- Scholar:
- Alexis Dennis
- High School:
- Alan C. Pope High School
- Home Town:
- Marietta, Georgia
- Summer 1:
- Sunflower County Freedom Project
Web site
Cleveland, Mississippi
Alexis Dennis graduated from Alan C. Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia in 2007. She is a Communication Studies Major and African American Studies minor. She is also pursuing a Certificate in Documentary Studies (Photography) at Duke. Alexis has a myriad of interests which include racial equity and pride, female empowerment and women's reproductive rights, health education, and educational inequity. During her first year, she served as Co-President for the Robertson Student Programming and Advisory Committee and helped plan Robertson Finalist Weekend. At UNC, Alexis has also been involved with the Black Student Movement's Celebrating Black Womanhood Committee. She is a Haven Trained counselor for survivors of domestic abuse and violence, a Public Service Scholar, and has also participated in the Carolina United Leadership Diversity retreat through Carolina Leadership Development.
Alexis spent her first Robertson summer teaching at the Sunflower County Freedom Project in the Mississippi Delta and attending the National LeaderShape conference. Her experiences helped her realize the importance of correcting the health education inequities in underprivileged schools and inspired her to take action. During her sophomore year, Alexis collaborated with UNC's Black Student Movement to design and lead an Alternative Spring Break Trip to the Mississippi Delta. Alexis and seven other UNC and Duke students taught a "Health and Self" camp to the youth of the Sunflower County Freedom Project, teaching 7th-12th graders various modules relating to values and human growth and development. Alexis' group received an MTV Youth Venture Grant to continue their work. Alexis also received the Palmer LeaderShape Award for her work on this project.
Alexis spent her second Robertson summer in Durban, South Africa, working for Big Brothers Big Sisters-KZN. Now a Junior, she is a Campus Campaign Coordinator for Teach For America. She is also involved with UNC-Now - photographically documenting gentrification in the local Northside community, and she tutors local youth through the Campus Y's HYPE (Helping Youth by Providing Enrichment). Alexis remains an active member of the Black Student Movement and is working on expanding her "Health and Self" Alternative Spring Break Project to include local advocacy work, in addition to the annual trip to Mississippi.
