A Courageous Step Forward: Entrepreneur Returns to the Classroom After 20 Years

“I’ve always been a problem-solver and multitasker. Before coming to Columbia I spent the vast majority of my life meeting any and all family and business obligations, and at a very young age I became my family’s sole financial and emotional provider, and had the added pressure of being their role model as well.”

When Farah Mirza was a teenager, she faced a daunting decision that would alter the course of her life as she had known it: attend the prestigious Army Medical College in her home of Karachi, Pakistan, or emigrate to the United States to work so she could financially support her family. “Something had to be sacrificed, and that was my higher education. I gave up my academic dreams that I had worked so hard for since I was little. Although I was the youngest girl in the family, I was the only one who had a real chance to help my family have a better life and that was an opportunity I knew I would regret if I didn’t seize it,” she said.

Dreams Deferred

Mirza came to Los Angeles with her husband, giving up her dream of becoming a doctor and shouldering the full responsibility of supporting her seven siblings and their struggling families. Not only did the very first dollar she earned in the U.S. go straight to her siblings, but much of her energy was dedicated to comforting and empowering them. She did this by providing a roof over each sibling’s head, positioning them to stand on their own feet and become self-sufficient physically, and, most importantly, emotionally. “Supporting the people around me raised my own awareness of the importance of emotional intelligence and psychological resilience. I realized that my counsel or even giving my siblings a way to express themselves in a culture that doesn’t always prioritize feelings helped me refine my own thoughts on psychology and philosophy—especially as they relate to culture and complex family structures,” said Mirza.

After moving to Texas as a young, new mother, Mirza felt an entrepreneurial spark and decided to start her own business: a small flower shop in Dallas. She poured the same hard work, dedication, and spirit she was known for into her shop, and in a few years’ time, gained much success and publicity, including becoming the first flower shop in Dallas to sell online and deliver worldwide. “I was an entrepreneur by the time I was 20 and the youngest female entrepreneur in the local South Asian community,” she said. As Mirza gained more confidence and success with her floral business—including becoming a certified Master Designer and receiving numerous awards not only for her floral designs, but also her service and professionalism in the industry—she tried returning to school several times, but continuing her education took a backseat to business and family obligations.

She was always a role model for others around her, especially her daughter. But when her daughter started taking college classes as a high school student, the tables turned. Mirza began to look up to her daughter’s academic journey from New York University to Berkeley Law and found herself craving to be part of an academic environment where she, herself, could make an impact on others like her daughter is now. “I was so proud of my daughter and each step she dedicated to her education and life in public interest and human rights, and especially now in her role as a federal attorney. I also couldn’t help but feel envy when she would share with me everything she was learning, the nuanced understanding of the world she had gained, and the impact she was making because of her education,” said Mirza.

Returning to the Classroom

This spring, Mirza began her GS journey studying psychology and hopes to merge her 20-plus years of business and life experiences into her new academic pursuits. “I have always been my own boss—with the flower shop to becoming a corporate executive and real estate investor—and now I finally have time to pursue more scholarly pursuits, along with all of the great ideas and academics that accompany an Ivy League education. This inspiration, paired with the influence from my daughter’s successes in academia, is what pushed me to strive toward the goal of becoming the first person of my generation in my family to get a college degree in the U.S. I specifically wanted to be at Columbia because of the support and encouragement I knew GS would provide,” she said.

Going back to school after a long absence can be challenging, but Mirza is ready and determined to make her academic dreams a reality. “Returning to school after over 20 years is a daunting, nerve-wracking, and extremely exciting decision and joining Columbia is one of the most courageous and challenging steps I have taken—I hope this step that I am taking will inspire others who had to delay their academic goals to truly believe that it is never too late to invest in yourself and your education. Life has taught me the importance of resilience and never giving up, and I am more determined than ever to achieve my academic goals,” she said.