Alumni
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Alexis Simpson
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The proverb “To whom much is given, much is required” was instilled in Alexis from a young age and she found her passion for service in high school. Alexis was the President and charter member of the Dale City- Prince William County Chapter of Top Teens of America (TTA). She implemented programs that served the youth and seniors in Prince William County including promoting literacy to youth, aiding senior citizens, collecting food and clothing items for the homeless and battered women’s shelters, beautifying the community, and mentoring youth.
In her senior year of high school, Alexis realized her passion for youth and saw a need for mentorship programs in her community. Alexis is most proud of the mentor program “It’s All About M.E.” she founded to promote self-esteem, character, and academic success in young girls. In the program twenty-five fourth and fifth grade girls were paired with a high school mentor. They met weekly and had workshops on issues facing young girls. Alexis expanded this program after its first year of success by adding an additional mentorship program for boys entitled, “Look At M.E. Now.”
In her first year at Vanderbilt University and in the Ingram Scholarship Program, Alexis focused her service on at-risk minority youth in the Nashville community. She tutored and mentored ninth grade students in the Maplewood Mentorship Program, volunteered at the Fannie Battle Day Home for Children, and served as a Girl Scout Troop Leader in the Project L.E.A.D Program with the Girl Scouts of Middle Tennessee. In the summer following her first year at Vanderbilt, Alexis completed an Ingram Scholar Summer Project in Washington, D.C. with Girls Inspired To Achieve (GITA Girls). Alexis developed a curriculum that combined the increased levels of self-confidence and resilience found in girls of color with information, tools, and resources that promote academic, social, and future success. Throughout her undergraduate career, Alexis continued many of these service projects in addition to founding a college prep program, Bridging the Gap for low-income high school students and establishing a non-profit organization, The Mentor Experience, Inc. to umbrella the two mentor programs she founded in high school.
Now a senior at Vanderbilt University, Alexis has an even greater passion and commitment for service. After learning a great deal through her service in the Ingram Scholarship Program, Alexis is excited to continue to further her commitment to working with at-risk minority youth. She has also developed an interest in Education Policy and the achievement gap, which she looks forward to pursuing in her academic studies as well as her service. Alexis aims to pursue a career in Education Policy in the hopes of providing more American children regardless of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, or geographic location a high quality public education. Alexis is truly grateful for the incredible opportunity she has been blessed with by the Ingram Scholarship Program and understands that the best is yet to come.