“Our school is a modern renaissance. For many of us, the reality of being a college student again, after so many years, felt unattainable. Yet here we are, students at the University of Virginia. As we discover new talents, interests and possibilities within ourselves, a metamorphosis occurs, an awakening. Our unique and shared pursuit unites us and represents a revitalization of lives reaching for a common dream: an education that makes us feel 'good enough'.”
Angela Bowerman, UVA School of Continuing and Professional Studies student
For Angela Bowerman, these words capture something deeper than academics. They speak to a personal transformation made possible through her experience at UVA. When she moved to Virginia at age 50, she did not expect her next chapter to begin in a college class. Shortly after relocating, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. During treatment, Bowerman says “a reverberating urgency to become a college graduate emerged.”
The University of Virginia had always been her dream school, but becoming a Hoo felt out of reach. That is, until 2024 when she was accepted into UVA’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies' Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies program. For Bowerman, it was a dream come true.
Learn more about UVA's Online Bachelor's Degree Completion Program
A Life of Many Chapters
Long before arriving at UVA, Bowerman had built an impressive and varied career. At 16, she began working for Sears in Tampa and steadily rose through the ranks to become a human resources manager overseeing more than 300 employees. She “wore every hat that today’s HR departments encompass. It was an invaluable experience in customer service and leadership, laying the foundation for my future success.”
After relocating to Naples, Florida, Bowerman transitioned into sales and corporate event management at The Registry Resort. In 2000, she launched her own business, Home Concierge of Naples, Inc., later restructuring it to create an online resale store specializing in vintage and antiques. More than two decades later, her boutique continues to thrive.
By every standard, she had succeeded. In addition to her career trajectory, Bowerman was a full-time single mother, a school board secretary, a community volunteer and a self-taught artist whose art was selected for a juried gallery show. However, one of her long-held ambitions remained incomplete.
Finding her Voice as a Writer
Bowerman's decision to return to college marked a fresh beginning. What she did not anticipate the was transformation that would follow.
In her first of many writing classes with Professor Charlotte Matthews, she received feedback that would change her future. “She told me I had a gift,” Bowerman says. “Reading her comments reignited a passion for writing that began in childhood.” Encouraged by that mentorship, she changed her concentration to writing. The shift felt less like a change in direction and more like rediscovering a part of herself that had been waiting to surface.
“During my time at UVA, I have gained the confidence to pursue my dreams of writing and to step back into the workforce. Through SCPS and the guidance of my incredible professors, I am becoming the person I was always meant to be.”
Angela Bowerman, UVA School of Continuing and Professional Studies student
Elevating the Voices of Others
As Bowerman’s confidence expanded, so did her involvement at the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
She joined the SCPS Writing Center as an intern, working with classmates one-on-one as they refined their work. The role deepened her sense of connection and purpose. “We are a family,” she says. “We are all in the same boat, navigating this journey of transformation together with all hands on deck.” Alongside faculty mentors Charlotte Matthews and Seth Horton, and SCPS Student Council Representative, Alexis Guschel, Bowerman recently helped revive what she calls a “students for students” culture, introducing Friday Open Mic nights that have engaged the vibrant community of creative writers at SCPS.
This year, Bowerman is serving as Student Editor-in-Chief of MOSAIC, the art and literary journal of SCPS. She approaches the role with a supportive mindset. “I believe if someone is brave enough to submit, they deserve an opportunity to be published,” she says. “Through a collaboration of written and visual works, our publication honors the enduring spirit and heartbeat of SCPS."
Bowerman’s academic accomplishments have not gone unnoticed. She was recently invited to join the Beta Iota Sigma chapter of the Alpha Sigma Lambda National Honor Society at UVA in recognition of her academic and leadership achievements. She is also a member of the Tri-Alpha Honor Society through Hoos First. For Bowerman, these recognitions are a meaningful reminder that academic excellence has no age limit.
A Community that Cultivates Leaders
In just two years at UVA, Bowerman has gained knowledge, friendships, mentorship and renewed purpose. She has also gained something less tangible but perhaps more powerful: the confidence to step back into the workforce and pursue her dreams as a writer.
Like Bowerman, for many adult learners returning to school can feel unattainable. SCPS changes that narrative. It provides access to a world-class institution while cultivating a community grounded in support, empathy and shared experience.
The 2026 issue of MOSAIC will be published soon. Keep your eyes out and help us celebrate the amazing work of our diverse student body!