Date of Award

4-27-2026

Access Restriction

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctorate in Education

Department

Education

School or College

School of Education

First Advisor

Lauren Casella

Second Advisor

Antonio Felix

Third Advisor

Hosffman Ospino

Abstract

Catholic education was established and staffed by religious individuals called by the principle of mission and vocation: to serve and support immigrant, socio-economically disadvantaged Catholic communities. But by 2016 less than 3% of full-time professional Catholic school staff were avowed religious, and these historically Eurocentric schools across the United States have declining enrollment (Donohue & Guernsey, 2023). This has challenged Catholic leaders to consider whether Catholic schools can still fulfill the founding mission of Catholic education. In 2022, Ospino and Wyttenbach reported on “the various ways in which Hispanics educators are transforming the American Catholic school experience” (p. 5) and suggested a focus on lay Hispanic leadership could provide a significant change of fortune for Catholic schools. This study examined how lay Hispanic women working in Catholic schools understood their vocational call to leadership, examining the experiences and influences that lead them to serve in Catholic education. The study is grounded by the theoretical framework of Community Cultural Wealth from the work of two scholars. Firstly, the work of Tara Yosso (2006) on the intersection of Community Cultural Wealth with the lived experiences of women, which highlights “the array of cultural knowledge, skills, abilities and contacts possessed by marginalized groups” (p. 69). Secondly, Lindsay Pérez Huber (2009) whose work adds spiritual capital within Latina/o contexts, as “a set of resources and skills rooted in a spiritual connection to a reality greater than oneself” (p.721). This study explored the ways the women understood their vocation fulfilling a mission to serve as Catholic educators and leaders in their communities.

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