Aacimotaatiiyankwi

Katakimaankohkwa ‘Gretchen Spenn’ is the 2025-2026 Aanchtaakia Graduate Fellow at the Myaamia Center. Gretchen is a Myaamia citizen pursuing her master’s degree through Miami University’s Dietetic Internship Program in the department of Kinesiology, Nutrition, and Health. 

Aanchtaakia is the Myaamia word meaning ‘change maker.’ The fellowship is designed for tribal scholars motivated to make positive change in their communities and to share their research interests on Miami University’s campus. 

A graduate of the Heritage Award Program, Gretchen has returned to Miami University to pursue her interest in promoting the health of Myaamiaki ‘Myaamia people’ through diets, physical activity, and general wellness.

Gretchen is currently gearing up for dietetic internships, which involve participating in clinicals, community nutrition, and food service rotations. These will take place in settings like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, local food pantries, the local school district, Miami University Dining and Sports Nutrition, and local medical facilities. 

During her fellowship at the Myaamia Center, she is working with the Office of Assessment and Evaluation (OAE) to translate a model of Myaamia wellness to a practical, hands-on tool that tribal citizens can use to promote their health. 

Gretchen is offering her expertise in nutrition to help the OAE create an online repository of recipes that use traditional Myaamia ingredients (so be on the lookout for this in Spring 2026!). She plans to graduate in December 2026 with a Master’s Degree in Dietetics and will then become certified as a registered dietitian.

Gretchen grew up participating in community events, including attending the Eewansaapita Youth Program in Kiihkayonki ‘Fort Wayne, Indiana,’ from 2010-2016. Eewansaapita fueled her interest in learning more about her Myaamia heritage, ultimately leading to her attendance in Miami University’s Heritage Award Program, and she was able to return as a counselor for the youth programs during her undergraduate years.

Gretchen was an active undergraduate student, serving as President of the Native American Student Association (NASA) in 2022-2023 and coordinating intramural sports teams that Myaamia students participated in as a group. During her time at Miami, she recorded a podcast with Major Insights, where she discussed her experiences as a nutrition major and a student in the Heritage Award Program (feel free to listen to it here). 

For her Senior Project for the Heritage Award Program, Gretchen created a draft of a Myaamia cookbook called Wiihsinitaawi ‘Let’s Eat’, foreshadowing the project she would work on as a graduate student in just a few years. She also participated in maple sugaring with the Myaamia Center, and was involved with kitahkinaani ‘our garden’ at Miami University, and the University farm.

In her free time, Gretchen enjoys making art, gardening, playing sports (especially lacrosse), running, and spending time with friends. So please, join us in welcoming Gretchen!