Meet the Open Door Fellows

Darius Alexander is a law student at UNC Chapel Hill. Prior to law school, he attended East Carolina University and majored in Political Science and Philosophy. Originally from Connecticut, Darius has called North Carolina home for almost a decade and seeks to build a career in the Triad. He is a first-generation college graduate who hopes to begin a mentorship program for those in his community after earning his law degree. Through the fellowship, he will spend his summer gaining experience at the law firm Craige Jenkins under the guidance of attorney Rebecca Smitherman.

April Franklin is a law student at Elon University. Prior to attending law school, she worked in the healthcare industry and received a dual Master’s degree in Gerontology and Business Administration from UNC Greensboro. April is passionate about advocating for senior adults and educating their caregivers, which motivated her to start a business called Fresh Wave Care LLC and write a book titled The Millennial’s Guide to Caregiving Brand. Through the fellowship, she will spend her summer gaining experience at The Fresh Market under the guidance of attorney Gerald Walden.