There are galvanizing events that change people’s life trajectories. For Heather Jameson, the 1999 Columbine High School shootings were that transformative moment.
“I was selling cars at the time, and it really hit me,” she said. “How was I going to bring kids into a world where things like that happen?”
Turning change into growth
Jameson decided she needed to do something to help kids. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology while working as a case aide at a nonprofit mental health facility for autistic and sexually aggressive youth.
To advance her career, though, she would need a master’s degree. There was a complicating factor—her husband was in the military and had just been reassigned to Italy—so she began exploring online programs.
She started at Capella in 2003 and soon discovered an unexpected benefit of online education. “Capella fosters independence, and that is what you need in the counseling workplace,” Jameson said. “I think getting my degree online made me a better employee.”
“After earning my master’s from Capella, I began interviewing and received three full-time job offers,” Jameson said. And so she began working at a nursing home and working part-time in a private practice, dealing with anger management in adult men referred by the justice system.
Advanced degree makes life-changing decision a reality
Jameson recently moved to California and started a new job as a counselor in a narcotic treatment program. “Things I learned at Capella are a huge advantage here. I’ve found that I have a lot of depth in certain skills. So I think I add richness to the team,” Jameson said.
On her third day, she was offered a supervisory position. She’s since earned a second promotion, now serving as the clinic manager. Jameson has also received her license from the state of Washington as a professional counselor. That license will also help her get assignments at any military base.
She credits her experiences at Capella for giving her the drive to succeed. “The self-motivation that causes one to be successful at Capella is what has helped me advance so quickly in my career, too.”
Heather Jameson, MS
"Things I learned at Capella are a huge advantage. I've found that I have a lot of depth in certain skills. So I think I add richness to the team."