Lunch & MIEC Distinguished Service Award Presentation

Michele Wellman-Teeple is a faculty member and Director of the Anishinaabemowin Pane Immersion Program at Bay Mills Community College (BMCC). She is a second language learner of Anishinaabemowin and an enrolled member of the Little River Band of Odaawa Indians. Michele has a bachelor’s degree from Lake Superior State University, is a graduate of the Nishnaabemwin Language Instructors’ Institute, and the Pane program at BMCC. She holds a Master of Arts in Foreign Language Teaching. Since 1990, Michele has worked as an adjunct instructor for various Native Studies-related courses at BMCC and taught Anishinaabe language and culture for 8.5 years at a Native charter school in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She began working full-time as the Assistant Director of the Pane Program in 2011 and became the program's Director in 2019. During her continued time at BMCC, she has worked with various language instructors and other educators to support Anishinaabe language learning and revitalization efforts.