From Ed.D. to HGTV: Penn GSE grads hit "House Hunters"

Penn GSE alums Brittany Robertson and Serrano Legrand appear on set while filming an episode of HGTV’s House Hunters. Photo courtesy of Brittany Robertson and Serrano Legrand

When Brittany Robertson and Serrano Legrand met in 2016, they became instant friends. Prospective students, they knew exciting opportunities lay ahead—but they never imagined they’d star together in one of their favorite reality TV shows.

After receiving their Ed.D. degrees at Penn GSE—Robertson in higher education in 2020 and Legrand in educational leadership in 2021—the close friends and colleagues appeared in an episode of HGTV’s hit property search show House Hunters.

Robertson says they were pleased with the finished episode, "A Chance at Redemption in Philadelphia," which aired in February. The episode featured Legrand's search for a new house in his adopted hometown with the help of his friend and included pictures of their travels and graduation.

“Our friendship really came through,” she said. “It was surreal. You film for hours, and it gets edited to a 21-minute episode. You don’t know what they’re going to keep.”

Legrand says the show offered an honest portrayal.

“It was about me and being in service leadership for most of my life,” he noted.

Legrand is a regional director for a public charter school network in Philadelphia to support teaching and learning for about 2,000 students. Additionally, he works with Penn GSE’s Masters in Education Entrepreneurship program. Robertson also works in higher education through thought leadership writing and research.

Video courtesy of HGTV                 

The pair met seven years ago at a mixer for prospective Penn GSE doctoral students at now-closed Distrito’s. Robertson says it was an instant connection.

“Having that connection made me very excited for the program, feel less alone, [have] a peer to ask questions, and it was key in building that relationship to feel that sense of community and support and knowing someone who was going through the same thing,” Robertson says.

As they adjusted to Penn GSE, Robertson and Legrand leaned on each other. Legrand was a full-time student and lived in the Du Bois College House as a graduate advisor, while Robertson juggled part-time studies while continuing her job as an enrollment specialist on campus. Legrand introduced Robertson to fellow students, and they explored on-campus activities. For her part, Robertson helped her friend adjust to Penn and Philadelphia. They toured the city landmarks and visited restaurants. “She helped with the acclimation process,” Legrand recalls.

Together, they served as leaders for Penn GSE’s WSDM (We Support Diversity of the Mind), a group for students of color, and traveled to Toronto, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Napa Valley.

Living in Du Bois College House allowed Legrand to save money. When he was in high school, Legrand’s family had to sell his childhood home in Brooklyn to steady their finances, and he had always dreamed of owning a home. Legrand envisioned a space where his relatives could gather for holidays, barbecues, and celebrations.

He wanted to find a property with an accessory unit to help defray the expenses. The rental income would also allow him to stretch his budget further.

Eager to put down roots in Philadelphia, Legrand enlisted Robertson to help. They toured about 20 homes, but nothing fit his wish list.

That’s when Robertson suggested he apply for House Hunters. As children, Robertson and Legrand loved watching the show with their parents, and Robertson says it helped them learn about the cost of living in different cities, how to budget, and the buying process. She volunteered to fill out the application and be his house-hunting partner. Months later, they were delighted to learn they'd been selected. 

Over four days of filming, Legrand and Robertson visited three prospective homes. Legrand selected house no. 2, a renovated row house with ample entertainment space, a renovated kitchen, and a bedroom for his parents to stay in when visiting. The basement had a kitchenette and full bathroom, perfect for a rental unit. While the space needs some modifications, it fulfilled most of his wish list.

In a twist, Robertson is Legrand’s first tenant. She recently returned to Philadelphia after living in Washington, D.C., and is searching for her next home. 

“It is a beautiful house and a lot of house,” says Legrand. “And she is my first unofficial roommate.”

WHERE TO WATCH: The episode can be streamed as Volume 8, S208, E8 on the HGTV GO app.