On Saturday, April 25, Hastings College held a special ceremony to unveil a Willa Cather statuette, a scale replica of the bronze statue representing Nebraska in the National Statuary Hall Collection in the U.S. Capitol.
Rev. Jimmy Shelbourn, a 1976 Hastings College alumnus, and his spouse Carol, gifted the 18-inch bronze to the College to ensure that Cather’s legacy and the artistry of the sculptor remain accessible to the Hastings community and future generations of students. The Shelbourns are longtime supporters of Hastings College and Jimmy has spent his career in ministry and service, maintaining a lifelong passion for the literature and history of his home state.
The original monumental statue, which debuted in Washington, D.C., in 2023, was created by Littleton Alston. Alston is a professor of sculpture at Creighton University. Alston attended the event and shared his perspective on the piece.
The piece captures the Pulitzer Prize-winning author in her prime, striding across the Nebraska prairie with a walking stick in one hand and a pen and sheaf of papers in the other. Every detail — from the western meadowlark emerging from the goldenrod at her feet to the snake ring on her finger — tells the story of Cather’s connection to the landscape and her creative genius that fueled classics like “My Ántonia” and “O Pioneers!”
Jimmy Shelbourn talked on the legacy of literature and those who influenced during his time at Hastings College, and Dr. Steve Shively, a Cather teacher and scholar who served for more than 20 years on the Willa Cather Foundation board, shared the Cather connection to Hastings.
Opening remarks were provided by Ashley Olson, executive director of the National Willa Cather Center in Red Cloud, and Dr. Rich Lloyd, president of Hastings College.
“Willa Cather’s work evokes a sense of place and resilience that is central to the identity of Nebraska,” Lloyd said. “We are grateful to Jimmy and Carol for this gift, which serves as a beautiful intersection of art, history and the enduring spirit of the Great Plains.”
Hastings College is a four-year residential college that focuses on student academic and extracurricular achievement. Founded in 1882, the College is dedicated to student success and service to the community. Discover more at hastings.edu.