Lake County Gazette

A photo mocking a student-led vigil for slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk at Lake Forest College has sparked controversy and prompted calls for accountability from the school’s leadership, particularly President Mike Sosulski.

The image, originally posted anonymously on the campus-specific YikYak feed, shows a student kneeling in front of a memorial display honoring Kirk, which included photos, candles and flowers. The post was captioned: “Rip bozo.”

The vigil, held on campus Sept. 21, was one of many organized across the country following Kirk’s killing at Utah Valley University earlier this month. Kirk had invited students to “prove me wrong” and engage in debate on political and religious issues. He was participating in such a discussion when he was shot and killed. 

Community members gather in Market Square on the night of Sept. 22 to honor slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The vigil, marked by candles, prayers and tributes, drew supporters but no attendance from local elected officials. | Facebook / The Lake Forest Podcast

Authorities allege the suspect held opposing political views and lived with a transgender roommate. 

Kirk, 31, was the co-founder of Turning Point USA and was known for his conservative advocacy and influence among young Republicans. His death has intensified national debates over political speech, campus free expression and ideological intolerance.

The photo drew condemnation from Pete Jansons, host of the Lake County Podcast, who published a Facebook post titled, “A Wake-Up Call for Lake Forest College: Is This the Culture You Support, President Sosulski?”

“This wasn’t a random troll,” Jansons wrote. “The YikYak group is exclusive to Lake Forest College students, accessible only with a verified @lakeforest.edu email. This came from within our community.”

Jansons also referenced comments Sosulski made in a recent interview, linked in the post, in which he was asked whether Kirk and his organization would be welcome on campus.

Sosulski responded that such events would be appropriate only if they promoted “respectful dialogue.”

“Unfortunately, a lot of what I've seen does not fit that,” Sosulski said of Kirk.

Jansons argued that Sosulski’s comments contributed to a culture of hostility.

“Free speech isn’t selective—it includes all perspectives,” Jansons wrote. “By framing Kirk as a threat, you’ve implicitly endorsed hostility toward him and his supporters. This YikYak post reflects that culture: disrespect replacing dialogue.”

He called on Sosulski to issue a public statement, meet with students and reaffirm the college’s commitment to free speech.

“President Sosulski, leadership starts with you,” Jansons wrote. “Will you condemn this behavior, or allow it to define the ‘inclusive’ community you champion? I challenge you to act: issue a statement, meet with students, and demonstrate Lake Forest College’s commitment to genuine dialogue—not censorship that breeds division.”

Lake Forest College had an estimated enrollment of 1,837 students in 2024 and reported $145 million in operating expenditures that year.

Sosulski became the 15th president of Lake Forest College earlier in 2025. He previously served as president of Washington College in Maryland, where he departed amid declining enrollment. His reported salary there was $441,000 annually.

In a separate Facebook post, Jansons criticized city officials for what he described as a lack of support for the vigil held in Market Square the night of Sept. 22.

“The silence from our city leaders was deafening,” Jansons wrote. “Not a single elected official came. No Mayor Randy Tack. No City Manager Jason Wicha. No aldermen. And several priests in our own community refused to take part — too afraid.”

According to Jansons, only one religious leader, Pastor Jim Buckman of Faith Lutheran Church in Lake Forest, attended the vigil.

“Leaders are supposed to lead,” Jansons wrote. “In our darkest hour, ours chose to stay away. I am ashamed of our leadership.”

The Lake County Podcast also drew a contrast between community responses in 2020 and 2025.

During the height of the Black Lives Matter movement, protesters gathered in Lake Forest’s Market Square, joined by Democratic elected officials including U.S. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), State Sen. Julie Morrison (D-Deerfield), State Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Deerfield), and other regional leaders such as Waukegan Mayor Sam Cunningham and Eric Rinehart, prior to his election as Lake County state’s attorney.

Then-Lake Forest Mayor George Pandaleon released a public video praising the demonstration and thanking its organizers.

By contrast, the 2025 vigil for Kirk, held in the same location, drew no elected officials and only one local religious leader, but a larger turnout from community members.

The podcast called the difference a troubling double standard in civic engagement.

“In 2020, leaders said ‘your silence is permission.’ In 2025, silence was their only response,” Lake County Podcast said on YouTube.

Kirk, an Illinois native and graduate of Wheeling High School, founded Turning Point USA at age 18 after briefly attending Harper College, a public community college in Palatine, about 24 miles northeast of Lake Forest College.

He launched the organization from a garage in Lemont and expanded it into a $92 million nonprofit with a presence on more than 3,500 college and high school campuses nationwide.

Kirk was a close confidant of President Trump and frequently returned to Illinois to speak at conservative events. His presence on college campuses made him a polarizing figure—celebrated by some and criticized by others.

Kirk is survived by his wife, Erika, and their two young children. Following his death, Erika Kirk assumed the role of CEO at Turning Point USA.