The New Xanadu is the online home of Xanadu, a multimedia reimagining of an art and literary magazine that has been published since 1956 by students in the English and Writing program at Doane University in Nebraska.

Fireside is a welcoming space for connection and conversation about the human experience. Students, faculty, and friends gather around the fire to share stories and support for one another along the journey of life.

Wounded Healers is a recurring series that connects students with alumni and healthcare professionals to discuss the value of literary studies and the liberal arts in medical education and patient care.

Write Out Loud celebrates the collaborative nature of creativity and the performative side of poetry and storytelling. Poets and writers create together in a supportive workshop and share their voices with live audiences.

Imagine a live podcast without cameras and microphones. C&C explores a variety of topics in education, literature and the arts, health and wellness, and more. Staff and guests discuss new answers to old questions.

The Sandhill Writing Marathon is an adventure of food, wildlife, and writing. The day trip across Nebraska features the Cranes Trust Nature & Visitor Center to see the annual gathering along the Platte River.

The Lucille Cobb Lecture series and other events introduce experts from a variety of fields, such as Dr. Rita Charon from Columbia University, a physician and scholar who pioneered the field of Narrative Medicine.

Join us on memorable trips abroad. Right now we are planning a tour of the United Kingdom. The trip to London and beyond is set for May of 2025. Experience the setting of so much iconic literary history.

The Bookless Book Club expands the definition of stories and storytelling beyond words on the page. We watch and discuss popular films and series, applying literary techniques in enjoyable new ways.

Our students often engage in projects with faculty that lead to conference presentations and publications, as well as grant proposals to develop new initiatives, like the Integrated Humanities program.

Coming Fall 2024. The Human Skills Gap Symposium will invite area high school students and their teachers to our campus to explore the increasingly urgent need for Humanities training in the modern workplace.

This certificate engages students across the sciences and humanities who seek to enhance their interdisciplinary perspectives. The experience appeals to graduate programs, environmental nonprofits, and a range of organizations that value habits of mind like creative thinking and ethical reasoning.

This certificate is an ideal credential for students interested in medical education and patient care. It explores the intersection of healthcare and the humanities by applying narrative knowledge to the care of the body and the mind. Students examine the use of stories in the clinical space and beyond, developing tools for empathy, insight, and wellbeing.

The Language, Identity, and Sexuality Certificate engages students in the interdisciplinary study of gender and queer identity, developing critical thinking skills, empathy, and inclusivity. The curriculum includes literature, history, and concepts from Communications and Psychology. It is ideal training for careers in education, healthcare, counseling, and more.

This certificate offers essential competence for writers, teachers, and future professionals of all kinds who will be expected to interact with data and increasingly powerful tools of collection and analysis. This credential blends literature, math, and computing to develop skills for interpreting data and translating insights into useful narratives for diverse audiences and decision makers.

The Sports in Literature and the Liberal Arts Certificate explores the cultural and literary dimensions of sports. It delves into the literature of sports, examining how it reflects and shapes societal values, community narratives, and individual identity. Students also craft their own stories that articulate the meaning of athletic competition in their own lives, connecting it to their education and career pursuits.

Our program is customizable. We design a unique course of study with you, based on your evolving curiosities, academic goals, and career interests. It pairs easily as a second major with many other disciplines. Learn more.

Our students enjoy the benefit of scholarship awards that support their passion for stories and storytelling. We have also made it possible for many students to graduate in three years, or less in some cases. Learn more.

The world is changing, and our program has evolved with it. We explore the evolution and importance of narrative through time, from hero myths and folktales to emerging media and popular culture.

We take our mission seriously, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. We are defined less by achievement and more by the humor in our offices and the joy we feel for one another. Learning hits better when its fun.

Our program changes the way our students think about narrative and the value of this new perspective beyond the classroom. It enables them to find exciting success and lasting purpose in a variety of careers. Learn more.

Yours could be next great idea we need. The New Xanadu. The Writing Center. The Integrated Humanities Program. These initiatives and many more began as collaborations among us, students and teachers alike.