in 1965, along with 33 other female students and four female faculty, she became a founding member of the delta nu chapter of sigma alpha iota. in 1966 she won the national society of arts and letters singing competition. after graduating in 1967 with a degree in music, she began graduate studies at the peabody conservatory in baltimore and later at the university of michigan school of music, theatre & dance in ann arbor, michigan, from which she earned a master's degree in 1968. during this time norman studied voice with elizabeth mannion and pierre bernac. later in her career, she worked closely with vocal coach sylvia olden lee at the metropolitan opera who was also a coach to kathleen battle and marian anderson.