Alexis Smith

Alexis (she/her) was born and raised in Akron, Ohio, and earned her Bachelor's in Sociology and Social Work, with a pre-medical focus, from the University of Michigan in 2024. Passionate about the intersections of healthcare and education, she has over 1,000 clinical hours as a Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) and mental health advocate in the U.S. and rural India, gaining insights into global health equity. On campus, Alexis serves as a Graduate Student Instructor for BIO 226 and works as a Research Assistant on Dr. Camille Quinn’s NIH project promoting resilience among incarcerated girls of color. She has also worked with the Child Trauma and Resilience Lab implementing a Kids' Empowerment Program in local schools. As a TIPPS Scholar, her field placement is at Global Education Excellence, supporting bilingual education for newcomers. Through her involvement in GASP, Alexis aims to deepen her understanding of the policies and research that shape global health and educational empowerment. Overall, Alexis tries to live out the question “if not now, when?” in her daily life. This sentiment is one that has sculpted the ways in which Alexis shows up wholeheartedly in conversations, daily life, and long-term goal setting.