Kami Kortokrax, a fourth-year in communication and an Ohio State softball player, poses with Ohio State gear. Credit: Courtesy of Kami Kortokrax
For Ohio State’s student influencers, one dictum has proven to be true: With great power comes great responsibility.
College students have taken to sharing their life experiences online, influencing others as a result, and Ohio State is no exception. Student influencers Jonathan Johnson and Kami Kortokrax — along with psychiatrist Joshua Norman and athletic counselor Charron Sumler — discussed what it’s like to be an on-campus influencer and the responsibilities it encompasses.
Johnson, a fourth-year in engineering who has thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok, said he remembers the moment his platform unintentionally began to grow.
Fourth-year Jonathan Johnson’s TikTok page. Credit: Courtesy of Jonathan Johnson
“It actually didn’t even start on TikTok,” Johnson said. “I’m from Florida, and I didn’t know anyone coming on campus, so I had this bright idea of starting the Ohio State 2025 Instagram page. When [the freshman class] got onto campus, I was actually recognized everywhere as being that guy that ran the page. So, initially, it was overwhelming and an adjustment because I wasn’t used to that level of recognition and just having that sort of influence on campus.”
Johnson said he began posting Ohio State content on TikTok not long after the Instagram page’s inception, and his wave of online popularity — a wave he continues riding as a senior — swelled even more.
Norman, a psychiatrist at the Wexner Medical Center, said he fears what this sudden burst of a following can do to a typical college student.
“You go from living in a normal routine to being recognized when being out and about, which I think could be something that makes folks feel compelled to continually chase that through followers, likes, looking for that approval from somebody,” Norman said. “It kind of leads to almost a treadmill that you get on, where you’re always looking for the next thing or trying to maintain an appearance.”
Running on that treadmill was a familiar feeling for Johnson. He said that not allowing the numbers to consume his self-worth was a learning process.
“It’s a psychological game for sure, but I just try my best to not let it get to me, and I have learned a lot up until this point,” Johnson said. “It’s definitely a process, but you definitely have to learn how to just keep your mind locked in when views are not performing and just continue to be consistent.”
Kortokrax, a fourth-year in communication and an Ohio State softball player, said her self-worth is anchored by her faith, which allows her to step back from the anxieties of tying herself to numbers when creating social media content.
Fourth-year Kami Kortokrax’s TikTok page. Credit: Courtesy of Kami Kortokrax
“Honestly, it doesn’t really affect my self-esteem and self-worth because I’m a pretty big Christian, so I base my self-worth in Christ alone,” Kortokrax said. “Obviously, brands like to see when you get more interactions, but for me personally, I don’t base my value in that.”
Sumler, an athletic counselor at Ohio State, said she believes it’s important to help students navigate their social platforms in a healthy manner; that way, the potentially toxic aspects of accepting brand deals don’t play a part in their online experience.
“Learning how to integrate it in a healthy way is usually my approach,” Sumler said. “My biggest concern usually with [Name, Image and Likeness] and even branding yourself publicly online while in college is that their brains are not fully developed, and therefore their identity development is still at play.”
Name, Image and Likeness — or NIL — deals are essentially exclusive to college athletes, who can now make money off their personal brand by engaging in online sponsorship deals, according to an Aug. 29 article from ESPN.
Sumler said due to social media NIL deals that are designed for a college-aged demographic, it’s important to help students find the sweet spot of their online portrayal that will still allow them to live authentically.
“From the mental health side of things, it can be really rigid and lock them into this certain image,” Sumler said. “Ultimately, just helping them figure out ways to do it in a way that feels aligned to their values and allows for some flexibility and growth over time is important.”
Johnson said his brand deals with big companies like Tinder and Chegg don’t necessarily undermine his ability to be genuine on social media.
“People value authenticity,” Johnson said. “Just being yourself and posting yourself in true form, people will see that, and they’ll enjoy your content. The moment you stop being authentic, people really do realize.”
Though living authentically is not a significant struggle for Johnson and Kortokrax, they both said they frequently come across online hate.
“I just realized that some people are just always going to hate because of who they are, and that doesn’t have to impact who I am and how I view myself,” Kortokrax said.
Sumler and Norman both said the impact that influencers have on their audience is largely positive.
“I think the biggest pro of social media is access for folks who wouldn’t have it otherwise; it gives them an opportunity to feel connected and closer,” Sumler said. “For young people, it gives them access to athletes that can help their development and keep them motivated.”
Jonathan Johnson, a fourth-year in engineering and social media influencer. Credit: Courtesy of Jonathan Johnson
ohnson said he acknowledged his potential impact early on and used that understanding to propel his content forward.
“Coming from Florida, initially not knowing a single soul, but somehow being able to leave an influence and impact on campus is something I recognized, and it motivated me to be a guide for other people who were coming from out of state with no friends and no one to show them how to make the most of their short time here,” Johnson said.
Similarly, Kortokrax said she hopes she continues influencing her followers to be well-rounded people.
“I think a lot about influence on behavior when I post anything online because, being a Division I athlete, I know the vast majority of my following are younger softball girls, and I just want to influence them with the behavior that’s going to help them get to where they want to be in life — to accomplish their goals, work hard, stay focused, be good people and hopefully, most importantly, give their lives to Jesus and things that really matter in this world,” Kortokrax said.
Norman said while social media can present issues, it can serve a larger humanitarian purpose.
“Think of all the young folks that you can impact,” Norman said. “There’s really no better thing in life, I think, than knowing that you had a positive or lasting impact on another human being.”
