A Florida State University (FSU) student has been selected as one of 40 undergraduates nationwide to receive the Geller International Fellowship, a program designed to encourage collaboration among collegiate leaders and promote international understanding on college campuses.
Phoebe Zucker, a junior at FSU majoring in hospitality management and communications, was named a 2025-2026 Geller International Fellow by the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC). The fellowship began at the ICC’s National Leadership Summit in Washington, D.C. in July 2025. Participants in the program engage in expert-led sessions, critical discussions, and a 10-day immersive trip focusing on topics such as culture, security, and economics related to the U.S.-Israel relationship and the Abraham Accords.
Zucker spoke about her motivation for participating: “Campus climates have heated up exponentially, and national anti-Semitism has jumped to an all-time high. I want to take my personal experience and put it to use on campus to open up dialogue about what it means to be Jewish and Israeli, as well as break down misconceptions.”
After graduating from high school, Zucker immigrated to Israel with limited language skills. She served in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) from 2020 to 2023 in the aerial defense array unit and attained the rank of staff sergeant. As a lone soldier without immediate family nearby, she lived in a kibbutz community near Israel’s border with Lebanon.
Reflecting on her time abroad, Zucker said: “I was able to come back to the United States and say, ‘This is the real picture. This is what it really means to live in Israel and to be a citizen of the only democratic nation in the Middle East.’”
At FSU, Zucker found support within both her academic environment and campus community. “Being on this campus has been the biggest privilege because I am able to walk around campus and feel safe,” she said. “We, as the Jewish community of Florida State, have the privilege of a campus that will listen to us, mourn with us and celebrate with us.”
She views her selection for the Geller Fellowship as an opportunity for further impact: “The mission is done when I’ve educated people on this experience. And that’s an ongoing project.”
Upon completing her fellowship year, Zucker will join ICC’s Senior Fellows network for continued mentorship and professional development opportunities.
Looking ahead, Zucker aims for a career that blends hospitality management with communication and advocacy work. She expressed interest in roles focused on team cohesion or possibly pursuing journalism or writing about Middle Eastern affairs based on her firsthand experiences.
“I’m going into the two fields both of my grandmothers went into,” Zucker said. “Having that mirrored image of the two matriarchs of my family stood out to me.” She added: “I don’t know what the next chapter is, but I know that I’m willing to test every door until I find one that opens.”
