Get to Know Us! - Zoe D’Alessandro

Get to Know Us! A monthly showcase of the amazing staff who make the International Center a place where the UF community meets all its international goals!     Zoe D’Alessandro

Newly promoted to Immigration Advisor II, Zoe D’Alessandro is the newest member of the Exchange Visitor Service (EVS) team here at UFIC, helping with the advising load for our J-1 visa holders. “Talking with scholars about their programs, their options, and helping them to maintain their immigration status is a key aspect of my work,” explains Zoe.

Born in Melbourne Beach, Florida, Zoe started her journey to UF in an unlikely place—FSU! The interview almost ended abruptly when Zoe shouted, “Go Noles!” sporting a garnet and gold sweatshirt on the Zoom screen. She double majored in English and Italian, but her passion was truly sparked by her Italian Studies. “I became obsessed with Italian! I did one summer program in Solaro where I lived with a host family and worked at a summer camp.”  She then spent more time in Italy: “My second time was in Perugia, where I attended L'Universita' degli Studi di Perugia for the summer.” She went on to earn an MA in Italian, which led her to a host of international experiences. “I fell in love with Italian! The program at FSU is absolutely incredible.  It sparked a whole interest in study abroad and international education,” says Zoe.

Zoe has travelled to Italy multiple times but has also had international experiences in Germany and Egypt. “My first international trip was after high school,” recalls Zoe, “I knew nothing about German or Germany!”  She was especially impressed by her trip to Egypt, “We went to Cairo, saw the Pyramids, then went down to Luxor and the Valley of the Kings,” Zoe rattles off her trip with a best friend, “We even went on a hot air balloon ride at dawn—it was kind of crazy!”  Her favorite thing she’s ever brought back from abroad is a framed copy of a poem by St. Francis of Assisi, which she found while traveling in Assisi. “It’s called the ‘Creature’s Song’ (Il Cantico delle Creature)—it’s a religious poem, but it’s about the Sun and the Moon and all the animals singing together—it’s really beautiful.”

Her love of travel and seeing new places led her to pursue a career in giving others great international experiences.  She started as a Program Assistant in our Study Abroad Services (SAS) department and was promoted to EVS soon after. “My experiences studying abroad taught me that there is real discomfort in not hearing your language, or seeing the foods you’re used to,” says Zoe, when asked about her advice to students thinking about distance learning, “but you should embrace all the differences for what they are!  You will return home, but you really want to take in the special experience while you’re away.”

For two years, now acting as an Immigration Specialist, Zoe is mainly responsible for advising our J-1 Scholars in their time here at UF. “My favorite part of this job is when I meet a scholar, and we get to remove the screen that generally separates us to connect as people.” The J program is managed by the State Department, and each institution has advisors like Zoe, supporting the scholars as they acclimatize to US culture, “We’re able to support and connect and be with them through good times and some hard times,” says Zoe, “I know here at EVS, all of us want to help and welcome them and make it work!”

She also has a hand in program development—improving communications, training, and outreach to the scholars, departmental administrators, and our partners at the State Department. “Right now, we’re working on updating the website to help with the check-in process, working on courses, updating our forms—always finding ways to improve our communication and day-to-day processes.” This extra behind-the-scenes work helps welcome our visitors before they ever need to email Zoe or make an appointment to sit in her office.

When she’s not at work, Zoe is an avid practitioner of yoga, “Bad backs run in my family, and I slipped a disc a couple of years ago,” recounts Zoe, “Yoga has totally changed my life! Yogic philosophy informs how I operate and see the world.”  She received her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training certification, instructing general yoga, and has an additional certification in Yin yoga.  She has always tried to remain active, starting with CrossFit, but found herself drawn to the yoga community here in Gainesville, “I really love community fitness and when I started with Yoga Pod, my studio, I felt super connected to the community and the teachers—it’s what ultimately stole me away from CrossFit!”

Aside from her yoga practice, Zoe likes curling up with a good horror novel and hanging out with her partner, Ky, and their family of cats! “Ky and the kitties!”  She fills her time relaxing, reading, and enjoying the peace cultivated by her yoga practice and the love of her friends and animals.

From Melbourne Beach to Italy and back to Gainesville, Zoe’s path has been guided by curiosity, courage, and a genuine love for cross-cultural connection. That same spirit now shapes her work with EVS, where she helps scholars navigate not just immigration regulations, but the experience of building a life in a new place. Thoughtful, globally minded, and community-driven, Zoe brings both heart and expertise to her role—making UF a more welcoming home for scholars from around the world.