Miriam Napolitano-Magaw had plenty of reasons not to pursue an advanced degree. But the memory of her mother—who had struggled for years to overcome a troubled childhood—motivated her to obtain her master's degree in the mental health field.
Now, as a practicing therapist and clinical supervisor, she's helping others tame the disruptive internal forces that make their lives difficult. It's work that she loves, and she's found Capella prepared her well for the position.
It was not an obstacle-free path. Between her undergraduate degree and attaining her Capella degree, she married, moved to two different states, and had a baby. Her mother's death made her realize how short life can be and motivated her to push ahead. "When she passed away, I realized that I had not met my original goals, and that I was not going to until I completed this next step."
When picking a graduate school, she had two overriding considerations: the school's quality had to be high enough to prepare her to sit for state licensure in mental health counseling*, but had to allow her to maintain a full-time job. Capella met the requirements, and an enrollment counselor who "made me feel like a person, not just a number and a checkbook," sealed the deal.
She found the curriculum challenging, the faculty supportive, and her classmates delightful; one of them became a best friend. Since graduating in 2005, Napolitano-Magaw has received her NCC (National Certified Counselor) and LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor) credentials. Part of her duties as clinical supervisor at the 40-person Focus Counseling and Training agency in Woodstock, Ga., involves overseeing all of the counselors, interns, and paraprofessionals, and she says her Capella education prepared her well for that task. "I cherish the time I had at Capella," she says. "The education far exceeded anything I expected."
And she's managed to convince others about what a great education she received at Capella—a growing number of her colleagues are Capella graduates. Having that Capella credential on a resume, Napolitano- Magaw says, shows they have been well-trained.
Miriam Napolitan-Magaw, MS
"I cherish the time I had at Capella. The education far exceeded anything I expected.”