An award-winning fashion designer and alumna of Blackburn College will give the keynote address during the school’s 157th commencement ceremony.
Kahindo Mateene, a 1999 Blackburn graduate and designer on the 12th season of “Project Runway,” will speak during the ceremony at 10:30 a.m. May 16 on the Hudson Quad, according to the school.
Mateene is founder of the fashion brand KAHINDO, which touts “ethically made” clothing for weddings and special occasions. It blends African styles and modern design.
She was born in Uganda to Congolese parents and has lived in several African countries, which influenced her style. After graduating from Blackburn with a Bachelor of Arts degree, she continued her studies in fashion design at the Illinois Institute of Art in Chicago.
Mateene lost in the second episode of the 2013-aired season of “Project Runway,” a competitive reality TV show that brought her national attention. She also has been named a Tory Burch Fellow, a Tory Burch Foundation program that connect women entrepreneurs; and completed the Workshop at Macy’s retail accelerator program.
Blackburn’s commencement weekend activities begin May 15 with senior convocation at 7 p.m. in Bothwell Auditorium. For more information, go to blackburn.edu/academics/graduation.