OCTOBER

Oct. 3 — DEI Meets with Board of Trustees: The Project Director presented the history and impact of the CAPE Project to the Board of Trustees. This marked the next phase of planning to institutionalize the project after the final grant cycle ends in September 2025. Students shared powerful testimonies, and the board provided positive feedback and support.

Oct. 7 — New Equity Compliance Officer Starts: Suzanne Mealer has joined the DEI team at Doane University after an extensive search for the ideal candidate. She has officially started her role and is now serving students. To file a Title IX report, email titleix@doane.edu.

Oct. 24 — Purple Out: Doane University hosted a Day of Purple to honor survivors of domestic violence and remember those who lost their lives.

Pledge Against Violence: Throughout October, students and staff committed to ending violence by signing the Stand Against Violence pledge.

Oct. 25 — Domestic Violence Awareness Proclamation: City Council Member, Tom Beckius, joined Voices of Hope Advocates and the community to read the city’s proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Oct. 31 — BOO! Your Relationship Shouldn’t Be Scary + My Costume is NOT My Consent Campaign: CAPE Peer Educators hosted Halloween events, including a Scooby-Doo-themed game to “unmask” unhealthy relationships and an Instagram campaign emphasizing that Halloween costumes do NOT equal consent.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 2 — Dine 09: Netflix and Chill: Residential Life has hosted Saturday night events all semester, and on November 2nd CAPE took the lead with the first-ever “Netflix and Chill” event. Students analyzed unhealthy relationships and stalking behaviors in the Netflix series YOU, using BINGO cards to identify problematic behaviors throughout the episode.

Nov. 12–14 — TTI Virtual Training: The Office of Violence Against Women (OVW) held its mandatory TTI grant training virtually this year. CAPE invited CCRT members to campus to complete the training together.

Nov. 11th-22nd — No Means November: The Chi Delta sorority hosted its annual November events focused on consent, sexual assault prevention, and survivor support. Activities included Consent Cookies, Support the Silenced, Open Mic Night, and more.

Nov. 21st — Open Mic Night: Partnering with the Chi Delts, CAPE joined an emotional evening where survivors courageously shared their stories, and Chi Delts shared meaningful poetry by survivors.

Nov. 22nd — Wounded Healers: CAPE and the English Department cohosted Wounded Healers, featuring alumna Mandy VanLaningham, a Victim Advocate for Hope Crisis Center. Mandy shared her experiences as an advocate, the impact of her Liberal Arts education, and how to support survivors in daily life.

Semester Wrap-Up: By December 4th, CAPE will have conducted 54 training sessions this semester, concluding an impactful run of educational outreach.

ANONYMOUS STUDENT TESTIMONY

These were just a few of the anonymous student testimonies submitted to let the leadership team and Board of Trustees know about CAPE’s impact on students:

“As a survivor I feel better knowing our University takes these things seriously.”

“I think a campus without CAPE would be a much scarier one, not just because I think cases of harassment and assault would rise, but it would be reported much less because people wouldn’t know where to go or who to go to to get help, which can be so awful and unsafe.”

“As someone going into secondary ed, trauma-informed training is a must for my students. You never know what someone is going to walk through your door with.”

“Knowing that all of my classmates get this training about sexual assault and consent makes me feel so much better.”

“In high school, I dated a boy and I thought I had to do the things he wanted to do because at the time I didn’t really have an education on anything else. Looking back now and using what CAPE has taught me, I have power over my body and I get to say what I want and don’t want to do and that should always be the same with both people in a relationship or whatever partnership one may have. When I got to college and learned more from CAPE, I learned that a) things that have happened to me were not my fault which I WISH someone would have told me earlier in life and b) There is so much more to be talked about in education systems that what we are being taught.”

TTI DETAILS

What Happened? CAPE is required to attend multiple OVW conferences throughout the grant cycle. Last February, the team met in Atlanta, but this November OVW decided to host the conference virtually. CAPE values the opportunity to work with our CCRT members, especially those outside the university, so we brought them to campus and did the virtual training together!

Who Attended?

• Andreea Baker — Director of Health & Wellness
• Cari Emerson — Hope Crisis Center Advocate
• Jenne Lazano — Voices of Hope Advocate
• Luis Sotelo — VP of DEI
• Brian Stutz — Director of Residence Life
• Suzanne Mealer — Equity Compliance Officer
• Russ Hewitt — Public Safety Director
• Melanie Martinez — Crete Police Officer
• Jaden Hilkemann — Director of CAPE

What’d We Learn?

(A lot, but we will keep it simple)

• Prevention efforts cannot be done through a single entity. It requires collaboration across multiple teams & departments; it takes a campus-wide effort.
• Doane University excels, & the CAPE Project has made significant progress since receiving the grant in 2016. This becomes clear when comparing our achievements to other schools that struggle to meet even the minimum grant requirements.

VOICES OF HOPE EVENT

City Council Member Tom Beckius joined Voices of Hope Advocates, partners, community members, and law enforcement at the Voices of Hope office to deliver Lincoln’s official proclamation for Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The city of Lincoln recognizes October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month and expresses gratitude to organizations like Voices of Hope for their critical work supporting survivors and their families. Jaden Hilkemann also attended, emphasizing Voices of Hope as an essential resource and partner for Doane Lincoln students and staff.

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

I can’t take full credit for the title, as former US Army Ranger and co-founder of Black Rifle Coffee Company, Mat Best produced a New York Times best-selling book by the same name, but this has become a stance of mine. Make no mistake, I have given a lot of my time, effort, and energy to the US Military, and in a way, I still do with my current role here at Doane. With that said, I feel compelled to finally thank anyone reading this who has supported our nation’s heroes by living their own respective lives while we are away. Keeping “the home fires burning,” as they say.

These folks (the Americans with no prior military service) do not get enough praise for their often-blind loyalty to our Armed Forces. I have always tried to be uniquely aware of this as I navigate life and realize that not everyone has the same background, benefits, or experiences that I have. Joining the military has been a voluntary undertaking for American citizens since June of 1973. Believe it or not, we never stopped conscripting between the commencement of WW2 and the conclusion of the Vietnam War. Since then, the brunt of our nation’s conflicts has been borne by a 100% volunteer force. All of us wanted to be there for various reasons. While patriotism is often the crux of any enlistment, the residuals from such selflessness should not be discounted and are only made possible by having a supportive and trusting American public.

God blessed me with the physical and mental qualifications for federal service. This is noteworthy as only 23% of Americans qualify for eligibility at any time. I was a terrible high school student; I had to seek a waiver from the guidance office to attend a senior year that consisted of weight training, study hall, work release, metal shop, woods, and regular PE. (I’m not sure if this has ever been done before). I knew I was going to enlist during my junior year, so no guidance counselor or college rep was going to convince me that taking advanced bio, trig, English composition, etc. was necessary. I left for basic training two months after graduating high school.

I was stationed in both Germany and New Mexico, and those two assignments led to extensive world travel (good and bad), all while learning about myself and maturing in an environment that was financially padded by the US government. I earned my GI Bill and separated after my 4-year enlistment. Earning an undergraduate degree while incurring zero debt helped me catch up to my peer group, and by 2016, I had my degree, a full-time job, and property. I was only able to purchase my first home in Malcolm, Nebraska, with zero money down and a low interest rate courtesy of the VA Home Loan that I earned during my enlistment.

Now, in 2024, I find myself in a role for our university that I was uniquely qualified for due to my military background and by navigating the Veteran service space for myself and others for the last several years. Plus, the Department of Veteran Affairs recently approved an extension of my GI Bill so that I can complete my graduate degree with Doane. To add onto this, I have used the VA as my primary care provider for several years now, and while this opinion is far from unanimous, I have had zero issues with them and feel grateful for the lifelong healthcare that they have promised me.

These are some of the financial and logistical perks of completing an honorable enlistment with the United States military. What cannot be quantified so easily is the lifelong friends that I have made, the corners of the world that I was able to see, the intense value that I place on freedom, liberty, and justice, and the person that several formative years in the military have shaped me to be.

While I always appreciate the sentiment of gratitude that I get from so many people each Veterans Day, I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge that the honor has been mine and that the feeling of respect is mutual. Without proud, capable, intelligent, and supportive Americans at home conducting commerce, building businesses, producing materials, etc., there is no America to fight for, and our ability to finance this volunteer force becomes impossible. In the words of Tim Walz, “I willingly say I got far more out of the military than they got out of me.”

This realization comes with a mandate. If you have any questions regarding our military science course offerings, our ROTC programs, benefits you may be able to use through your service or the service of a family member, or if you need someone to talk to as you contemplate the possibility of military service yourself; please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. I have a wide-open door policy, and I am truly blessed to be the subject matter expert on this topic for Nebraska’s premier university.

In short, following this Veterans Day and having a small platform to reach this exceptional Doane Community, I do want to “Thank You for My Service” officially. And I pledge to pay this country back for the investment it has made in me.

Always yours,

Daniel James Dibbern
daniel.dibbern@doane.edu

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

Growing up as both American Indian and white has been a big part of shaping who I am. My life has been a balancing act between two different worlds, one rooted in my American Indian heritage and traditions, and the other in a mostly white, rural town. Living in these two spaces taught me a lot about identity, resilience, and finding a sense of belonging.

Before moving to the reservation, my family, my mom, siblings, and I lived in a small rural town. We were the only minorities in the community, and everyone knew we were American Indian. This made us easy targets for teasing and discrimination. The jokes and stereotypes we faced were constant reminders that we didn’t belong, and they left me feeling small and alone at times. I often felt out of place, like I didn’t fit in with the world around me. Although it was hard, those experiences taught me how to be strong and keep going, even when I felt unseen or misunderstood.

When I was 16, we moved to the reservation, and everything changed. For the first time, I was surrounded by people who shared my culture and heritage. I felt a deep connection to the land, the ceremonies, and the community. It was a relief to no longer feel like an outsider. I felt proud of my American Indian roots in ways I hadn’t before. But even on the reservation, fitting in wasn’t always easy. I have light skin and didn’t grow up there, which sometimes made me feel like I didn’t fully belong. I felt like I had to prove myself to be accepted by others, even among my own people.

Balancing these two worlds has been both challenging and enlightening. In the small town, my heritage set me apart in difficult ways. On the reservation, my whiteness occasionally made me feel like I didn’t fully belong. But moving between these spaces helped me embrace all parts of my identity and taught me how to draw strength from both experiences to move forward.

Before my mom passed away, she gave me advice that has stayed with me: “Continue to fight for our people.” Her words have given me purpose and direction in my life. I’ve realized that my experiences in both worlds have uniquely prepared me to do just that. I can navigate spaces outside the reservation and use my voice to advocate for our community, while also honoring the traditions and values that my mother and ancestors passed down to me.

Being both American Indian and white has taught me that belonging isn’t about fitting into one group or another, it’s about fully embracing who you are and using your experiences to make a difference. My mother’s words remind me to carry the strength of my ancestors forward. Living between these two worlds hasn’t always been easy, but it’s a gift I’ll cherish for the rest of my life.

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

An experience I have had that taught me a life lesson was when I worked for the State of Nebraska as a Juvenile Probation Officer. I worked with many clients from various backgrounds, but given my coverage area or precinct was in South Omaha; I worked with a lot of individuals of Hispanic backgrounds. A situation that stood out to me was the amount of support parents would have for their children on probation. So much support that they would sometimes cover for their children when things went wrong or when we had to hold them accountable. As a Latino and father myself, I know how much our culture values family and keeping everyone together.

What I learned from this was that sometimes we need to let our children fail and develop their grit and resilience rather than enable them by covering up for them. As I grew in my career and my children started to grow, this has been something that I keep thinking about; to know where the line between support and enabling is.

Another situation that taught me a valuable lesson was when I had a client come into my office in the middle of a terrible situation and tell me “How am I supposed to trust you to help me get my life together when you can’t even keep your office clean?!” At the time, I was a year removed from undergrad and had just started my first ‘real job’ with the State of Nebraska. I had never had a job where I was in charge of handling a caseload or case files, and I had a bad habit of trying to sort things out on my desk and not file things away in a timely manner. Consequently, my office looked like it was hit by a tornado!

After this incident happened, I learned to reach out for help and started saying ‘no’ to additional projects that would build more clutter. Since then, I have worked hard to keep a clean area despite what sort of craziness might be happening around me.

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month, and the CAPE Project is focused on the importance of discussing domestic abuse and dating violence with college students. Since its first declaration in 1989, this month has served as a time to acknowledge survivors of domestic violence and to advocate for those who have experienced abuse. Domestic violence affects individuals across all communities, regardless of age, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, gender, race, religion, or nationality.

According to the National Domestic Violence Hotline, nearly one in three college women and one in ten men have been victims of dating abuse. What’s even more alarming is that more than half (57%) of college students who report experiencing dating violence and abuse say it occurred while they were in college.

College is a pivotal time for many students, as they navigate their first serious relationships and begin exploring what intimacy and romance mean to them. However, young people often receive mixed messages about what constitutes a healthy relationship. Popular TV shows and movies sometimes glamorize toxic behaviors, presenting possessiveness, jealousy, and manipulation as signs of love or passion. These portrayals can confuse young people, making it harder to recognize unhealthy dynamics in their own relationships.

It’s also important to remember that domestic abuse and dating violence go far beyond physical harm. Abuse can take many forms — emotional, spiritual, financial, and psychological, among others. Emotional abuse may involve manipulation, gaslighting, or isolation, while financial abuse can manifest as controlling a partner’s access to money or resources. Recognizing these different forms of abuse is crucial in understanding the full scope of violence that people may experience in relationships, even when there are no visible scars.

That’s why it’s essential to have open conversations about what healthy relationships look like — ones that are based on mutual respect, trust, and open communication. By addressing the prevalence of dating violence and correcting misconceptions about relationships, we can empower students to make informed choices and seek support when needed.

To further engage the campus, CAPE provided an opportunity for students, staff, and faculty to pledge against violence, affirming their commitment to building a safe and respectful community. Additionally, CAPE organized a campus-wide Purple Out Day, encouraging everyone to wear purple on Thursday, October 24th, in honor of those affected by domestic abuse. On Friday, October 25th, CAPE Project Director Jaden Hilkemann joined Voices of Hope Advocates, members of the Lincoln Community, and City Council Member Tom Beckius at Voices of Hope, where Beckius read an official proclamation recognizing Domestic Violence Awareness Month.

Join us in making a difference this Domestic Abuse Awareness Month — because preventing violence starts with education and awareness.

If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse contact Hope Crisis Center.

www.hopecrisiscenter.org

Text — 402–971–0855

24 Hour Confidential Hotline — 1–877–388-HOPE(4673)

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

I grew up in Pella, Iowa, where my passion for sports and coaching was born. My parents were actively involved in coaching my various sports teams, shaping my early understanding of the kind of coach I wanted to become. My connection to Doane University stems from my father’s relationship with the head track and field coach Ed Fye. They had known each other as competitors, which opened the door for me to join Doane’s track and cross-country teams.

I arrived at Doane University in August of 2018, eager to run track and cross country. During my time as a student-athlete, I earned the honor of being a two-time All-American in the 800 meters, and I had the privilege of being part of some incredible teams and relay squads. More than just athletic achievements, my time at Doane was defined by the incredible coaching staff who profoundly shaped who I am today.

As an athlete, I was coached by Ed Fye, Brad Jenny, and Dustin Lewellyn. These coaches not only refined my physical abilities but also helped mold the type of coach and person I strive to be. At Doane, it became clear that being part of the track and field team was more than just “playing track,” as Ed Fye would often say.

The lessons I learned went far beyond running mechanics, race strategies, and the pursuit of speed. These coaches instilled in me the values of empathy, selflessness, accountability, collaboration, and leadership. They did this through their dedication to building relationships with each athlete, always maintaining an open-door policy where we could talk about anything life threw our way. They constantly reminded us that we were more than just runners, emphasizing that our value was not defined by our athletic achievements. They didn’t just teach me how to be a better runner — they taught me how to be a better teammate, student, leader, and human being. Their coaching style was not transactional, where results were the only focus; it was transformational, impacting me in ways that extended far beyond the track.

One of the most memorable moments of my career came after my final race at outdoor nationals. Ed Fye approached me and offered me a coaching position as the men’s and women’s sprints coach. Without hesitation, I said yes. I knew it was a rare opportunity to join a coaching staff that I deeply admired and to work alongside people who had shaped me into a great athlete and person. They offered me full autonomy to implement my own training, while also creating an environment where I could grow and learn from them.

Now in my second year as a coach at Doane, I constantly reflect on the influence of Ed, Brad, and Dustin on my coaching style. Many of the principles I apply today were learned from them.

I strive to be athlete-centered in my approach, making sure that I’m there for my athletes through all aspects of their development. I understand the significant influence a coach has on their athletes, and it’s essential they trust me — not just as a coach, but as someone who cares about their well-being both on and off the track.

One of the key lessons I’ve learned from my coaches is the importance of explaining why I make certain decisions or implement specific training methods. Building trust and fostering buy-in starts with transparency. Just as my coaches believed in me and supported my growth, I want my athletes to know that I believe in them and am invested in their journeys.

The coaches at Doane University have had a profound impact on my life, shaping not only my time as an athlete but also inspiring the way I approach my role as a coach today. Their transformational style, their care for the whole person, and their emphasis on growth and independence are all things I hope to pass on to the athletes I now coach.

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

Hi, I’m Natalee Keodouangdy, I’m a second year at Doane University studying biochemistry with a minor in mathematics. I do cross country and track, and I’m a part of the honors program! I was raised in Lincoln, Nebraska, and went to Lincoln North Star High School. I started a club around the end of April known as the Asian and Pacific Islander Organization, or APIO. Along the way, I met a few amazing people who also shared the same passion for heritage as I do. My vice president, Ashlee Palimoo; my secretary, Zainab Al-Zubiadi; my advisor, Judy Kawamoto; and my second advisor, Blake Tobey. They are my mighty executive team that accomplished so many great things within two months of having a club.

For the first time at Doane, we celebrated AAPI month with goodie bags filled with ramen and authentic sweets from Japan, China, and the Middle East. The same month we hosted our second annual multicultural night, where Mia Guerrero performed a traditional dance from Guam, and my sister and I did a traditional Thai/Lao dance. During the event, we had authentic food from South Africa, Peru, Spain, Canada, Columbia, Brazil, and the UK, made by our school’s head chef, Fresh Ideas. It was a fun way for students to learn more about AAPI month and cultures that were brand new to them.

What drove me to create a multicultural club was to educate my peers through fun and by bringing together a community. We have around 20 students who self-identify as Asian or Pacific Islander. Doane isn’t a big cultural pool; there aren’t many people who look like me or share the same interests as me. I also commute back and forth from Lincoln so it’s harder to say that Doane is like a home to me. Lincoln is where all my friends are and where there is more diversity, so I felt like I was missing something. Don’t get me wrong, I love everyone I’ve met at Doane, and everyone is very friendly compared to other schools; that’s just the Doane culture. But I know other students felt a bit out of place as well sometimes. This was how I felt until I met so many great people who came to club meetings. During meetings, we shared our ideas for future events, created cultural posters, and this year we created bags with notes of good luck for finals week. We did this all while eating dishes our members made from our own cultures that were new to some and reminders of home for others.

Although Doane isn’t as diverse as UNL or UNO racially, I think we are very diverse in where we come from. Many students come from out of state, or small towns of Nebraska, so many students have very different understandings of cultural differences. I want to close that gap of misunderstanding through informal education while creating a safe place students can call home.

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

April Rewind

April was a month of significant achievements for The CAPE Project, highlighted by a successful Sexual Assault Awareness Month. We kicked off the month by unveiling our impactful “What Were You Wearing” display, aimed at educating the Doane Community about victim blaming and supporting survivors. On April 24th, Denim Day saw enthusiastic participation from both staff and students, underscoring our community’s commitment to creating a safe campus for all. Despite adverse weather forcing a venue change, the STEPS4THEM walk and run event witnessed a record turnout, with over 70 attendees. The event featured inspiring speeches from two survivors who courageously shared their stories, as well as the Hope Crisis Center Crew in attendance, adding to the event's success.

This month saw the first Coordinated, Community, Response Team (CCRT) meeting under new Director leadership. On April 8th, both internal and external partners met to reenergize members and reaffirm strategic goals. Plans were laid for regular meetings to sustain momentum and foster collaboration.

On April 24th and 25th, Jenne, an advocate from Voices of Hope in Lincoln visited Doane’s Lincoln campus, extending vital resources to our non-traditional graduate students. This initiative marks the beginning of ongoing efforts to provide tailored support to this student demographic. We are so thankful for VOH and their dedication to supporting our Lincoln students. We also want to thank the Director of the Lincoln Campus, Catherine Archie-Johnson, for her support with this initiative.

On April 29th, CAPE Peer Educators completed all spring training sessions with Doane Athletic teams, ensuring all athlete’s received comprehensive prevention education. Each athletic team is required to attend four training sessions, two per semester. Peer educators typically facilitate nearly 100 training sessions annually. Their invaluable contributions are some of the most important work of the project.

Exciting developments continued as the CAPE Director announced the hiring of the 2024/25 peer educator cohort, comprising nine returning members and ten new comers. Their training will commence in August, marking a transition as we bid farewell to the current senior class whose remarkable dedication have undoubtedly left a mark on the CAPE project.

Equity Compliance Officer

Doane is currently in the process of hiring an Equity Compliance Officer following the departure of Leah Cech. This position will ensure university compliance with the sexual harassment policy (Title IX) and the university’s non-discrimination policy (i.e. Titles VI and VII) and will provide support with other state and federal civil rights laws and regulations as applicable. Jaden Hilkemann (Project Director) and Luis Sotelo (VP of DEI) are both members of the hiring committee. The committee is actively searching for a trauma-informed candidate who will create a safe space for students, staff, and faculty to report any misconduct. The expected start date for this position is July 1st.

What’s Ahead?

May will continue to keep us busy with several events on the horizon.

This month, Doane students will receive an invitation to participate in a Campus Climate Survey developed by Psychology Professor Dr. Heather Reeson-Lambert and Jaden Hilkemann. The outcomes of this survey aid the University in reassessing current challenges related to interpersonal violence within our community. The objective is to gain insight into students’ perspectives on these issues. This data holds significant value for the CAPE project, enabling us to pinpoint the unique needs of our student body.

CAPE is looking forward to co-leading the first training session in over a year with the Crete Police Department on May 29th. With the help of Hope Crisis Center, the session will focus on dealing with trauma victims. We are very thankful to Police Chief, Gary Young for helping us schedule this training

As the semester comes to an end the approval and editing process of three new training sessions will continue. The project director is currently awaiting approval for sessions for Fraternity Groups, Sorority Groups, and the Performing Art Department. Content includes victim blaming prevention, male survivorship, power dynamics, and bystander intervention. CAPE plans to have these ready for rollout in the fall.

Current and Relevant Events

Harvey Weinstein’s Conviction Overturned: The New York Court of Appeals recently overturned Harvey Weinstein’s sex crimes conviction, emphasizing errors related to the admission of testimony from “prior bad acts” witnesses. These witnesses were deemed unnecessary for establishing Weinstein’s intent. The court ruled 4–3 in favor of a new trial.

Weinstein, who was sentenced to 23 years in prison in 2020 for first-degree criminal sexual act and third-degree rape, has consistently denied any nonconsensual sexual activity. Despite the overturning of his conviction, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office plans to retry the case, expressing commitment to supporting survivors of sexual assault.

The decision underscores challenges faced by the #MeToo movement in legal proceedings, as it demonstrates the complexities surrounding the presentation of evidence and the pursuit of justice in cases of sexual assault.

Settlement for Gymnastics Victims: The Justice Department has announced a $138.7 million settlement to resolve 139 claims stemming from sexual abuse committed by former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The settlements address allegations that the FBI inadequately investigated Nassar’s conduct, potentially concluding years of efforts by gymnasts, including Olympians Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney, to hold federal authorities accountable. Nassar, who abused hundreds of victims over nearly two decades, was sentenced to prison in 2018. A 2021 DOJ report criticized the FBI’s handling of the case, citing mishandling and policy violations. The settlement aims to provide support for Nassar’s victims as they continue to heal from his crimes.

University of Nebraska Alleged Abuse: A former women’s basketball player at Nebraska, Ahas, filed a lawsuit against the university and former coaches, alleging she was groomed for a sexual relationship by former assistant coach Chuck Love. The athlete claims she was subsequently removed from the team after her relationship with Love was revealed in a scheme orchestrated by teammates.

The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Nebraska, seeks compensatory and punitive damages for alleged civil rights violations and emotional distress. It names head coach Amy Williams, assistant coach Chuck Love, athletic director Trev Alberts, and the university’s board of regents as defendants. The suit alleges mishandling of the situation, including failure to take appropriate action after the incident at Penn State, where the athlete’s presence in Love’s hotel room was confirmed. She has also said Love pressured her into sexual acts and that she faced repercussions for refusing. She claims she was portrayed as a “seducer and a liar” by Coach Williams and teammates, leading to her dismissal from the team and subsequent hardships.

Updated TITLE IX Regulations

The U.S. Department of Education has released its Final Rule under Title IX, reinforcing protections against sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. The regulations aim to ensure equal access to education, free from harassment or violence, while promoting fairness and accountability. Key provisions include safeguards against sex-based harassment and discrimination, measures to address complaints effectively, and support for students, families, and schools. The rules also underscore the Department’s commitment to fundamental fairness and privacy rights. The regulations take effect on August 1, 2024, with ongoing efforts to support schools in compliance and implementation.

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

In the winter of 1984, my boyfriend of a year developed leukemia and passed away before he could get a bone marrow transplant to save his life. At that time, those procedures were still considered “experimental” and, therefore, not covered by insurance. Chemotherapy made him very ill and didn’t cure the leukemia ravaging his body. Side effects eventually killed him. This was the defining event that led me into medicine. “There has to be a better way, better medications, better treatment,” I thought.

Fast forward to undergrad…I couldn’t decide between medical research or nursing. Ultimately, it was the patient interaction as a CNA and a phlebotomist that led me to nursing. I graduated from UNMC and started my nursing career in Crete at the hospital. In a small-town hospital, you work in all areas of nursing, including medical, surgical, ER, OR, labor and delivery, and nursery care for all ages of patients. My favorite was labor and delivery. Feeling the rush of helping a mom bring a new life into the world was very rewarding.

I spent a few years at Bryan-LGH West and then another year at Advanced Medical Imaging. But I was longing for more…more education, more expertise, more SOMETHING. I decided to return to school to obtain a Master of Nursing. While I was in graduate school, I continued to work as a home health nurse. I wanted a wide variety of experiences before I became a nurse practitioner. My passion was women’s health, so that was the focus of my education. Graduating in 2008 was a challenge as no one was hiring women’s health nurse practitioners, or any nurse practitioner for that matter. I went back to Crete labor and delivery while I returned to school for a post-Masters in Family Practice. I could tell becoming a nurse practitioner wasn’t going to be easy. The medical community was still “on the fence” about nurse practitioners, as many physicians preferred PAs over APRNs. But I was up for the challenge.

I signed on with CVS MinuteClinic in Lincoln as an APRN. This was an urgent care setting that I really enjoyed. Like most medical environments, caring for the patients was my favorite part. I still wanted to use my women’s health background, so I signed on with Family Health Services, a local family planning clinic, as a side job to provide reproductive health care to women and men. This fulfilled my mission to provide quality healthcare to young adults so they can have a choice regarding when and if they want to start a family. I eventually became the Executive Director and APRN for that organization for several years.

When nurse Kelly decided to leave Doane University, it was an opportunity to reinvent Student Health Services. She understood that an APRN could be utilized so much more effectively to provide an expanded scope of services to the students. I was hired to fill this role and have drawn on all my past experiences as a nurse and APRN to provide Doane with quality, caring healthcare services.

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.

My nursing journey was one that I did not initially expect. When I graduated from high school, I thought that I wanted to be a journalist. I went to a community college to play basketball and started taking journalism classes along with humanities general education courses. After 2 years, and with less than 12 hours from getting my associate’s degree, I decided that I wanted to use my passion for caring for others, and I decided that I was going to become a pediatric oncology nurse. Since my previous major was journalism, I had not taken many science classes. I started my year-and-a-half journey to get all my required prerequisite classes completed prior to starting nursing school.

Nursing school with a young child was not always easy. Clinicals started at 0600 and were at a variety of different locations, and then I would have two days per week with 4–6 hours of classes during those two days. Generally, I would also work 16–20 hours at the hospital after being in clinicals or classes. I felt like I was eternally at the hospital and wasn’t able to spend as much time at home as I wanted. I am beyond grateful for the support of my husband and our families so that I could successfully complete my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing in May 2009 from Bryan College of Health Sciences.

Before I graduated from nursing school, I knew that I wanted to be an educator and, specifically, a nursing faculty member. I started my Masters of Science in Nursing Education program shortly after my graduation at the College of Saint Mary’s in Omaha. I had taken two semesters of classes, and then one of my previous professors reached out to me to let me know that Bryan College of Health Sciences was going to start its own Masters of Science in Nursing Education. I was able to continue working the night shift at a hospital in Lincoln, taking hybrid classes. I graduated with the first class from Bryan College of Health Sciences in December 2013.

While I was in the process of finishing my last semester of my MSN, I was looking for a job to bridge the gap between my floor nursing job and finding a job as a nursing faculty. I found a job opening in college health, and I have been a college health nurse for the past 10 years. When I got into my college health role, I knew that was where I was meant to be, and I’m so grateful that I have been able to use my clinical skills along with my education skills while working to keep students healthy and help them achieve their academic goals!

The blog posts in Forward. Together. are intended to foster an inclusive community of empathy and curiosity at Doane University by providing a glimpse into various individual identities and worldviews. These are community members’ unique stories and should not be presumed to be the experience of all who share the same identity.