By Josh Howell
Even political cynics, a class not obscure given A&M’s conservative culture, cannot help but note Student Body President Jacob Robinson’s presidential air. Posted February 23rd, 2010 on YouTube, his campaign video, “A Day in the Life of Jacob Robinson,” commences amidst Lee Greenwood’s rendition of “God Bless the USA” and Robinson asleep, covered to the neck with the American Flag. After waking, he whips off the flag and we find him wearing a well tailored suit – blatant symbolism that he is always ready to lead. After polishing his shoes he folds his Flag-blanket into a triangle, the respectful way to do so, picks up his Twelfth Man miniature towel and exits, the viewer catching another glimpse of an American flag immediately outside.
We then follow Robinson through his day of tough arguments, victories, and disappointments, all the while meeting and greeting fans in various Aggie hotspots and shot in a style reminiscent of The Beatles’ music video for “A Hard Day’s Night.” The campaign video concludes with Robinson, girlfriend at his side, watching an episode of “The West Wing,” the critically acclaimed political drama about the lives of President Josiah Bartlett and his staff.
Robinson was not the first in his family to make College Station his home. When he attended his first A&M football game he was in just the 6th grade. His older brother was a freshman at the time.
“I sat on the 3rd deck and through all the sweat and yelling I fell in love with this place,” Robinson said. “My brother bought me a book called Traditions of Texas A&M. I read the book at least 5 times and every aspect of A&M was impactful to me. I loved the environment, the traditions and the family.”
When first stepping onto campus, now-President Robinson had only abstract political interests, yet after hearing about the Freshman Leadership Organization, Fish Aides – a FLO intimately tied to SGA –he decided to join.
By joining Robinson would immediately be thrust into a political role. While a member Robinson was a lobbyist on behalf of A&M and took many trips to Austin and DC. There he worked with numerous lawmakers in an attempt to persuade them to vote on bills that would impact student’s lives positively.
However it was not until his junior year that Robinson first felt the spark of presidential ambition, his previous SGA experience making him a prime candidate.
“It was a combination of prayer, great friends and a few things falling perfectly into place,” he said.
By viewing last year’s debates one quickly discerns why Robinson and his “true dream-team” of a campaign staff were able to rake in 49.896 percent of the 12,000 votes cast during student elections (just short of winning without a runoff).
Robinson mixes idealism with an apparent practical knowledge for bringing his idealism to fruition, all the while delivering his vision with nuance, skills he no doubt acquired as both a member of the SGA and a Leadership Studies major. And yet, he is entirely humble about the campaign.
“We got the percentage we did not because of anything I did, but what [the campaign staff] did as a team. It was a shock to me to have such great numbers, but it was even better knowing we did that with my great friends,” he said.
Even with a near majority the Robinson campaign team worked just as hard during the runoff. Eventually, his work and the work of his campaign staff would result in him being named Student Body President.
The nature of the job is a tense one.
“Meetings with SGA are very different than my meetings with administrators and faculty. SGA meetings are more student focused and student lead,” Robinson said. “These meetings revolve around our committees and things happening at that time. The ‘politics’ side of things are left for the Senate room.”
While it is often said of Washington politics that no one wants to nor should see behind closed doors, Robinson insists that his work is different and that unlike other universities, A&M is unique by being interested in what its students have to say.
As such Robinson will have the opportunity to voice his opinion to administrators, a privilege reserved for a select few.
“My meetings with administrators are lead by them and often I am the only student in the room. I get the great opportunity to voice my opinion at these meetings and actually have the administrators listen to my concerns,” he said.
Perhaps, Robinson’s most poignant and important political view involves what he would fix if he had the power without repercussions.
“I would fix the cost of tuition and books,” he said. “I know many people that are paying their own way through college and that will be following them for a long time. It should not cost that much to get an education. We want our country to be educated but we make it so expensive to do so.”
These are sentiments Aggies surely love to hear coming from their President. But what tangible things can Aggies expect from Robinson this year?
“Students can expect better communication with myself and what SGA is doing for them. We are going to look at dining options and making them more student friendly,” he said. “We are going to be putting on diversity forums for students to educate people about different issues.”
Robinson has long been a fan of baseball but is especially a fan of Aggie baseball as well as Aggie football. He also enjoys being on the lake as well as hunting. His favorite film is the 1986 action film Top Gun staring Tom Cruise. Apparently Robinson is also a southern gentleman. When asked about his political leanings outside of Aggieland he carefully, and with all the smoothness of a well trained politician, responded “I think it is important to know who you are and what you stand for. I have also been taught to never talk about salaries and political parties.”