In light of recent events in our country, Benedictine College is taking a stand with the official relaunch of its own chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA), which took place on Friday, September 12, 2025.
What was once an inactive club with no leadership or student involvement is becoming the new rising movement of Benedictine College.
TPUSA has been spreading across college campuses nationwide to raise awareness and educate younger generations about our country, its values, and the importance of standing up for our freedom and rights as American citizens.
Madelyn Landry, a junior and president of Benedictine College’s chapter of TPUSA, has been working on this movement for over a year and is starting to see the fruits of her efforts.
Landry, having an interest in politics through her studies of journalism and history, originally intended to start up the movement back in 2024.
After meeting up with a cousin who had recently experienced a change of heart and become conservative, she introduced Landry to Turning Point USA and encouraged her to attend the Young Women’s Leadership Summit.
During the Summit, she had the opportunity to speak with representatives who gathered her information and asked if Benedictine had a chapter for TPUSA.
It turns out there was a club for it in the past, but it was inactive as there was nobody to run it.
Just a few weeks after the summit, the regional coordinator for TUPSA in the Midwest called her to discuss the opportunity of starting up a chapter at Benedictine. She received support from the coordinator as she began initiatives for relaunch during the fall of 2024. Landry prepared the necessities for starting up the club, such as the paperwork, Instagram page and marketing through the club fair.
Although there were 60 signatures at the fair, there was no response afterward from the student body. This caused a year-long pause in the relaunch due to Landry studying abroad in Florence the following semester, with no one to continue the work she had begun.
Landry returned this semester with a plan for promotion and outreach in order to try to reignite interest. In the midst of the resumed relaunch preparation, the assassination of Charlie Kirk occurred, which left the community shaken, especially Landry.
“I was numb. I saw the close-up video. It was hard; I couldn’t focus on any other work. It was very sad.” Landry said
The following week, things began to come together.
A reporter reached out to the student government, asking about whether or not there was a chapter on campus. Landry’s response was the announcement of the official relaunch.
“I think people are awake, and I want to strike now while the iron is hot,” Landry said.
Since the announcement, a faculty member volunteered to be the advisor for the club, and many students have reached out seeking to become involved either as an officer or simply as a member.
Since the official relaunch, tpusa_benedictinecollege, which is the official Instagram for the movement, has over 600 followers, and the first official meeting that occurred in Westerman Auditorium on Tuesday, September 23rd.
