Habitats
Habitats Scholarship Program
The Habitat allows students to live with peers with similar passions, academic interests, or personal values. These communities foster collaboration, personal growth, and meaningful connections. Each habitat revolves around a unifying theme, encouraging exploration inside and outside the classroom.
Hansen Leadership Program, Directions Cohort
Lead, serve or get out of the way. Grow in your personal leadership philosophy through HLP.
Healthy Living
If wellness is already part of who you are, or something you're working toward, this is your floor.
Explorers
Haven't picked a major yet, and still undecided? Good. You're not behind, you're exactly who this is for.
Nexus Scholars Program
Nexus Scholars is for students who aspire to lead in their communities, public institutions, nonprofit organizations, elected office, and civic life.
Honors Program
The Doane Honors Program is a home for curious minds. It's a place where talented students learn from and with one another.
Explorers
Incoming first-year residential students have the opportunity to be part of the Explorers Community. This Living-Learning Community is designed for students who are still exploring academic interests and career possibilities. Through intentional programming, mentoring, and career development opportunities, students will gain a better understanding of their strengths, interests, and future goals.
Membership includes:
- A $1,000–$7,000 annual scholarship (amount depends on athletics/performing-arts status) in addition to awarded academic scholarships
- Residence on the second floor of Sheldon Hall during the first year
- Monthly programs focused on self-discovery, career exploration, and personal development
- Personality and strengths assessments
- Career interest and pathway assessments
- Opportunities to explore academic majors and career fields
- Collaboration with Academic Advising to identify majors that align with personal interests and goals
- Meetings with Career Services to develop résumés, interview skills, networking strategies, and job search techniques
- Connections with faculty, staff, alumni, and professionals in a variety of career fields
- Peer and professional mentors as the program continues to grow
- A supportive community of students navigating similar questions about majors and careers
Healthy Living
Incoming first-year residential students have the opportunity to be part of the Wellness Community. This Living-Learning Community is designed for students who are passionate about personal well-being and helping create a healthy campus environment. Members will explore the nine dimensions of wellness while developing leadership skills and promoting wellness initiatives across campus.
Membership includes
- A $1,000–$7,000 annual scholarship (amount depends on athletics/performing-arts status) in addition to awarded academic scholarships
- Residence on the 4th floor of Smith Hall during the first year
- A substance-free living environment that supports healthy lifestyle choices
- Extended quiet hours, beginning one hour earlier than other residential floors
- Monthly programming focused on the nine dimensions of wellness
- Opportunities to develop leadership skills through wellness advocacy and education
- Participation in maintaining and promoting the campus Wellness Room
- Service opportunities through the Paw Pantry, Doane's campus food pantry
- Involvement in planning and supporting Relay for Life and other wellness-focused initiatives
- Opportunities to design and facilitate wellness programs for fellow students
- Connections with campus partners focused on health, wellness, and student success
- Peer mentor opportunities as the program continues to grow
Nexus Scholars Program
Nexus Scholars Program is a peer network that provides a multi-year leadership experience to prepare the next generation of civic, community, and public service leaders. The Nexus Scholars experience equips students for leadership and public service through community-based internships within the Division of Community and Government Relations and with nonprofit organizations or public institutions, such as the Nebraska Legislature, local organizations, or the U.S. Congress. Scholars also engage in mentoring opportunities and complete the 21st Century Leadership course, fostering both personal and professional growth. Students admitted to the Nexus Scholars Program receive scholarships that renew yearly.
The Nexus Scholars Program recognizes and supports students who will contribute to a thriving and connected university community while making a positive impact on campus and beyond. The scholarship is awarded to students who demonstrate a strong commitment to leadership, service, and civic engagement. Nexus Scholars value teamwork, shared purpose, and working alongside peers, mentors, public officials, and community members to strengthen communities, address public challenges, and create meaningful change.
Program structure
- Year 1: Community and Government Relations Division Internship — a community-based internship gaining firsthand experience in civic engagement and university-community partnerships
- Year 2: 21st Century Leadership Course — strengthens leadership skills, civic engagement, and capacity to work with peers, mentors, public officials, and community members
- Year 3 or 4: External Internship at a Nonprofit or Public Organization — such as the Nebraska Legislature, a local organization, or the U.S. Congress
- All Four Years: Speaker Series and Educational Programming — a speaker series featuring nonprofit and public leaders, plus select programming from the Division of Community and Government Relations
Honors Program — $2,000–$7,000
The Doane Honors Program is a home for curious minds. It's a place where talented students learn from and with one another. Our highly selective program accepts no more than 20 applicants each year. We believe traveling positively impacts our worldview, creates compassion and builds confidence. That's why we require honors students to study abroad for at least 4 weeks. But don't worry, we offer supplemental study abroad money, and your study abroad experience could be fully funded depending on the number of honors students who travel abroad that year. Students of all majors can apply in the spring before or during their first year at Doane. This interdisciplinary program enriches everyone's experiences.
Scholarship
Honors Program students receive a $7,000 annual scholarship if not already receiving an Athletic or Performing Arts scholarship, or $2,000 if they are.
What sets the Doane Honors Program apart
- Study abroad anywhere in the world (other programs require you to attend specific international schools)
- Interesting and unique interdisciplinary classes
- Scholarship money available for tuition ($2,000/year) and travel
- Complementary books for Honors courses
- Advance registration — juniors register as seniors, sophomores as juniors, first-year students as sophomores
- Seniors participate in an interdisciplinary research project, ideal for graduate school preparation
- Seniors receive complementary headshots from the Doane Marketing Department
- Graduation recognition: a special medallion for students who complete the program, worn at graduation
- Transcript notation for Honors students who graduate with a final GPA of 3.5 or better Button: "Apply" — links down to this habitat's checkbox in the Application section at the bottom of the page.
Eligibility
3.75+ GPA for high school applicants to qualify, 3.5 GPA to maintain once in college.
Hansen Leadership Program, Directions Cohort — $1,000
The Hansen Leadership Program (HLP) is celebrating over 30 years of building leaders and impacting communities. We offer leadership coursework, advise student leaders in campus organizations, and support students as they develop their personal leadership philosophy, with the goal of preparing students to use their leadership skills in their workplaces and communities after graduation. This four year leadership experience is the flagship program within HLP. Incoming first-year residential students can apply for one of 42 coveted spots in this leadership development focused program. First-year Directions students live in suite-style housing, have an upperclassmen mentor, take leadership courses, and serve their local community.
Scholarship
Directions Cohort students receive a $1,000 annual scholarship in addition to any awarded academic scholarships, regardless of athletic or performing arts scholarship status. Each year, 10 to 12 students are selected as Hansen Leadership Interns, a distinct opportunity within the Hansen Leadership Program that provides a $7,000 scholarship along with real-world leadership experience working with employers and community organizations. The Hansen Intern Scholarship is available to students who are not already receiving an Athletic, Performing Arts, or Honors scholarship.
Deadlines and eligibility
Reviewed mid-month with monthly selection rounds — a student may be waitlisted one month and selected the next. Open to first-year traditional students on the Crete campus.
Renewal — annual requirements
Directions Scholars must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA. First year: live in a Directions Scholars Suite, complete LDR 101/102, 10 hours of community service each semester, weekly meetings with a Directions Mentor. Sophomore year: complete LDR 201/202, 10 hours of service each semester, one staff check-in. Junior year: complete CED 205 or equivalent, 10 hours of service each semester, one staff check-in. Senior year: fall career check-in, attend the incoming class's welcome event, 10 hours of service each semester, one staff check-in. A GPA-based reduction is restored if GPA recovers above 3.0 the next year.
