She arrived in a flourish and twirled the night away.
Alix Earle, one of the University of Miami’s most recognizable young alumni, made her debut on Season 34 of ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” (“DWTS”) on Tuesday night, and the Rathskeller roared with pride as fellow Canes gathered to cheer her on. Among them were her newest scholarship recipients, senior Kaleab Bekele and junior Jimmy Ayash, who were recently named 2025 Alix Earle Scholars. The pair served as hosts of the watch party and were joined by Leslie Diaz, who was one of the first recipients of the scholarship.
“It’s so exciting to see Alix on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ tonight, and I can’t wait to hang out with her more,” said Ayash, who was lucky enough to meet Earle as a classmate a few years back and again recently when he received the scholarship. “I hope that one day I can motivate others to give back to their community, like she has done at the University.”
Earle began posting on social media in high school, but her following—especially on TikTok and Instagram—grew exponentially during her senior year at the University. Today, she has amassed roughly 12 million followers across platforms—7.5 million on TikTok, 4.5 million on Instagram, and more than 220,000 on YouTube, where she also shares her unique vlog-style podcast, “Hot Mess.”
The New Jersey native graduated from the Miami Herbert Business School in 2023, and soon after, decided to fund a scholarship to ensure other students have access to a great education at the Miami Herbert Business School. The second cohort of the Alix Earle Scholarships were recently awarded to Bekele and Ayash, building on her commitment to support the next generation of Canes.
“For someone of her stature to give back to the next generation of Canes is inspiring for us to do the same in the future,” said Bekele, a senior studying business technology and management. “Her generosity makes me want to be more selfless.”
Earle’s rise to fame has been spotlighted by outlets including TIME, Forbes, Variety, and Rolling Stone, with The Wall Street Journal calling her “Gen Z’s savviest pitchwoman.”
Her business portfolio underscores that reputation. In 2024 Earle became an investor and partner in Poppi, the prebiotic soda brand later acquired by PepsiCo, and helped launch its first paid internship program for college students. The following year, she joined SipMARGS, a sparkling canned margarita company, as an investor and creative partner, contributing to its relaunch and expansion into new markets, while also appearing in 2025 Super Bowl campaigns for Poppi, Carl’s Jr. restaurants, and Hellmann’s mayonnaise.
Earle also recently relaunched her philanthropic initiative, Serving in Heels, in partnership with the Caesar-Iglesias Family Foundation, which prepares meals for Miami communities in need.
Her notoriety played a big factor in attracting Aydin Melamed to the University, where he is earning his master’s in sport administration. Melamed started following Earle in 2021 and was out of his seat cheering for her during her dance number to Britney Spears’ hit “Circus.”
“Watching her do this for the University, and on such a big landscape, is inspiring for younger generations to be passionate about whatever they want to do for the rest of their lives,” Melamed said.
Since graduation, Earle has frequently returned to her alma mater. She was a guest speaker in a Digital Media Metrics class taught by her mentor, lecturer William “Ted” Bolton, at the Miami Herbert Business School. She told students it was one of the most important courses she took while earning her marketing degree, and it helped her build the strong following on social media that she has today. And last November, she joined a fireside chat during AMA Marketing Week at the Coral Gables Campus and shared her journey to success.
Sophomore Danielle Hill was thrilled to see Earle perform on one of her favorite shows. Hill said she was drawn to start following Earle three years ago because of her personable, relatable content. But once she learned Earle would be on "DWTS," Hill began refreshing her social media feed often to catch sneak peeks of her dance.
“I think she is one of the most notable people on the show, even among many other stars,” said Hill, who is studying sport administration and kinesiology. “I think she will do great this season, and I’ll be watching.”
Paired with veteran dancer Val Chmerkovskiy, Earle competed against other celebrities on the show, like gymnast Jordan Chiles, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin, son of the late Australian conservationist Steve Irwin; Dylan Efron, actor, award-winning producer and brother of Zac Efron; and NBA All-Star Baron Davis, to name a few.
Many students are betting on her success. Earle mentioned during the show that dancing was her chosen sport when she was younger, and she brought her competitive spirit to the show’s premiere.
“I’m very excited and very proud of her, but at the same time, I’m not surprised that she is on ‘Dancing with the Stars’ because seeing her work ethic, and the dedication and effort she puts into things, this aligns exactly with her personality,” said Diaz, one of the first Alix Earle Scholarship recipients, who drove to the Coral Gables Campus from her home in West Palm Beach for the party. “I know she will win.”
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The joyful crowd of students was also joined by Miami Herbert Business School Dean Paul Pavlou, who agreed with other students that Earle will likely do well on the show.
“She looked great, and it’s very exciting to see the enthusiasm here for one of our alumni on such a grand stage,” he added.
As Earle continues to balance a growing global profile with meaningful ties to her alma mater, her debut on “DWTS” is more than just a high-stakes TV moment—it’s a celebration of University pride, community, and the impact of one alumna’s journey inspiring the next generation of Canes.
