We’re looking forward to introducing you to Virginia De Flaviis. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Virginia, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Are you walking a path—or wandering?
Honestly, I have always felt as though I was walking a clear path toward achieving my goals and dreams. However, lately I’ve entered what I like to call a season of redirection. I now feel as though I’m wandering: not aimlessly, but in search of the next best step that truly aligns with my purpose, especially after letting go of things that no longer served me. I’m in the midst of significant changes that will eventually require big decisions. For now, I’m allowing life to unfold while I reflect deeply on what I truly want, now that my vision is no longer clouded and I can see situations for what they really are. Dreaming is a beautiful thing, but sometimes it must be balanced with practicality by addressing the tangible aspects of life that demand clear answers and careful planning. I trust that one day I will find my path again. But for now, I am wandering, and even though I naturally like to be in control, I’ve learned to be at peace with that.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Virginia De Flaviis, and I am a first-generation international student from Italy currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Business and Organizational Leadership in the United States. My journey has been shaped by resilience, leadership, and an unwavering passion for creating meaningful change. I first came to the U.S. as an exchange student for six months at Lake Minneola High School, where I fell in love with this country. Determined to return to college, I worked tirelessly to make it happen. After many sacrifices, in May 2024, I earned my Associate of Arts in General Studies, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Throughout my academic journey, I remained deeply involved in my community. During the 2023–2024 academic year, I served as Student Government Association President at my former institution, as well as Statewide Executive Vice President for the Florida College System Student Government Association. I was also inducted into Phi Theta Kappa and had the privilege of attending leadership conferences, engaging in bill discussions with Florida senators and representatives, and advocating for both my peers and my institution.
What makes my story unique is the combination of my cultural background, academic dedication, immense personal sacrifices, and leadership experience, all while navigating the challenges of living far from home and self-funding my education. I have learned to turn obstacles into opportunities, whether through advocating for students, building bridges between diverse communities, or finding creative solutions in complex situations. Currently, I am continuing my education as a transfer student at Valencia College, where I am focused on excelling academically while building connections in my new community. My long-term goal is to inspire and guide the next generation of leaders and higher education students, whether by creating a business dedicated to mentoring aspiring leaders and international students worldwide or by serving within an institution that shares this mission.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a performer through and through. I sang, danced, and acted every chance I got. Alongside two friends, I co-created an unofficial nonprofit dance company purely for the love of it. It wasn’t a formal business, but it was our passion project. Every year from the time I was 11, we put on end-of-year shows, eventually even writing our own scripts. Our little company became a part of our town’s cultural life; we were invited to perform at local events and even convinced the mayor, more than once, to let us use the town theater for our productions. We worked with kids ages 7 to 18, teaching them dance, helping them prepare for the stage, and sometimes “coaching” them in singing and acting. My friends and I were everything: from stage managers to directors, teachers, and choreographers. We bought cheap props from the farmers’ market, painted and drew our own backdrops, and even sewed stage fabrics by hand.
Outside of that, I trained as a dancer at a dance studio from the age of four until I was 17. I also received formal acting training through a movie and TV academy for a year, and I performed in live theater for four years with my school’s drama club. Performing wasn’t just something I did: it was my oxygen. Now, I have fewer opportunities to immerse myself in that world. Life became more complicated, and the real world pushed me toward earning a bachelor’s degree in another field I am equally passionate about. Still, I dream of a day when I can merge the person I was with the person I’ve become by bringing performance back into my life, someway somehow.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Just a few weeks ago, I was ready to give up on everything I had worked so hard for. I was ready to drop out of college, leave the idea of the United States for good, and complete my degree from Italy as a distance learner. I was prepared to terminate my visa and close this chapter of my life, driven not by lack of ambition, but by the exhaustion and heartbreak that can come when quite literally nothing and no one seems to be working in your favor. This past summer in Italy was supposed to be simple: renew my documents so I could return to Florida as a transfer student. Instead, it became one of the most difficult seasons of my life. I faced heartbreak unlike anything I’d ever known, fears I had never experienced, and old wounds I thought had healed began to resurface. The visa process dragged on longer than usual, making me believe I might not make it back in time for the beginning of the Fall semester. People I trusted discouraged me from returning, pointing out the uncertainty in my life, such as rising tuition costs, lost scholarships, and the likelihood of moving again soon. On top of that, I had fallen back in love with my home country and culture, which made leaving even harder. Surrounded by family and friends, I felt the ache of missing them in a way I had never allowed myself to admit.
For a moment, I wondered if all these obstacles were a sign that maybe I wasn’t meant to be in the United States after all. But here I am back in Florida. I chose to try again. I chose to chase this dream, even knowing the road ahead is steep and uncertain. I am learning to fall in love with the process, even through the heartbreak, the fear, and the overwhelming weight of it all. Because I know in my heart that Florida and the United States will always hold a special place in my soul. At the end of the day, those thoughts of giving up were just the voice of someone standing at the edge of surrender. But I didn’t step off. I stayed. Because deep down, I believe I am meant to be here. I love this country as if it were my own from birth. And I am grateful: grateful to be here, to fight through the fear, to rise above the heartbreak, and to prove not to others, but to myself, that even in the darkest moments, I can CHOOSE to stand back up. Sometimes we are tested not to show our weaknesses, but to discover our strengths, and even though I have yet to discover what those are, I choose to fight through it all to find out.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
HOT TAKE! One truth I hold that few people might agree with is this: if you’ve never traveled outside your home country, if you’ve never truly moved away or lived anywhere else by yourself, you haven’t experienced real life. Staying in your hometown can feel comforting and familiar, but it can also trap you in an echo chamber, limiting your perspective and stunting your growth. In Italy, for example, it’s culturally normal to stay close to family, attend university locally, and build a life near home. Many people follow family businesses or continue the same professions as their parents. That path works for some, and that’s okay, but I truly believe it can create a closed mindset if you never challenge yourself to step outside that comfort zone. Real growth, real perspective, comes from venturing into the unknown: meeting diverse people, living in different cultures, and testing yourself in unfamiliar environments. And while you can always return home, I believe that it is the journey away from what’s familiar that shapes who you truly become.
For example, the Bachelor’s degree I am earning right now is in a field that doesn’t even exist in Italy. I also strongly don’t believe in excuses, which a lot of people like to find when they explain why they are not chasing their dreams. A lot of the time, the excuse is about money: I didn’t (and don’t) have money to start this journey either, but I had determination, motivation, and belief. You don’t need money to take that leap; you need courage, persistence, and a willingness to embrace the unknown. That combination has taken me further than anything else ever could. I don’t understand people who don’t chase their dreams, who don’t dream at all, or who settle for something safe just because it pays the bills. Some people won’t even try out of fear, but fear of what exactly? I aim higher, and I refuse to apologize for it.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people remember me for the ways I changed their lives for the better, for being a key part of their growth and helping them reach where they are today. I want to be remembered as someone deeply empathetic, always willing to help at any moment, and someone who inspired others to go after their dreams fearlessly. I hope people will see me as a figure of strength and power, whose energy motivated them to rise and become the best versions of themselves. I hope they talk about the impact I made with my success: the wealth I earned and used first to support my family and then to help others achieve their goals. I hope they remember the conferences I held, where I encouraged people to be leaders not just at work, but in their lives. I want to be living proof that no matter where you start, from scratch or the bottom, you can excel, achieve greatness, and reach your dreams if you truly commit to it.
I hope they recall my personality: bubbly, warm, and full of life, someone who made them laugh and feel loved, but also delivered tough love and hard truths when they needed it most. I hope they remember the care I put into my presentation: my outfits, the love for the color pink, and my presence, because I believe that how you show up tells a story about you before you even speak. I hope they read my books: one chronicling my life, hardships, victories, and losses; one guiding international students to embrace their journeys; one focused on leadership, and more.
Mel Robbins inspires much of who I aspire to be in the future, and I carry that inspiration with me as I continue building the life I want to lead. Right now, I may not yet be all or any of the things I hope to be remembered for, but I am currently working on becoming them every single day. It’s a long journey, and I embrace it because the person I hope to be remembered as is worth every single step.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virginiadeflaviis/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/virginia-de-flaviis-b2b44b2b4/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/virginia.deflaviis
- Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@virginiaintheus
