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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — St. Kitts and Nevis national Kahnein Blanchette has achieved a major leadership milestone after being elected the founding President of the Caribbean Student Association at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, for the 2026–2027 academic year.

The historic appointment places Blanchette at the forefront of the university’s first organization dedicated to uniting, representing and celebrating students from across the Caribbean.

Blanchette described the opportunity as an honour and a responsibility that extends far beyond holding a title.

“Being entrusted to lead the first-ever Caribbean Student Association on campus is something I don’t take lightly,” she stated. “It’s exciting to be part of creating a lasting legacy while helping build a space where Caribbean students can feel seen, connected and celebrated.”

With Southern University welcoming a growing number of students from Caribbean nations, Blanchette said the association will work to create meaningful opportunities, promote the region’s diverse cultures and strengthen connections between Caribbean students and the wider university community.

“This is more than starting a student organization,” she declared. “It’s about creating a home away from home and laying a foundation that will continue to serve students long after we’ve graduated.”

A Rising Caribbean Leader

Blanchette is pursuing a double major in Accounting and Finance, with a concentration in Risk Management and Insurance, at Southern University. She is also a member of the university’s Dolores Spikes Honors College.

Her academic and professional interests include catastrophe risk, insurance systems and comparisons between risk-management practices in the Caribbean and the United States.

She is currently gaining practical industry experience as a Claims Intern at LWCC in Baton Rouge, where she is involved in workers’ compensation insurance and policyholder services.

Blanchette previously served as a Risk and Compliance Intern in the Office of Risk Management at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, further strengthening her knowledge of financial regulation, institutional risk and compliance operations.

Her professional résumé also includes service as an office manager at Blanchette-Burke Law Chambers and more than four years as a Corporate Banking Customer Service Officer at the St. Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla National Bank.

She is also an entrepreneur and operates Eye Kahndy Lash Studio, with business activities in both Basseterre and Baton Rouge.

From CFBC to Southern University

Before enrolling at Southern University, Blanchette earned an Associate of Arts degree in Accounting from the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College, where she participated in the CFBC Sports Club and represented the institution in netball.

At Southern University, she has continued to distinguish herself through leadership and academic excellence. Her campus involvement includes serving as Secretary of the Finance Club, previously holding the position of Public Relations Manager, and earning membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honour society.

Excellence Beyond the Classroom

Blanchette is also known in St. Kitts and Nevis for her involvement in pageantry and athletics.

She captured First Runner-Up in the 2021–2022 National Carnival Queen Pageant and later represented the Federation at the 2022 Miss OECS Pageant in Dominica. She was also First Runner-Up in the 2014 Talented Teen Pageant.

Her sporting journey includes leadership in netball, having reportedly captained national teams at the under-13 and under-16 levels and served in leadership roles with the Aces Netball Club.

Her election as founding President of Southern University’s Caribbean Student Association now adds another impressive chapter to an already diverse record of service, scholarship, entrepreneurship and representation.

For Blanchette, however, the achievement is not only personal. It is an opportunity to elevate Caribbean identity and create a lasting institution for future generations of students.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity, thankful to everyone who has supported this vision, and excited for what lies ahead,” she said. “Here’s to making a little bit of history.”

From Basseterre to Baton Rouge, Kahnein Blanchette is carrying the flag of St. Kitts and Nevis with distinction—building bridges, creating community and helping to establish a Caribbean legacy that could endure at Southern University for generations.