Abstract
This dissertation-in-practice explores how the initial teaching experience at Maȟpíya LútaOwáyawa | Red Cloud Indian School influences the leadership development of graduates
of Creighton University's Magis Catholic Teacher Corps. While leadership development
is often understood in terms of formal preparation, mentoring, and professional
experience, less is known about how it is shaped by immersive, place-based experiences
at the intersection of culture, mission, and community. The purpose of this study was to
examine how early-career educators experienced leadership formation through teaching
in a Lakȟóta Catholic Jesuit school on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The
aim was to inform leadership development within teacher preparation and other mission-
driven organizations by deepening understanding of how challenge, accompaniment,
cultural humility, reflection, and community contribute to the formation of educational
leaders. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis (IPA), this qualitative study explored the
lived experiences of 15 Magis Catholic Teacher Corps graduates who taught at Maȟpíya
Lúta Owáyawa between 2007 and 2024. Data were collected through semi-structured
interviews and analyzed to understand how participants made meaning of their
experiences and leadership development over time. The dissertation examines
educational leadership development, teacher formation, Ignatian leadership, Lakȟóta
values, and the role of initial teaching experiences in shaping leadership.