Originally from Jacksonville, Jennifer earned her B.A. and M.A. in Latin American Studies at the University of Miami. She spent her time in Miami immersed in the dynamic, international culture of the city and globetrotting across Latin America. Throughout her travels, she lived with a Quechua family in the Bolivian countryside, interned in Cartago, Costa Rica, and studied in downtown Santiago, Chile. She also traveled to Panama, Haiti, Peru, Argentina, and Uruguay. Jennifer cannot wait to visit more countries in Latin America and beyond!
After graduating from UM, Jennifer remained in Miami and worked as a Spanish translator and interpreter for Central and South American asylum applicants. She is excited to be back in northern Florida and be part of the UFIC team. She enjoys getting to know the diverse and talented students and scholars who make UF a stop on their life journey. In her free time, Jennifer enjoys surfing, reading, sewing clothes and costumes, and reading sci-fi.
Jennifer North
Jennifer North is an experienced J-1 Immigration Specialist in our Exchange Visitor Services department here at UFIC. Her impressive resume of international exploits evidences her deep desire for cultural immersion and understanding.
Jennifer is a bilingual speaker of Spanish and her journey into international education started with a love for the language and Latin culture, “When you learn a language,” says Jennifer, “you learn about the people and the countries. You read literature and you learn history, and that process was fascinating to me.” Jennifer attended the University of Miami, earning her B.A. in Psychology and Latin American Studies and her M.A. in Latin American Studies. She traveled intensively during her time in school, “I volunteered in Bolivia for two summers. I also studied abroad in Chile and did some research in Panama.” Jennifer was further immersed in living in Miami and interning at a non-profit law firm, where she assisted unaccompanied minors, doing interpreting work to help them through their immigration processes.
Her master’s thesis required Jennifer to live and work in Latin America, doing research and deepening her understanding and empathy for the people from which she was learning. She even picked up some Quechua, one of the languages of the indigenous people who inhabit the Andean region of South America, while she was volunteering in a rural community with an organization that establishes libraries in areas of Bolivia that previously did not have access to them, “Most of the adults were monolingual in Quechua, but the kids were bilingual in Spanish. It’s another way of connecting with people there and getting to know a different side of a culture, than if you’re speaking to them in their second language.”
Here at UFIC, Jennifer’s role continues to draw from her background to help advise J-1 Scholars (folks from around the world who come to UF to do research) on immigration matters. She is also tax liaison to the visitors. “I help arrange access to the tax software provided to international students and scholars and provide general education about tax season and the tax system of the United States,” said Jennifer, adding, “It doesn’t make sense to anybody, let alone people who are not from here!” Through this role, Jennifer has aided students and scholars in getting the tax refunds they are owed—over 1.5 million dollars just last year!
Some of Jennifer’s experiences as a J-1 Immigration Specialist have proved to be challenging but also personally rewarding. With all the goings-on around the world, sometimes working with international folks can mean dealing with life-shattering crises. “Certain times you have to advocate for the scholar when others don’t really understand how serious a situation can get,” recalls Jennifer. Her day-to-day job involves reviewing applications, processing documents, and answering standard questions, but sometimes it also requires assisting people with the ordinary, while they’re going through the extraordinary. But all of Jennifer’s international experiences have taught her the most important lesson—empathy, “We cannot forget that, for them, everything’s extremely new—not only immigration processes, but also life here is new.”
When she’s not at work, Jennifer enjoys sewing, hanging with friends, rooting for the Jacksonville Jaguars, and, most of all, climbing and bouldering. She is an active member of the The Knot climbing gym, here in Gainesville, but she has combined her love of the sport and travel, “Most recently, I was able to climb indoors in Chile,” said Jennifer of her most recent vacation, “it’s just like a gym in the US, but it was really fun to experience climbing culture over there.” Her favorite climbing trip was in Mallorca in Spain, “I was able to deep-water-solo,” explains Jennifer, “where you don’t have ropes or anything and you’re climbing on cliffs over the Mediterranean.”
Jennifer North’s diverse international experiences and her passion for cultural immersion make her an invaluable asset to the UFIC team. Her dedication to helping J-1 Scholars navigate the complexities of immigration and tax systems showcases her deep empathy and commitment to supporting others. Whether through her academic pursuits, volunteer work, or personal adventures, Jennifer’s journey reflects her genuine desire to connect with and learn from people across the world. Outside of her professional role, her love for climbing and exploration continues to fuel her adventurous spirit, making her a true global citizen.
Story by: Terrence Funke
Portrait Photo by: Christina Cozart
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