When a guidance counselor told Mariah Liggins, then a junior in high school, that she wasn’t going to get into college, she didn’t let that stop her. Now the program director of the John Lewis Student Leadership Pathways at Georgia Tech, she did her research, submitted her applications, and took 15 Greyhound bus trips to tour schools before placing seven acceptance letters — all accompanied by full-ride scholarships — on her counselor's desk.  

“I’m always telling my students to make sure that you're invested in yourself, and you don't need a cheerleader. You are the cheerleader, so when somebody gives you a no, work it out and get your yes, because I definitely did that,” she said.  

A lesson of resilience is one that Liggins shares in her coaching sessions, helping students to develop their leadership skills and career goals, and in her role as the manager of her 10-year-old daughter Kyhler’s acting career.  

Khyler’s most recent credit was also her biggest — a role in the Warner Bros. film Weapons — but Liggins is intentional about teaching her daughter that the road to success in the film industry isn’t always a straight one.  

“We’ve been doing this her whole life. She was 3 years old on the red carpet, but that comes with a lot of ups and downs. We talk all the time about the importance of hard work and the fact that you may get some no’s, but in those situations, it’s all about finding a lesson to learn from it and embracing the ability to try again,” she said.  

Khyler affectionately refers to Mariah as her “momager,” and Mariah, who grew up in foster care, relishes the opportunity to take a lead role in her daughter’s life.  

“In my childhood, I never had anybody who was invested in me, so once I became a mom, I was going to make sure I give them a childhood that they have control of, that they're invested in, and that I can invest in them the best way possible,” Liggins said. “What drives me is knowing I’m able to give them so much of what I lacked, and I get to live out this experience with my family.” 

The mother of three sees similarities between her home and professional life, including the joy of seeing others succeed in pursuing their passions. Liggins began her career in academic advising and served as the pre-health advisor at Georgia Tech before moving into her current role.  

“As I see students come through our program, I see them try things they wouldn’t have before, and that makes me so proud. I always say that when my students have applied to medical school and got accepted, I feel like I got in because we’re celebrating together,” she said.  

Liggins has worked at Tech for seven years and, during that time, has continued her education as an Ed.D. student at the University of West Georgia.  

“What I love so much about working at Georgia Tech is working around so many creative and innovative thinkers. As a first-generation college student, I am in rooms today and part of conversations that I never could have imagined. Working at Tech has pushed me and continues to help ignite the professional and the student that I am today,” she said. 

For Mariah, her dream is not for Kyhler to become a movie star. It’s for her to feel like she had a childhood that allowed her to express herself and find what makes her happy. Just like she does with her students, Mariah is proud to play a part in helping Kyhler find her path to becoming a leader in any venture she pursues.