A Creative Businesswoman: Zahra Tholley ‘25 Boldly Expresses Her Range

When Zahra Tholley '25 walked across the stage last year to receive her degree in Visual Communication and Digital Media Arts, she carried far more than a diploma.

She carried years of energy, creative exploration and an award-winning business idea she had been nurturing long before graduation day. Bowie State gave her the tools and platform to blend her love of the arts with her budding entrepreneurial concept.

Tholley, a native of Accokeek, Maryland, is a joyful spirit who directed a team of 16 cast and crew members in what she says was the culminating project of her undergraduate journey.

"I performed my senior thesis, called Express Your Range, at the Fine & Performing Arts Center. It was a multimedia project that revealed the pressures of beauty standards within the dance community."

Her installation of theater, film, dance and creative direction was a showcase of her vision and lived experiences.

Tholley used her technical skills to deliver a powerful message of representation, confidence and freedom to encourage people to accurately express themselves, and her message didn't end at graduation.

She combined her practical experience and entrepreneurial vision to create ZEERANGE Dance Apparel, an inclusive dancewear line for dancers of all skin tones.

"My goal is to make tights to match every complexion. So, I had a strategic business mindset while I was part of the BSU dance community. I used a skin analysis tool and a quiz to match tights colors to BSU dancers."

During senior year, Tholley submitted her business idea to the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center's (EIC) 8th Annual Bulldog Pitch Competition and placed as a runner-up. The experience helped validate her idea while giving her valuable feedback from business leaders and entrepreneurs. It was a particularly impressive accomplishment, considering she was competing with 50 student venture applications from across all four academic colleges and the graduate program.

"A lot of my entrepreneurship skills were developed in the EIC. Although I'm a creative person, I really do like to incorporate what I'm doing with my business."

Tholley says her college experience was defined by classes, projects and the people who crossed her path, and she made connections campus-wide.

One of her Bowie State friends started a group called the New Generation Artists Guild and asked Tholley to serve as its social media manager.

"At first, I didn't think I could handle it, but I wanted to be there for her. I ended up having a lot of fun with it and I built up my graphic design skills."

In that spirit, she advises today's students that chances to connect are everywhere at Bowie State.

"Use your resources. If you're writing an essay, go to the Writing Center. If you're looking for job opportunities, go to the many events on campus like the annual visit by LAIKA Studios."

Even if a visiting company or organization doesn't seem like it's relevant, she says to be bold and go anyway.

"I spoke with the creative team from Major League Baseball when they came to campus, and it was amazing to learn about their opportunities."

She also shares more specific advice for creative majors.

"Don't be quick to get rid of your art. Keep it! It's important to hold on to what you created as far back as your childhood, because you get to see your progress."

As she moves into the professional world, Tholley continues building her business. She recently returned to campus to perform in senior capstone projects created by dancers who had been part of her 2025 senior thesis.

Looking ahead, Tholley plans to continue growing her business while staying true to the creative vision she developed at Bowie State.

"I learned to trust my instincts, embrace creativity and follow the threads of inspiration wherever they lead."