Alexis Denham

Biography

Alexis is an M.A. student in the Brian Lamb School of Communication at Purdue University, specializing in Health and Interpersonal Communication. A Lafayette native, she earned her BA in General Communication with minors in Sociology and Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies from Purdue University in May 2024.

Research and Teaching

Alexis’ research focuses on the disclosure of stigmatized identities, with a current emphasis on abortion disclosure in close relationships. She draws on disclosure frameworks to explore how individuals navigate disclosure decisions, particularly within stigmatized or emotionally complex contexts. She is especially passionate about qualitative research and its potential to illuminate personal narratives and lived experiences.

During her undergraduate studies, Alexis served as a Teaching Assistant in the Sociology Department for SOC 100: Introduction to Sociology and SOC 461: Health and Social Behavior. Her academic achievements include receiving the Laura G. & George P. McDowell and Charles Ray Gilliam Memorial Scholarship in April 2023 for her study abroad trip to Sweden and the Bruce Kendall Award for Excellence in April 2024, awarded to two students nominated for Outstanding Senior.

Alexis’ teaching experience at the graduate level includes COM 114: Fundamentals of Speech Communication, COM 217: Science Writing and Presentations, COM 303: Intercultural Communication, and serving as a graduate TA for COM 318: Principles of Persuasion. She has also worked as a consultant at the Purdue Presentation Center, where she supported students with developing and refining their presentation and communication skills.

You can visit her website here: Meet Alexis