Kendall Long

Academy of Art U Grad Kendall Long is Competing for Love on ABC’s The Bachelor

Attention Bachelor Nation: Academy of Art University has a graduate competing on Season 22 of ABC’s The Bachelor!

Yep, you heard us right.

Kendall Long, 26, is currently vying for race car driver slash real estate mogul Arie Luyendyk Jr.’s heart.

If you watched the first episode on Janu-Arie 1st (see what we did there?!), you were introduced to taxidermy-loving, ukulele-playing, Kendall who’s never had a relationship last longer than one year.

However…

There’s a lot more to this Bachelor contestant than we’ve been shown on TV so far.

Not only is she a budding reality TV star, she’s also making a name for herself as a professional in the entertainment industry.

At the Academy, we take pride in following our alumni as they enter the working world. When it comes to Kendall, we’ve been very impressed.

Academy All-Star

The Valencia, California native and her twin sister, Kylie (no blood relation to the Jenner sisters), both started at the Academy in 2010.

Kendall knew she wanted to work in the media industry from day one and wanted to start ASAP.

In between her classes at the Academy, Kendall worked multiple jobs as a production assistant, videographer, photographer, and film correspondent.

One of her direct supervisors, Nicolette Bathea, had this to say about Kendall on LinkedIn:

“One key word stands out when working with Kendall: positivity. She’s capable, adaptable and always up for getting the job done. She’s eager, has a passion for creativity and a great can-do attitude that is wonderful to be around.”

That might be why she also excelled in her role as a student representative for the communications department.

In 2014, she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in multimedia communications with an emphasis in on-camera talent and producing.

Beauty, Brains, and Brawn

As if her academic achievements aren’t enough, Kendall was also a student athlete.

She and Kylie ran track and field for the Urban Knights. In 2010, Kendall achieved her personal best on a 5k course (25:41) and had her top finish (86th) at the San Francisco Invitational on Sept. 4.

At the 2012 Run for the Dream Invitational, Kendall earned the top mark in program history during her 600 yard run.

Red Carpet Resume

Post-grad, Kendall is the epitome of Academy success story.

Currently, she is the creative director for WhoHaha in Beverly Hills, where she’s responsible for designing sets, prop fabrication, purchasing props and set materials, as well as providing direction to the art department.

This also isn’t the Bachelor contestant’s first rodeo in reality TV.

Remember the Keeping up with the Kardashians 10th anniversary special? Kendall was one of the creatives behind the decor and furniture choices, as well as an on-set art representative.

Moving down her laundry list of entertainment industry artistic achievements, she’s also worked on Nikki Glaser’s showMTV’s Ridiculousnessas well cult classics like Sex Sent Me to the EREscape the Living Deadand TLC’s Dare to Wear.

Team Kendall

For now, we’ll all take to our couches with a glass of rosé in hand and enjoy this season’s laughs, tears, and rose ceremonies.

But as Kendall’s biggest fans, we need answers!

Does she get a hometown date? Will Arie (who has twin brothers) get to meet Kylie? Will she and Arie get married, have kids who attend the Academy, and live happily ever after?

We might be a little bit biased… but we sure hope so!

If not, there’s always Paradise!