Jennifer Moffett, language arts instructor at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College’s Jackson County Campus, received the 2021 Humanities Teacher Award.  The Mississippi Humanities Council gives the award to one instructor at each of the state’s institutions of higher learning.    

Moffett, of Ocean Springs, teaches composition, literature, and creative writing. In 2019, she was selected to represent MGCCC at the annual Higher Education Appreciation Day-Working for Academic Excellence (HEADWAE) program in Jackson.  

The Humanities Teacher Awards recognize the contributions of humanities faculty in the fields of English, History, Music, Art and Philosophy. Nominations are made by the college or university president, vice president, or dean of instruction. Each award recipient is required to prepare and deliver a public lecture.  

Moffett presented her public lecture, “Novel Communities: Constructing Community through Narrative in the Creative Writing Classroom,” on February 22 at the Jackson County Campus.  

In the lecture, she discussed teaching students how to write from their own sense of place and experiences.  

“It is a meaningful way to connect with a diverse range of readers on a universal level,” she said. “In addition, I discussed introducing students to the various career opportunities as future writers. It is an important responsibility, as many students are just learning how to connect their talents and interests with a fulfilling job.”  

She said she utilizes her personal experiences working as a writer in television, magazines, literary journals, and traditional publishing to show students the many career paths available in writing and the practical ways to pursue those paths using their community college education as the starting point.

“I love introducing students to stories and techniques that spark their passion for writing creatively,” she said. “I can’t think of a better calling than helping students find their voices as future writers.” 

For more information on the award or the Mississippi Humanities Council, visit mshumanities.org.