The student government at St. John’s University recently stopped a Turning Point USA chapter from being launched after student, Massimo Guerriero, felt prompted to start one amid the aftermath of the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Guerriero is eager to spread awareness of this situation. Students have unsuccessfully attempted several times to establish a formally recognized TPUSA chapter since 2018, when a prior chapter disbanded due to a lack of membership.
“Shortly after Charlie Kirk’s death, I believed it was finally time to try again to establish a Turning Point USA chapter on campus,” Guerriero told TPUSA News. “Although we had previously been denied, we hoped that the momentum following Kirk’s tragic passing would give us a fair chance. Three of my close friends from my scholarship program and I began an official application, each of us taking on a board position. Through simple word of mouth, we created a GroupMe chat that quickly grew to more than 80 students.”
Though their initial application was approved, students opposed to TPUSA allegedly ridiculed Guerriero and his associates looking to create a chapter as they presented to the student government their motive for starting one.
“The presentation itself was excellent, with every detail polished and every question anticipated. However, upon arrival, we were met with giggles, which immediately signaled the tone of the room,” Guerriero noted.
“After presenting,” he continued, “we faced a series of questions centered not just on our proposal, but on how we would respond to potential backlash related to the ideologies of our founder, referring to Kirk. One panelist also asked how we would handle students taking offense to our most recent post, which was a respectful vigil held for fallen American heroes and for Kirk, although we couldn’t openly state it was for Kirk. Despite this, we left the room confident that if we were denied, it would not be because of anything said in the presentation but because a conclusion had already been drawn before we walked in.”
Eventually, the student government disapproved of the chapter’s recognition, sending a denial email providing no appeal process or reasoning to support the decision. The student government did welcome them “to reapply in the future.”
Guerriero finds this rejection antithetical to the university’s values.
“Throughout the process, we emphasized that our chapter would be nonpartisan, open to all students, and rooted in the Catholic and Vincentian values that define St John’s University. We also highlighted the fact that the university has no clubs or platforms that promote civil discourse, which is central to our mission,” he said.
St. John’s University recognizes organizations as diverse as the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the NAACP, and the Spectrum Club (LGBTQ).
“These groups are provided space, funding, and representation on campus,” Guerriero further stated. “However, a nonpartisan club focused on dialogue, civic engagement, and shared values with the school’s mission was dismissed without cause.”
Guerriero’s story and St. Johns’ rejection of a TPUSA chapter have been covered by the National Review.
“I want to shed light on this,” Guerriero told the National Review. “Because that’s something we deserve and something Charlie Kirk would have wanted. That’s what he died for — these rights and for people to speak their minds.”
