Gov. Pillen Hosts Students for TPUSA Club America Partnership Announcement

NEBRASKA, February 10 - CONTACT:

Laura Strimple, (402) 580-9495

Gov. Pillen Hosts Students for TPUSA Club America Partnership Announcement

LINCOLN, NE – Today, Governor Pillen hosted around 60 high school and college students from across Nebraska in announcing a new partnership to bring Turning Point USA Club America chapters to all high schools. The event, hosted at the Governor’s Residence, included Attorney General Mike Hilgers; Nick Cocca, TPUSA Club America Enterprise Director; and Chapter President Emma Smith, of Creighton University.

Prior to the afternoon event, Gov. Pillen spoke with TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk. Kirk has led Turning Point since the assassination of her husband five months ago. During that week, Gov. Pillen spoke at a candlelight vigil for Kirk on the University of Nebraska – Lincoln campus.

“The handful of occasions that I got to spend time with Charlie, I learned he was about faith, family, and bettering our country. Charlie’s ‘why’ was to stand up and speak what he believed,” said Gov. Pillen. “Grassroot politics are at the heart of the American system of government, and I believe the future of our country is stronger when our students know and appreciate American exceptionalism, our constitution and freedom.”

“Charlie deeply loved Club America, and he knew the importance of lifting up our students,” said CEO Kirk. “They’re our future and we’re going to do everything possible to empower and amplify their voices in Nebraska. Through this partnership, we get one step closer to Charlie’s vision of seeing Club America in every high school in the nation.”

Kirk started Turning Point USA in 2012. The nonprofit’s mission is to identify, educate, train and organize students to promote the principles of fiscal responsibility, free markets and limited government.  The organization helps coordinate the launch of high school chapters through Club America. Currently, Club America boasts more than 3,200 chapters, representing 13 percent of all high schools in America.  There are 22 high school chapters in Nebraska. Representatives attending today’s announcement included those in public, private and homeschools, including students from as far as Ogallala and McCook and as close as Lincoln.

Students representing community colleges and universities in Nebraska also participated in today’s announcement, including Smith, who spearheaded the restart of the chapter at Creighton University. Smith worked for a year to get it going again, and the club was officially recognized last week.

Smith said that Turning Point did not tell her what to think, but it did challenge her to ask questions, think critically, engage in ideas, discover what she believed and to have the confidence to stand behind her beliefs.

“Politics used to be something I avoided entirely, now it’s a part of my everyday life, not because I have to, but because I want to. Because I care deeply about the direction of this country and I believe my generation has a responsibility to protect what is right, rational and worth preserving,” she added.

In addition to Smith who represented participants from Creighton University, students from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln, Southeast Community College, Metro Community College and Hastings College were also on hand at today’s event. There are currently 17 college-based chapters throughout the state.

Attorney General Mike Hilgers, who recalled learning about the political assassination of Charlie Kirk, called today’s gathering of student representatives a day to celebrate.  

“This is the antidote to political discord,” said Hilgers. “This is the antidote to poison in our culture. It is young people, people of all ages who are approaching issues – not with violence and not with hate and not with yelling or disruption – they’re approaching it based out of love and joy and courage in talking about the things they believe in, using free speech in this constitutional structure that we’ve been gifted by generations before us.”

TPUSA said it has seen at least a 600% increase in Nebraska-based chapters since September 10, 2025, the day Kirk was assassinated. Cocca has been with TPUSA since 2016 and worked with Kirk to launch Club America. He shared that Kirk was very enthusiastic about the idea of reaching out to teenage students.

“Charlie believed deeply in the future of this country – that it belongs to its youth and it’s our responsibility to ensure they are informed, empowered and prepared to inherit this Republic and carry on freedom for the next generation,” said Cocca.

“I hope that these young people here today inspire all of us to take a step further to stand up and say we can have good debate, we can talk and we can work through it,” added Gov.  Pillen.

Following the announcement, students and their chaperones stayed for a reception at the Governor’s Residence, hosted by Gov. Pillen.