KU News Release

KU grad wins ‘Design Star,’ will host her own show on HGTV

LAWRENCE — In a year marked with a string of victories in athletics and academics, the University of Kansas can now add one more winner to the list.

Jennifer Bertrand, a KU alumna, was named the winner of Home and Garden Television’s “Design Star” competition Sunday night. Bertrand received a contract for her own HGTV show, which will premiere in January.

Bertrand earned a bachelor’s in visual arts education in spring 1998 and a master’s in education in spring 2007, both from KU.

Bertrand lives in Olathe and before competing on “Design Star” was an interior decorator and owner of Bertrand Designs.

Bertrand bested eight other contestants in the course of the seven-week “Design Star” competition. In addition to earning the opportunity to host her own TV program, she won $5,000 and a Caribbean cruise.

KU alumni have made regular appearances on popular reality TV shows. Most notably, Danni Boatwright, who was winner of “Survivor: Guatemala,” and Kathryn Price, who was the title character on the first season of “The Mole.”

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