Michele Wells

Biography

As a social worker with over 20 years of experience I have had the pleasure of serving individuals and families as a practicing social worker in the areas of mental health, child/family services, and addictions. I have also had the joy of training numerous social work professionals in my 16 years of teaching. I currently serve in the role of the Online Director of the Bachelor of Social Work program. Education of future social work professionals is my passion. My areas of expertise include courses in micro and mezzo social work practice, and social and cultural diversity. Other areas of interest include understanding attitudes about social justice and the integration of faith as well as the impact of social justice on motivation for leadership. My husband Alvin and I are Associate Pastors at Acts 2 Life Transformation Church in Lexington, KY. We have four children and seven grandchildren.  My IWU email is michele.wells@indwes.edu.

• Doctor of Philosophy in Organizational Leadership from Regent University
• Masters of Social Work from University of Illinois at Chicago
• Licensed Clinical Social Work in the state of Indiana
• Past MSW Program Director, Asbury University, Wilmore, KY
• Trained site visitor for the Council of Social Work Education
• Active membership in Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) and presentations at national social work conferences including CSWE and North American Association of Christians in Social Work (NACSW)
• Board Member for City 4 the Nations, a missions organization in Lexington, KY

PAPERS

Wells, M. (2016).  The relationship of professional values and spirituality with motivation to lead: The

mediating effect of social justice importance (Doctoral Dissertation). ProQuest. 10137941

Collins, W., Bryson, S, & Wells, M. (2015). The significance of the supervisory relationship in field

practicum. International Journal of Social Work Education, 18(2), 55-62.

Wells, M.(2015). A Christian perspective of the impact of spirituality on social justice in teaching the

discipline of social work. The Foundry: Asbury University, https://repository.asbury.edu/handle/11415/848.

PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS

Wells, M & Clifton, L (2018). Gatekeeping Non-Academic Issues in BSW Programs. 64^th Annual Program

Meeting Council on Social Work Education, Orlando, FL.

Wells, M.( 2016).  Attributes of Spirituality: Impact on Leadership in Social Work Education. NACSW

Convention 2016, Cincinnati, OH

Wells, M. & Bryson, S. (2016) The Significance of the Supervisory Relationship in Field Practicum.

NACSW Convention 2016, Cincinnati, OH

Wells, M & Clifton, L. (2015).  Attributes of Spirituality: Impact on Leadership in Social Work

Education. 61^st Annual Program Meeting Council on Social Work Education, Denver, CO.

Wells, M., Pruitt, S., Stone, J, & Sims, J. (2014) My Name is not “Dude!” Millennials: Increasing

Professionalism for College and Career Success. Academic Leadership Academy, Bluegrass

Higher Education Consortium.

Wells, M. (May, 2013) “Quiet Charisma:  Ideological Texture of Prisca and Aquila’s Portrait of

Leadership.”, Roundtable for Biblical Perspectives in Leadership, Regent University, Virginia Beach, VA.

Wells, M. (April, 2012). Preparing Students for Success in MSW Programs: Strategies for Faculty and

Students, Kentucky Association of Social Work Educators, Asbury University.

Wells, M. (September, 2011) Classroom Strategies for Preparing Future Leaders, Lilly Conference for

College and University Teaching, Traverse City, MI.

Wells, M. (March, 2011). Dealing Effectively With Loss, Grandparents as Parents Conference, Lexington,

KY.

Wells, M. (September, 2010). I don’t like to see myself. Lilly Conference on College and University

Teaching, Traverse City, MI