From Average Student to Entrepreneur of the Year

Angela Garland 2006 MBA Graduation from UMSL

A Full-Circle Moment — 20 Years in the Making

Twenty years ago, I was 38, working full-time, raising kids, and chasing an MBA through the University of Missouri–St. Louis’s Professional MBA program. It was built for people like me — people with careers, families, and way too much on their plates already.

We met every other weekend in person, and the rest was virtual. I could learn at night, on lunch breaks, or after putting the kids to bed. It wasn’t easy, but it was doable. And at that stage of life, doable was a win.

Before that, I’d earned my undergrad at 28, while having babies. So yes — I spent my twenties covered in burp cloths, nursing, working and studying at night. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a chapter I’ll never forget.

School and I Never Got Along

I was never the “academic” – I was entirely too social. and too much of a daydreamer.  In third grade I had to leave during reading with the other “slow readers” to go to the second grade room for extra help.  In High School my grades were average, and my interest was low. I thought differently, and traditional school never seemed to have space for that. 

Then while at Mizzou at 18, my grades were so bad and I spent my entire student loan in one semester (mostly on party favors, party pics and sorority gear-Alpha Phi) that I had to come home after just one semester.  Went back a year later after getting grades up at the community college.  And then did the same thing. I clearly wasn't ready or focused.

For both my undergrad at Maryville University and my MBA through UMSL, they offered programs geared for adult learners.  The programs were built around teamwork, real-world problem solving, and flexible learning — and for once, my brain fit. I realized I wasn’t a “slow reader”,  I’d just been learning in the wrong environment my whole life.

What I Don’t Recommend

Now, before anyone rushes out to enroll in grad school — let’s be clear. I’m still paying those student loans off twenty years later. So no, I don’t recommend going into debt to prove a point.

But what that season gave me was priceless: confidence.

It taught me I could set my mind to something big and actually finish it — and that belief has carried me through building businesses, careers and even summiting mountains.

Fast Forward: Last Night

Last night, I stood on a different UMSL stage and received the Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Angela Garland and son Luke Lieb & fiance Moriah Miller

The event celebrated not just past recipients but also the grand opening of the newly renovated UMSL Innovation Center — a space that exists to support the next generation of doers and dreamers.

Standing there, I couldn’t help but think about the girl who once felt “average.” The mom who studied after bedtime. The woman who just wanted to prove to herself she could do it.

Why I’m Sharing This

Not because of the award — but because of the reminder it gave me: You can be late. You can be tired. You can be paying off loans and still building something meaningful. You can think differently and still make it work.

Sometimes the systems we grew up in weren’t built for how we’re wired — but that doesn’t mean we don’t have something powerful to offer.

Photo 1: me 20 years ago in my cap and gown with my kids

Photo 2: me last night — older, maybe a little wiser, definitely still learning and with my entrepreneurial son Luke Lieb who is part of the newest Anchor Accelerator program at UMSL

Here’s to the late bloomers, the career jugglers, and the ones who never quite fit the mold. You’re doing just fine. And Dreams don't have deadlines!