b'LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHTimpact, purpose, and the ripple effect of Indigenous brilliance. We are finding people in our community who have truly made an incredible impact in whatever area of public service theyre involved in, he notes. I think collectively, were moving toward supporting those excellence pieces with our students, with our donors, and with our relationships with communities.Progress, however, remains a moving target. Its great to have all kinds of people go in the front door, DeGagn says, reflecting on the rapid growth of Indigenous participation in higher organizations strength lies in its rela- that allow them to serve and uplifteducation since the 1970s. But we tionshipsin being in a relationshipothers. We allow individuals, andhave to think beyond that. We have with First Nations, Inuit, and Mtisby extension their communities, toto think: how do we get them to stay? communities, and ensuring every actchoose their own direction, and weHow do we get them to graduate? of recognition, funding, and learningsupport their direction. We dont chal- How do we get them to transition to serves to bring those relationshipslenge that, DeGagn says. And thatsthe labour market more effectively?closer together. how we avoid putting everybody in the same basket. MOVING BEYOND ADVICEHOW INDSPIRE LEADS DeGagn sees the future of Indspire, At the heart of Indspires successBeyond supporting individual jour- and Indigenous education more is trust: trust in communities, inneys, Indspires approach is groundedbroadly, in deep, collaborative part-students, and in the relationshipsin evidence and reflection. DeGagnnerships built on co-creation rather that bind them together. Forhas long believed that an organizationthan consultation. The Indigenous DeGagn, building that trust beginsmust continuously examine its owncommunity is very used to being with rejecting a one-size-fits-allimpact. You have to engage in evalu- asked for advice, he says. Advice approach to Indigenous education.ation and research, he insists. Youis the lowest form of consultation. have to look at the data that youreSo what do you think? I think the We avoid a pan-Indigenous lens,able to collect from many years offollowing. Thanks very much for that. he explains, by emphasizing, espe- work and say, rightis the moneyI think Ill ignore that advice and do cially to Indigenous students, thatthat were investing, are the donorswhat I want to do anyway.they have to look inside themselvesbehind us, is this having the impact to decide: do I want to go to post- that we think it should? Is this reallyDeGagns vision pushes for some-secondary educationwhich obvi- being effective? thing far more meaningful. We have ously we encouragebut then theyto move beyond advice, he explains. need to decide what it is that theyFor DeGagn, research isnt justWe have to move toward asking want to do when they get there. about accountability; its aboutfor recommendations or maybe growth: Sometimes you have toco-creating something. Weve got That act of self-determination,leave behind those things that are notto move to a point where we work DeGagn says, often stems fromeffective in promoting the needs ofwith other organizationsnot just a students sense of purpose andour community and adopt the thingsIndigenous organizations, maybe with responsibility to community: Itmore expansively that are.universities and collegeswhere comes from what they personallywe sit down and say, This is what wish to do, and it comes from whatUnder DeGagns leadership,Indigenous people need. We dont they feel their community needs,Indspires definition of success haswant you to create it for us. We want or what theyve seen as having hadalso evolved. Weve always been inyou to create it with us.influence in their community. the success business, he says, but now were in the excellence business. In that spirit, DeGagn continues to Its why so many Indigenous studentsguide Indspire toward a model of gravitate toward teaching, socialExcellence, to DeGagn, is notrelational leadership: one that listens, work, nursing, and law: professionsjust about achievement: its aboutmeasures, evolves, and, above all, 20indspiration2025'