More than 9,000 people filled The Sandy and John Black Pavilion on Wednesday to hear Vice President JD Vance and Turning Point CEO Erika Kirk speak, and even though they waited in a long line in rainy weather to get in, most students found the experience worth it.
Riley Darnell, a senior public health major from Houston, Texas, thought that Vance coming to UM reaffirmed what it meant to be a part of TPUSA.
“I think truly it just goes back to the Southern traditional values. I think that, you know, (as) the Turning Point chapter president (Lesley Lachman) has said, she really pushed to get him here,” Darnell said. “I think to honor that, Turning Point really wanted to come and show that they supported us and who we were … in their movement.”
Hannah Dean, a second-year graduate student in rehabilitation counseling at Mississippi State University from Houston, Miss., thought that the event was worth traveling for.
“It was fantastic. I’m glad I got to come. I really wasn’t expecting (students) to actually ask questions, so that was really cool. A lot of the questions I wanted to hear were asked, so that was fun,” Dean said.
Lucas Greazel, a senior mechanical engineering major from Chicago, Ill., thought that the event was well worth the chilly temperature and persistent rain.
“I really enjoyed the event and it was definitely worth the wait in the rain. It was cool to see that (Vance) didn’t cloister himself and shut down any questions he didn’t feel like answering, but responded with his raw personality,” Greazel said. “I think Ole Miss was a great place for him to come, and I believe this makes it the pearl of the Turning Point tour.”
Sonoma Baumgartner, a sophomore business entrepreneurship major from Chino, Calif., also believed that the event was worth weathering the rain.
“Before this event, I had to go to class, and then I was standing in line from like 12 (p.m.) until we got in around 3:30, so it was a big time commitment. But I think standing in the rain, all of that, it’s totally worth it for something like this. This is a once in a lifetime (experience),” Baumgartner said. “Standing in line, we saw a whole community of Mississippi students that all came together for this one event. It was fun to stand in line and meet people.”
Not every student who wanted to attend the event made it into the pavilion. Talia Fields, a sophomore early childhood education major from Hershey, Pa., was frustrated with being refused entry to the event.
“I definitely think they could have organized this better and either (had) two nights or a better ticket system, because I got tickets the second they went on sale. We didn’t get to go in, and I feel like a lot of people did get to go in that probably just happened to get here sooner. And at the end of the day, we still do have classes and academics that we need to get to, so I didn’t have the opportunity to get here in line before 3 (p.m.),” Fields said.
For Caitlin McGrath, a senior Southern studies major from Lake Lanier, Ga., attending had a lot to do with the feeling that she would be participating in a historic event.
“I just want to be a part of making history in an event that people will talk about in future generations, saying that I was a part of it and having the opportunity as a college student to be able to see the vice president,” McGrath said.
Ladd Uvic, a senior integrated marketing communications major from Covington, La., said it was a major moment to experience and emphasized his belief that people on both sides of the political aisle will have something to take away from the event.
“It is so insane, especially for our university. I think no matter where you lean politically, this is going to be such a learning experience. Like, even if a Democrat was here, I feel like I would still go because it’s just such a learning moment,” Ulvic said. “And like we’re never going to be in college again having a president or a vice president on our campus, so it’s just such an amazing learning moment.”
Katie Brewer, a junior marketing major and Oxford native, noted that UM has hosted events like this in the past. In 2008, the university hosted a presidential debate between Democratic nominee Barack Obama and Republican nominee John McCain.
“I think Ole Miss is a melting pot of a lot of different opinions. There’s a lot of history here, and I think it’s so great that (Erika) decided to come here (along with) JD Vance,” Brewer said.
For McGrath, Vance coming to the university has more to do with what she perceives as its overwhelming support for him and his party.
“(They know) that Ole Miss has that huge foundation of support, not only for Donald Trump, but for Charlie Kirk and just the Republican Party in general, (and) just knowing that we’d all show a lot of support and be a huge influence,” McGrath said. “(They know) that stuff can go viral here and just get more word out to more people at an SEC school.”
For Dean, one question remained after the event concluded.
“I wanted to ask (Vance) about if he was planning on running for president, and I wish somebody had asked if that’s something on his radar at all,” Dean said. “I know a lot of people are rooting for it.”
Erika Dierke, Taylor Hill, Hannah Ivey and Aidan Poniatowski contributed reporting.
