On Aug. 16, 2026, the Florida Political Review’s advisor, Dorothy Zimmerman, passed away after a courageous fight against ovarian cancer. Dorothy joined the Bob Graham Center for Public Service in 2019 as its communications director and immediately became the club’s advisor.
In her seven years as the Florida Political Review’s advisor, Dorothy wore many hats. She offered countless pieces of advice and guidance on not only how to run a publication but also how to be a leader, coordinated yearly trips to NICAR conferences, utilized her vast network to connect the club with guest speakers, helped ease the transition from one Executive Board to another, and did so much more.
Hear below from some Florida Political Review alumni and students on Dorothy’s impact on not only FPR but also the students themselves.
Andy Shodell — 2022-23 Editor-in-Chief
The Florida Political Review was my first extracurricular in my freshman year, making Dorothy Zimmerman the first faculty member I met at UF.
I joined because I loved the intersection of writing and public service, and FPR was a unique outlet for both. Watching Dorothy’s leadership, I learned what “communications” was — a real profession that brought together everything I cared about. She was the best example of that meaningful work.
In my first year, Dorothy took FPR students to the NICAR conference in New Orleans to hear from journalists nationwide. I enjoyed the panels as much as the char-grilled oysters she treated us to. Later, we learned COVID-19 had broken out among attendees, some of the first cases in the country, and we all quarantined for two weeks. Totally worth it.
Later, as Editor-in-Chief, I became Dorothy’s go-to call for anything FPR. We were a student publication, but she expected us to perform like one of the best in the country.
That expectation fueled me at FPR, then as her communications student assistant at the Bob Graham Center, and now as a lifelong member of the Dorothy fan club.
In many ways, I will never stop working for her.
Gus Duran — 2020-22 Internal Affairs Director
I had already worked extensively with Dorothy by the time I got involved with FPR. And by extensively, I mean a summer of endless Zoom calls registering people to vote. I was quite familiar with her game, the Zimmerman zingers, the stories, but I wasn’t familiar with just how warm she was to anyone who needed advice, a helping hand, or even someone to believe in them.
Dorothy worked diligently and quietly behind the scenes to keep FPR running. She was always available to answer obscure funding questions or help with WordPress and its endless issues. FPR wouldn’t be functioning without Dorothy’s guidance.
I also wouldn’t have met my girlfriend if it weren’t for Dorothy.
She didn’t set us up, nor did she put in a good word (although she certainly would’ve). Instead, she played a small yet important role in allowing me to say “Hi, MacKenzie” on a Zoom call in the summer of 2020. The rest, as they say, is history.
My story isn’t unique. There are countless, if not hundreds, of stories and nuggets where Dorothy slightly nudged someone towards an internship, job opportunity, or, in my case, love.
That’s where she thrived, and that’s how she should be remembered. Dorothy was special to so many because she saw potential walk through the door of her office every single day.
Fabiana Montenegro — 2024-25 Editor-in-Chief
For two years, I was lucky enough to have Dorothy as my mentor, but she became so much more than that to me.
She was someone I could always turn to for advice, encouragement, or simply a conversation when I needed one. Dorothy helped me grow so much professionally, but what I’ll remember most is the way she cared about me as a person. She believed in me, encouraged me when I doubted myself, and taught me things that I know I’ll carry with me throughout my life and career.
One of my favorite memories of her is the day she brought everything to the office so we could make arepas from scratch. It was such a sweet gesture, and it perfectly captures who Dorothy was. She had a way of making ordinary workdays feel special!
I’m incredibly grateful that I got to know Dorothy, learn from her, and have her in my life for my college experience. I’ll always carry her advice and kindness with me, and I’ll always remember the little moments we shared. She made a lasting impact on me, and I will miss her very much.
Eric Valcarce — 2025-26 Editor-in-Chief
Dorothy helped me immensely during my time as Editor-in-Chief. She had a warm and passionate enthusiasm not only for our club but for the students as well. No matter who they were, she was always willing to treat them like family.
One fond memory I had with her followed a meeting with another officer in the club. After the meeting, I confided in Dorothy that I felt I handled the situation poorly. However, Dorothy reassured me. She told me that she was proud of me for admitting fault for a situation in which I messed up. I remember that night vividly and appreciated her words a lot.
I also remember a time we had received an interesting story for our publication. I didn’t know what to do with the story because it dealt with sensitive information. I remember I barged into Dorothy’s office asking for help. Without realizing it, I had ruined her lunch break. But with how much she wanted to help, she finished her lunch and came looking for me, providing me with the help and guidance on how to move forward with the article. She wasn’t angry or annoyed; she wanted to help out the publication, me and the members of FPR.
Dorothy was a mentor, friend and teacher. She gave me the skills to be a better editor, leader and role model. I will miss barging into her office asking for random advice of the day on something related to our club.
Timothy Dillehay — 2026-27 Editor-in-Chief
Over the last month, I kept returning to one interaction with Dorothy.
In January 2026, I met with Dorothy in her office to discuss something or other. I don’t remember exactly why we were meeting. What I do remember is that between discussions of FPR articles and Gators basketball, my hands were shaking and my teeth chattering.
Like anyone who grew up in Southwest Florida, I was not used to the winter cold of North Florida, those winter colds that reach the low 50s. My cotton hoodie did not grant the protection I thought it would. Dorothy could tell.
A few days later, I attended the Future of Florida Summit. Upon arriving, Dorothy pulled me aside and gifted me a black winter jacket that her son used to wear.
This jacket came with me to classes for the next few weeks. It came with me to the NICAR conference in March when the Indianapolis air proved too cold. And although it’s back home in my closet right now, I know it will come with me in January when the Gainesville winter comes once again.
There’s a lot more about Dorothy that I could have remembered, but this story keeps popping up in my head.
I believe it perfectly encapsulates her character. She noticed a problem someone was facing and immediately found a solution. I’ll remember a lot about Dorothy, but above all else I’ll remember her serving heart.
As I continue this year with FPR, I hope to emulate Dorothy’s serving heart in all that I do. I hope to emulate her patience when confronted with difficult conversations, her enthusiasm that so often led to writers picking up the pen, and her generous encouragement that we were all fortunate to have received.
I hope that the Florida Political Review will continue to honor Dorothy’s legacy in all that it does.
