NATCHEZ — Jan Pickle of Natchez, English instructor at Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez, has been chosen Outstanding Humanities Instructor for 2007 by Co-Lin and the Mississippi Humanities Council.

In conjunction with the honor, Co-Lin will sponsor Pickle’s presentation on her worldwide travels and how she blends travel and education. The presentation will be at 11 a.m. Monday, in the Co-Lin Natchez Lecture Hall in the Tom Reed Academic Center. The program is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.

Pickle said her presentation will be both informative and educational.

“I have been able to use my travel experiences in English literature classes to discuss the writers, the places they lived, and the history of the country,” Pickle said. “I often have photos, postcards and guidebooks to enhance my lectures.”

Pickle’s presentation will include photographs from many of her trips, which have included educational excursions to England, Scotland, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Greece.

“I would have to say Italy is my favorite country to visit. I don’t think I would ever tire of it,” Pickle said.

Her travels began in 1998. “I took my senior AP English class to England to see the places we had studied in literature class.”

From then on, Pickle was bitten by the traveling bug, most recently going to Greece and Turkey this past summer. “My favorite trip is always my last one,” she said.

Pickle has had extensive teaching experience in the Natchez public schools, New Hope High School in Columbus, Byram Attendance Center in Byram and Adams County Christian School. During that time, she was a part-time English instructor at Co-Lin Natchez, becoming full-time in 1999.

She earned her bachelor’s degree in education at Mississippi College, and her master’s degree in English also at Mississippi College.

Among her previous honors are being selected a STAR Teacher in 1999, chosen for inclusion in “Who’s Who Among Teachers” for her high school and college teaching excperience, and being selected a William Winter Scholar for the Natchez Literary and Cinema Celebration in 2000.

She is a member of First Baptist Church, where she sings in the choir.