In fall of 2021, Texas A&M welcomed its first ever ‘yass leader’ into the freshmen class of 2025.
Jase Powell, who has gained immense success as an A&M-focused content creator since going viral on the app.
With most of Powell’s videos concerning Aggie student life and the culture of the university, it’s no surprise that the sophomore has fully immersed himself in everything A&M. Sporting unique Aggie attire in the majority of his videos — when not wearing his classic “I Heart Jase Powell” merch — creates content centered around major A&M events, such as game day, Midnight Yell and sorority recruitment.
Powell’s first viral video, “The Yassification of Texas A&M,” was posted in the winter of 2021.
“I made it last December — literally the second week of December which was finals week when I should’ve been studying for a final but I was procrastinating in Evans [Library],” Powell said. “So I just made one; ‘The Yassification of A&M’ TikTok, just me walking around campus, walking to Heldenfels … and then I began posting interviews, and I think that was the beginning of March. That’s kind of when I guess I took off and got really creatively inspired and continued with content.”
Powell’s interviews, which consist of him walking around campus and asking students various questions such as “What’s your type?” or “What era are you in?” or “Why are you single?” have not only earned him recognition on A&M’s campus, but also a widespread reach across other Texas universities, as he has already recorded several interviews at the University of Texas at Austin. His most popular video titled “Asking Texas A&M Students ‘What’s Pissing You Off Right Now?’” has over 800,000 likes, 3 million views and thousands of comments ranging from other students, to A&M alumni and fellow TikTok influencer Brittany Broski.
While a video with this kind of reception seems like it would take immense planning, Powell said he likes to maintain spontaneity in his content.
“I just go up to random people and literally just scream out like, ‘Do you want to get interviewed,’” Powell said. “If they say yes, that’s when I just kind of prepare them for the video.”
Powell emphasized that given the context of TikTok, he wants his content to come across authentically to viewers.
“I feel like I don’t want whatever I’m doing on TikTok to ever feel like a job or something that needs to be so overly structured because I want it to be fun,” Powell said. “I want that to resonate and be obvious on the viewers’ end where they can look at it and be like ‘Oh my god this is so funny,’ you know, because I had fun making it. I don’t want it to feel forced.”
Powell also said his videos have given him the opportunity to meet students that recognize him from TikTok, which is an experience he enjoys.
“In the last year it’s been the most rewarding,” Powell said. “The most endearing thing is that I got a chance to meet people that have similar stories with me, that share similar identities with me, and that I get a chance to relate to them in ways and also get the chance to be connected to A&M. It’s such an honor.”
Powell’s content appears to have given some people a new perspective on the university and the student population in general. Powell said his platform has allowed him to represent parts of the student body that may not be as visible on campus.
“My first few comments on the video that I posted [last] December, ‘The Yassification of A&M,’ were like, ‘I didn’t know a student like you existed there,’ and ‘Oh my god I wish you were there in my years,’” Powell said. “To feel like there’s even a minute form of representation on campus is crazy and that I represent that population … but also there are so many more students that are like me on campus that just don’t have the platform like I do. To be able to be that for them and to be able to represent them in any way, and also to meet them on campus is really huge.”
Powell also said he likes to challenge preconceived notions about the university and encourages everyone to utilize their own experiences to form A&M’s narrative.
“I believe that there are so many more people like me,” Powell said. “A&M has become a lot more progessive in its nature and behavior. I try to encourage everyone to find their experience and find their narrative of the university by their own lived experience in the people they surround themselves with.”
Despite his newfound fame, Powell said he immensely appreciates every opportunity his platform has provided him with.
“I will never normalize [the fame],” Powell said. “Normalizing getting a chance to meet people on campus that are like ‘Oh my god I’ve seen your TikToks … it’s just crazy to have those experiences. Getting the chance to partner with brands like JCPenney, or even getting the chance to meet students that have seen me online and that again, probably share a similar story to me, is so rewarding.”
