Who will walk the runway during New York Fashion Week and win $20,000? You decide.
Debra Khulan Erdenemandakh
About Debra Khulan Erdenemandakh
Hi! I'm Debra Erdenemandakh. I was born in Chicago and raised in Ulaanbaatar and Maple Valley. At USC, I study Cybersecurity, International Relations, and Finance. In my free time, I enjoy running, building startups, and helping first-gen students.
Learn More About Debra Khulan Erdenemandakh
What makes you the Next Runway Star?
What makes me the Next Runway Star is not only what I bring to the runway, but the story and purpose I carry with me. Coming from Mongolia, a country of fewer than four million people, growing up under my sister’s guardianship while my parents lived overseas, and becoming a first-generation college student taught me resilience and the importance of creating opportunities for others. My passion for advocacy led me to receive the Princeton Prize in Race Relations and start a nonprofit supporting widowed mothers, distributing over 20 tons of textiles, clothing, and toys. These experiences taught me that a platform is most powerful when used to uplift others. The Next Runway Star’s mission deeply resonates with me. I want to represent those who have felt underrepresented and show that where you begin does not determine how far you can go. I hope to be a star who not only shines, but inspires others to see what is possible for themselves.
What would this once in a lifetime experience mean to you and why?
This experience would mean one word to me: conviction. Conviction that the sacrifices I have made, the late nights I have worked, and the moments I have been doubted have all been leading me somewhere meaningful. For much of my life, success has meant responsibility: prioritizing my education, career, and building financial security for my family. In doing so, I often placed one of the most important parts of myself on the back burner: my creativity. This opportunity would prove to me that I do not have to choose between those two worlds. I can build a successful corporate career, provide for the people I love, and still honor the creative person I have always been. More than anything, I want to meet people whose stories and ambitions challenge and inspire me. This experience would give me the conviction to embrace every dimension of who I am and remind me that responsibility and creativity can coexist, and that I am capable of pursuing both.
What are you most proud of about yourself or what have you overcome and why?
I am most proud of overcoming more than 15 years of growing up without my parents by my side. Because of the aftermath of communism in Mongolia and U.S. visa restrictions, my parents missed graduations, milestones, and many moments families often take for granted. Their sacrifices became my motivation. As the first person in my family to attend college, I am proud to be creating a path that did not exist before me. My parents worked blue collar jobs to give me opportunities they never had, and I hope to honor them by building a career in corporate America while opening doors for the family members who come after me. I have traveled internationally for competitions, received accolades, and continually pushed myself beyond what I thought possible. Ultimately, I hope to bring that determination into my work in emerging markets, advocating for economic opportunity and communities shaped by systems like the one my family experienced.
What would you do with the $20,000 cash prize?
I would dedicate half of the $20,000 prize to creating the Erdenemandakh Scholarship Fund for first generation students. Having navigated the uncertainty of college myself, I understand how financial barriers can limit a student’s ability to pursue opportunities. I hope this scholarship can give first generation students greater financial freedom and the confidence to invest in their futures. I would invest the remaining half into my startup, which focuses on education and ethical data privacy practices for employees around the world. One of my greatest challenges has been balancing the time and resources needed to build a company while attending college, working, and supporting myself. This funding would allow me to delegate responsibilities, accelerate our impact, and turn an idea I deeply believe in into something sustainable. For me, the $20,000 would not simply be a prize. It would be an opportunity to create opportunities for others.
Content from Debra Khulan Erdenemandakh
Rise is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit that helps sexual assault survivors across the country and around the world. They’ve created the most successful legislative reform movement in U.S. history: 120 laws passed, 1 UN Resolution and 112 million people’s lives impacted by their efforts.
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