A new chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), a national conservative youth organization, has been established at Rollins College amid debate and scrutiny over political safety, speech, and campus culture.
The chapter, founded by Ella Hutsell (‘29), was officially recognized by Rollins following the standard student organization registration process overseen by the Office of Campus Involvement. According to Bronwyn Holder, interim advisor for TPUSA and Director of Campus Involvement, the chapter submitted its constitution, roster, and required policies, and met with staff before onboarding, just like all recognized student groups.
“We are working towards having all registered student organizations advised by full-time faculty or staff,” Holder said, noting that while Prof. Allen Kupetz of the Crummer Graduate School of Business, was initially proposed as advisor, the chapter is now seeking a faculty member who fits the criteria of “at least one advisor that is a Rollins faculty or staff member (we can help you find one if you need assistance)” listed on GetInvolved.
The decision has elicited a range of responses among faculty, administration, and the student body.
Jill Jones (Ph.D.), a professor in the English department who is currently tackling free speech in her courses, emphasized the importance of allowing a diversity of viewpoints on campus. “A college campus is a place where we ought to have multiple opinions. Free speech is all about protecting [the] speech that I don’t agree with,” she said. At the same time, Jones acknowledged the need for “rules of engagement” and the necessity of ensuring everyone’s safety.
Eltavious Johnson (‘26), Student Government Association president, framed the chapter as a test of Rollins’s capacity for intellectual pluralism. “A healthy academic environment should allow students from all political standpoints … to express their ideas freely and responsibly,” he said. He also emphasized that the chapter is bound by the college’s non-discrimination policy, which is included in every student organization’s constitution.
Some students and observers have expressed concerns about the presence of TPUSA given its national reputation. On campus, discussion over the group has become prominent on YikYak, an anonymous app where students are debating the group’s potential impact, questioning whether it will foster hostility toward minority groups, and expressing unease about its social-media ties to national controversies.
Hutsell (‘29) affirmed that the chapter would enforce policies against discrimination and urged those with concerns to bring them to her or to the future faculty advisor. “We don’t tolerate racism, we don’t tolerate any sort of discrimination,” she said, adding that the chapter’s goal is civil dialogue, not confrontation. Hutsell described the chapter’s foundational motivations as rooted in her conservative upbringing and in response to recent national events. “I felt very called to do this. My Christian faith is a fundamental part of who I am, and a lot of my Christian or conservative values are derived from my Christian beliefs that I grew up with,” she said. Hutsell added that the decision to create a chapter came after the assassination of TPUSA founder Charlie Kirk, who was fatally shot during a campus event on Sept. 10, 2025; authorities later charged a 22-year-old with aggravated murder.
The Rollins chapter aligns itself with TPUSA’s three core tenets: freedom, free markets, and limited government. Hutsell said the chapter is “nonpartisan” in name but explicitly centered on conservative values, distinguishing it from campus organizations like the Democracy Project, which she described as ideologically neutral.
Hutsell expressed an early goal of securing 20 to 30 consistent active participants by the end of the spring semester. She acknowledged that prior TPUSA chapters at other institutions sometimes failed to sustain themselves and emphasized the importance of durability at Rollins.
TPUSA, founded by Charlie Kirk in 2012, has long been a polarizing presence in higher education. Critics cite the organization’s ties to alt-right influencers, criticisms of diversity initiatives, and the “Professor Watchlist,” a list of faculty alleged to promote “leftist propaganda.”
In its 2024 report, the Southern Poverty Law Center documented TPUSA’s involvement with Project 2025, a proposal to reshape parts of the federal government, and cited concerns about TPUSA’s influence in conservative political operations. Meanwhile, TPUSA’s fundraising has surged since Kirk’s death, raising $85 million in 2024 — more than double its 2020 intake — and prompting the creation of new chapters nationwide.
National media coverage of Kirk’s life has highlighted controversial statements on race, gender, and immigration, as well as criticism from civil rights observers. The organization disputes many of these accounts, citing context or misreporting. Ella Hutsell (‘29) echoed statements made by the larger organization, encouraging people to “look into the context of a lot of the quotes that they clip.”
Kirk’s assassination itself has intensified discussion about political violence; its aftermath has sparked debates about free speech limits, campus security, and ideological polarization.
As the chapter begins programming, its success may rest on how effectively it navigates campus tension, maintains compliance with institutional policies, and fosters a culture of open yet respectful exchange. Johnson, the SGA president, offered a cautious endorsement. “I trust that Rollins students will shape this chapter through our own culture of dialogue, inclusion, and academic integrity,” he said.
Meanwhile, the campus community watches — on social media, in classrooms, and perhaps at future events — to see whether the new TPUSA chapter will strengthen or strain Rollins’s commitment to thoughtful pluralism.
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