Alexis Ulery '21, Psychology

Alexis Ulery ‘21, a psychology major, has a passion for working with children who have special needs. So when she landed an internship at GiGi’s Playhouse in Canton, it was a dream come true. GiGi’s Playhouse is a Down syndrome achievement center that provides free therapies for individuals with Down syndrome. 

Ulery was introduced to the opportunity at GiGi’s with the help of Lauren Seifert, professor of psychology, who has shown her the value of caring for people in the best way possible. 

“I’m the site coordinator at GiGi’s, which essentially means I’m the face of the Playhouse,” said Ulery. “On any given day, you can find me giving tours to prospective families who might be interested in coming to GiGi’s. I also have other duties, such as cleaning and sanitizing to help ensure a clean, safe environment for all that come into our building to play. COVID-19 has changed the way we do some things, but we are still open, just with new safety protocols to protect our Playhouse visitors.”

Ulery chose to major in psychology at Malone because she has always been passionate about helping others. This passion was further ignited upon working as a camp counselor in the summer of 2018 at a local summer camp, Aaron’s Acres. The camp is dedicated to serving individuals, specifically those with special needs. 

Her accumulated experiences have confirmed for Ulery that she wants to make her life’s work about serving children who have special needs.

“I feel it’s important to help everyone realize that they have a purpose in life, no matter how big or small,” she said. “That’s a big part of why I love my internship at GiGi’s. I love working at an organization with an important mission to shift the tide on the way the world views Down syndrome and to send a global message of acceptance for all.”