Learner Stories: Miriam Napolitano-Magaw

Counseling Specialization

For Miriam Napolitano-Magaw, a series of relocations, a full-time job, and the birth of her first child were all reasons not to pursue an advanced degree.

But the memory of her mother—who had struggled for years to overcome a troubled childhood—served as powerful motivation to help her shrug off those concerns and go after her educational dreams.

“The main event that spurred me to pursue my graduate degree was the death of my mother, because she was the main reason I chose counseling as a career path,” she said. “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.”

The next step was anything but a straight line. After receiving her undergraduate degree and getting married in the late 1990s, Napolitano-Magaw enrolled in Capella's School of Human Services in 2001. Shortly after that, the couple relocated twice—first in Florida and then to metro Atlanta—and she became pregnant with her first child. Because of those changes—and her desire to keep a full-time job while having time with her young family—Napolitano-Magaw said Capella offered the best combination of flexibility and academic quality. Quality was a critical consideration, since she was adamant about choosing a degree program that would prepare her to sit for state licensure in mental health counseling.

“Capella was one of the only schools that met that requirement,” she said. “So I called the admissions staff, and they made me feel like a person—not just a number and a checkbook. That meant a lot to me.”

Still, even after she began her course work, Napolitano-Magaw had lingering concerns. Because of the perception of online programs, she questioned whether she would develop any lasting relationships with other learners and faculty. That issue came into sharp focus when she attended a Capella residency while seven months pregnant, and later needed to take a quarter off to tend to her newborn's early needs.

“The personal interaction and support has been a surprise, because I thought the online approach would be really cut-and-dried,” she said. “But it turns out that one of my best friends is someone I met through Capella, and the faculty has always been extremely supportive and understanding with regard to the obstacles I have faced.”

Managing others' perceptions of online education was another matter. Despite its CACREP-accredited status, she knew that some of her friends and professional associates believed that her online education did not compare to a traditional classroom approach. But, in comparing notes with colleagues enrolled in regular graduate programs, she discovered that Capella University placed a much heavier premium on writing and research—not just test-taking. Those requirements gave her a tangible way to demonstrate the university's high academic standards.

“In this program, you typically have two assignments due each week, and that usually means writing a couple of three- to four-page papers in APA format and then responding to several other people in the class, also using APA format,” she said. “The emphasis on writing has given me a portfolio that demonstrates my accomplishments and the intensity of the program. Once people see that, they're usually pretty impressed.”

Four years and several life changes later, Napolitano-Magaw is on the cusp of reaching her dream. She is completing an internship at Highland Rivers Mental Health Clinic in Canton, Ga., where she hopes to take on a full-time counseling job upon graduation in September. Longer-term, she plans to complete her state licensure and eventually launch a comprehensive resource and counseling center for victims of domestic trauma. When her commencement day arrives, she will reflect not only on her accomplishments, but on the memory of a parent who inspired her life goals.

“My mother's death made me realize how short life can be,” Napolitano-Magaw said. “Although she will not be physically present when I graduate, she will certainly be there in spirit, as she is truly my driving force.”