<p><span class="p-body">At May 17th's Radio City Music Hall NYU SPS Graduate Convocation,&nbsp;<a href="https://vimeo.com/780817509" target="_blank">CLEAN DESIGN HOME</a>®&nbsp;founder and NYU SPS graduate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cleandesignhome/" target="_blank">Robin Wilson</a>&nbsp;will address the Class of '24 and receive the 2024 NYU SPS Distinguished Alumni Award.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Wilson is the founder of CLEAN DESIGN HOME, a brand committed to bringing allergen aware consumers a lifestyle option of chic, non-toxic, sustainable linens, towels, candles, and mattress selections.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">As a mother and someone who has struggled with asthma and allergies throughout her life, Wilson cites her pan-allergic childhood as the impetus for creating the CLEAN DESIGN HOME brand, which is available at Macy's, BELK, Wayfair, and Bed Bath &amp; Beyond, and every brand of the military. She credits NYU SPS for helping her prepare for the post-graduation job market, noting, &quot;NYU has tremendous alumni resources for jobs, charitable endeavors, and board service.&quot;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">&quot;Being a graduate student at NYU was at a pivotal moment in my life,&quot; says Wilson, a career changer who pivoted from the corporate world to being the first Black woman founder of a global allergen-aware lifestyle brand. &quot;The connections and networks I made with fellow alumni continue to make a difference in my career,&quot; she adds. &quot;I also met several professors who mentored me through the years.&quot;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">One of those mentors was adjunct instructor Matthew Sheehy, who recently passed away. &quot;He always encouraged me to stay focused on my dream and to make a difference,&quot; says Wilson. &quot;My advice to the Class of '24 is for each of them to take one step every day toward their goals—but first set a goal, and then think about each step to achieve that vision.&quot;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">&quot;I have always wanted to be an entrepreneur. At age 29, I enrolled at NYU SPS. My maternal grandfather and great-grandfather were entrepreneurs—and my paternal grandfather was a sharecropper. Coming from such disparate heritage allowed me to see at a young age that being an entrepreneur has both rewards and challenges.&quot;</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">Wilson was thrust into the spotlight by&nbsp;<i>O Magazine</i>&nbsp;in 2005 and has had multiple media appearances over the years, including the brand launch on the&nbsp;<i>ELLEN&nbsp;</i>Show for their “12 Days of Christmas” giveaway, Wilson has an interior design division that has also completed high-profile design jobs for many residential and commercial spaces, including showcase projects for&nbsp;<i>Good Housekeeping</i>, the White House Fellows Office, and has seen her work published in many magazines. An author of two best-selling books, she was also selected to&nbsp;<i>Inc Magazine’s&nbsp;</i>“Top 100 Female Founders” in 2020.</span></p> <p><span class="p-body">&quot;To be an entrepreneur means that you learn to be comfortable with discomfort. Entrepreneurship can take you on a rollercoaster journey, and always remember that fear and excitement are the same emotion—it just depends on which way you look at the moment.&quot; The entrepreneurial success Wilson has garnered since graduate school affirms that she took the advice of her NYU SPS mentor to heart and continues to &quot;stay focused on a dream and work hard to make a difference.&quot;</span></p>