Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM
Awakening the Soul of Education: A Journey through Southwestern College’s MA in Transformational Teaching, Learning, & Leadership
by Virginia Padilla Vigil, Program Director
“When we allow challenges to transform us, a little more of our genius and passion takes hold in the world.” – Richard Rudd
What if teaching wasn’t just a job — but a sacred journey of self-discovery, leadership, and transformation?
At Southwestern College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the Master of Arts in Transformational Teaching, Learning, and Leadership offers a radically different approach to graduate education. This isn’t your traditional master’s program. It’s an invitation to embark on a soul-centered journey — to become a conscious learner, teacher, and leader in a world hungry for authenticity and change.
Learning as a Journey Inward
The program unfolds in three transformative realms:
- Self as Learner – The Invitation to Journey Inward
- Self as Teacher – The Adventure
- Self as Leader – The Return
Through each phase, students explore personal and professional challenges not as obstacles, but as portals for growth. These realms mirror the Hero’s (or Heroine’s) Journey — a timeless archetype of challenge, transformation, and triumph.
The Passion Project: Where Purpose Meets Practice
What do you deeply care about? What challenge in your community, school, or organization calls for your unique voice?
In the MA TTLL program, every student designs a Passion Project — a context-driven, action-oriented endeavor rooted in the real world and inspired by the heart. It’s more than a capstone — it’s a declaration of purpose, born from your own lived experiences and guided by your inner wisdom.
Learning That Engages the Whole Self
Rather than narrowly focusing on academic theory, this program is intentionally holistic — integrating intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and somatic dimensions of learning. Courses are infused with reflective inquiry, presence, and consciousness, offering a space where personal growth and professional development go hand-in-hand.
Online Flexibility, Santa Fe Soul
Designed for educators and service professionals, the program combines synchronous and asynchronous online learning with three immersive summer residencies in the high-desert beauty of Santa Fe, NM. Each residency deepens the journey:
- Residency 1: Journey inward through healing circles and presence practices.
- Residency 2: Reimagine your teaching practice with consciousness-based and culturally sustaining methods.
- Residency 3: Celebrate and share your transformational journey and Passion Project with a supportive learning community.
Mentorship that Moves You
Throughout your first year, you’ll be paired with a faculty mentor — someone who walks beside you, helping you unpack your learning and support the unique unfolding of your journey. This mentorship is not just academic; it’s soul support.
Final Thoughts
In a world of burnout and bureaucracy, Southwestern College dares to ask: What if teaching could heal? What if learning could awaken the soul?
If you’re a passionate educator, leader, or changemaker seeking a program that nurtures who you are as much as what you do, the MA in Transformational Teaching, Learning, and Leadership just might be your path forward.
About the Moderator
