‘Love Island USA’ Star Olandria Carthen Uplifts Tuskegee University, Her Alma Mater, Using Microsoft Copilot, An AI-Powered Assistant
Olandria Carthen shows her HBCU pride in her latest partnership with a tech giant.
Since departing from the villa, the “Love Island USA” Season 7 contestant from Alabama has been on the move. She was seen at the Video Music Awards and U.S. Open and appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.“
Carthen spoke with Ebony magazine about her newfound fame, stating, “From the minute you step out of that villa, you’re under a microscope: every expression, every moment. What helped me stay grounded was remembering who I was before the cameras.”
HBCU Graduate
Carthen’s LinkedIn notes that she previously worked as an associate sales specialist at Otis Elevator and departed in July 2025. Her career trajectory also includes VOLT Power (billing specialist), GE (machine operator), and Sonoco (assembly specialist). Her preparation for the future can be credited to her time at Tuskegee University, one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities across the country that is rich in history. She earned a bachelor’s in logistics, materials, and supply chain management in 2022. She also greatly appreciated her time there, which began in 2017.
“A lot of people will ask like, ‘Well, why would you choose to go to an HBCU?’” she expressed in a TikTok Live, according to ClutchPoints. “I’m like, ‘I have the rest of my life to be a minority. I wanted to see how it felt to be majority when I walk around and wake up and everybody looks like me.’ You know, the rest of my life I have that to be a minority. But it truly felt good to be a part of the majority.”
Full-Circle Partnership With Microsoft
Carthen showed her appreciation for Tuskegee University in her latest partnership with Microsoft. The partnership sheds light on Copilot, Microsoft’s conversational, AI-powered assistant that will increase productivity and improve workflow, according to information on the company’s website. Carthen asked questions relevant to the HBCU, prompting responses from the copilot that revealed the school’s notable alumni, including Lionel Richie, and the significance of the Alabama city, which birthed the first Black American military pilots.
“Bridging history and innovation with @microsoftcopilot,” Carthen wrote in a post shared on Instagram.
While not tied to her HBCU experience, Carthen also scored a partnership with NYX Cosmetics, leveraging public interest around her well-sought-after lip combo. In an interview with business podcaster Jason Tartick, Carthen reveals she hopes to snag a partnership with SKIMS, a shapewear and clothing brand co-founded by Kim Kardashian and Emma Grede, who she views as an inspiration in business.
“Just to have a woman that looks like me… It’s so easy for me to see myself in that position. You know what I mean? ‘Cause representation is everything,” she said on the podcast.
Carthen also hopes to see $1 million in her bank account and is well on her way.
