clarity are not opposites,” he said, urging attendees to speak truth with confidence while respecting others.

The memorial was a reminder that the values of faith, service, and moral clarity must remain central to the Horned Frog identity. As the room emptied, the message of the evening was clear: TCU students are determined to lead with courage, faith, and principle. They aren’t simply honoring a leader; they are embracing a calling.

The Takeaway

Charlie Kirk’s death is reverberating across the world because he was more than the founder of a national organization — he was a role model for many, me included. He lived with a deep sense of calling to speak truth boldly yet respectfully, refusing to bow to the threat of being “canceled.” His priorities never wavered: faith in Jesus Christ first, then family, then country.

In a June interview, Kirk was asked how he hoped to be remembered “if everything completely goes away.” His answer was simple: for the courage of his faith. That courage was not abstract — it was visible in how he lived out his Christian values and principles without compromise.

I am grateful that TCU allowed Kirk and the campus chapter of Turning Point USA to host an event here in 2023, when many other universities chose to silence them in the name of “balancing free speech” or “protecting inclusivity.” Where other schools chose silence, TCU ultimately chose conviction — living up to the Christian values on which it was founded.

As a university founded on Christian principles by Christian ministers, Addison and Randolph Clark, we, too, must be courageous in ensuring that our alma mater remains committed to its Christian heritage. Inclusivity is important, but it must never come at the expense of the faith that gave this school its name – Texas Christian University — the two can coexist. I encourage students, faculty, and alumni who share this perspective to lead with courage, to keep Christ at the center, and to protect the capital “C” in TCU. It is not merely symbolic — it is a reminder that we are, first and foremost, a Christian university.