Where

The New Xanadu, our team of writers and teachers, has a path for you, whatever you care about and wherever you want to go.

We want to empower you to tell the stories that matter to you, including the stories of who you are today and who you want to be someday. We can develop your talents, platform your ideas, and help you transform your dreams into goals.

The most important and enduring thing we will ever do is enable creative and talented people like you to find their voice, so you can inspire others to do the same.

Bex Marsh, 2010

"A pivotal moment during my college experience was switching to an English Major. At the time it felt like a big risk. But doing so opened up possibilities of how I could pursue a career beyond academics and athletics. It gave me the confidence to move out into the world with a set of tools to communicate in an effective, creative, and impactful way. Looking back now, over 10 years later, I feel my time there was invaluable for my career and life. I'm deeply grateful that I took that risk. And I have Phil Weitl to thank for that."

Bex Marsh is an Asian-American actor, producer, and former college baller from Nebraska. She's trained and performed at the world-renowned comedy theaters in Chicago: iO Chicago, The Annoyance, and The Second City. While in the Midwest, she took part in off-broadway theater, commercials, television, improv and sketch comedy.

Now in Los Angeles, Bex recently shot a recurring role in the new pilot Strong Tower, co-star roles for CBS's Man With A Plan and Fox's Outmatched, and a supporting role for the film Clemency starring Alfre Woodard (Grand Jury Prize at Sundance). She's a noticeable voice in KFC summer 23' commercial and voiced a few characters in "Journey to Foundation" PS5 video game. She co-wrote and starred in the comedy short Waterboy, which was a finalist in the TBS Just For Laughs Shorts Competition headed by Kevin Hart. Follow @bexleemarsh for more updates and bts looks.

Nicole Schlautman, 2023

“The people who created The New Xanadu cultivated some of my most valued skills in critical thinking and communication. They care deeply about their craft, their work, and their students. I loved the classes they offered; some of the discussions we had still stick with me as incredibly important conversations for understanding the world and my place in it. The program was a safe place to explore new ideas, try different things, and challenge myself, and I stand by it as being foundational to who I am today.”

Nicole Schlautman graduated from Doane in 2023. She now teaches English at Gretna East High School, where she also coaches the One Act drama team. In her first year at the helm, the team won the Nebraska Class A State Championship for their production of “Lend Me a Tenor” and took honors for Best Male Performer and Best Technical Crew.

Katherine Lehman, 2014

“The New Xanadu, its people and programs, have played a pivotal role in my life and career. I think most of all, I gained a great deal of confidence with them. I also learned how to communicate more effectively, which is a rarity in today’s world. They helped me develop valuable skills that enable me to understand the experiences of others as well as reading, writing, and critical thinking - skills I use daily in my career as a nurse.”

Katie Lehman earned her Bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis in creative nonfiction and a minor in biology from Doane in 2014. While there, Katie served two years as the Xanadu student literary magazine editor-in-chief and one year as the English honor society president. She was also active in vocal music, instrumental music, and served as a campus ambassador for the Admissions Department. Following graduation, she then went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Kearney campus in 2017. She began her nursing career working in the cardiac unit and has also worked in pediatrics, care management, clinic nursing, post-anesthesia recovery, and as a charge nurse in the medical-surgical unit. She is now pursuing a Master’s degree in Nursing Education and serves as a school nurse at Grand Island Senior High School in Nebraska.

Where can you go with narrative knowledge and the ability to apply it beyond the page?

Wherever your dreams can take you.

  • Recent graduates from our program include actors, writers, online content creators, filmmakers, nurses and nurse practitioners, optometrists, attorneys, social workers, counselors, teachers, professors, ministers, librarians, software engineers, data analysts, and more.

    Even the General Manager of the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery, part of the famous Boston Beer Company, has an English degree from Doane University.

  • Our interdisciplinary program will prepare you for careers in healthcare, law, education, writing and publishing, film and media, communication and marketing, data analytics, and more. If you can imagine it, can help you realize it.

  • Earn resume credentials and credits toward graduation while developing skills that employers covet.

    Publish your own stories and poems. Win scholarships and prizes in our annual writing contests. Build and showcase your multimedia content portfolio. Monetize your skills in The Writing Center and share your talents with other students. Make professional connections to launch your career with internships and community service-learning projects with other students and professors. Earn a teaching certificate and gain experience leading a classroom. Travel abroad.

    Our students do all of these things and more to prepare themselves for life after college. The opportunities are as endless as your imagination.

Have an idea?

Don’t be afraid to play the hero.

We can help.