When Karen (Gilmore) ’75 and Roger Doerr committed $600,000 over five years to establish the Doerr Center for Civic Engagement at Hastings College, they weren’t simply writing a check. They were planting a seed that they believe will grow into a permanent part of the College’s culture and prepare students to become engaged citizens in communities near and far.
The gift is part of a broader pattern for the couple, who in recent years have stepped up their philanthropy across Hastings, from investments in the Hastings Community Foundation’s new workspace, to support for the Hastings Symphony Orchestra and other civic initiatives. But for both Karen and Roger, Hastings College remains a touchstone.
Karen’s interest in civic engagement started as a student. She served as a page in the Nebraska Unicameral, later worked in government and even ran for Adams County Commissioner.
“Those experiences taught me that democracy only works if people step up,” she said. “Students need to learn, listen and speak with a critical mind and an open heart. That’s what I hope this Center will encourage.”
The Doerrs were inspired by conversations with Hastings College leaders about the role civic engagement plays in the College’s mission. For Karen, the idea resonated immediately.
“Roger and I have always believed that giving back isn’t optional; it’s a responsibility. We wanted to create something that would help students connect their education with their communities for the rest of their lives,” she said.
For Dr. Wayne Riggs, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Academic Dean, the Doerr Center is a natural extension of Hastings College’s identity.
This story originally appeared in the 2025 HC Today.
“Our mission is to send forth creative, curious, caring students who thrive as citizens and leaders of their local and global communities,” he said. “The Center for Civic Engagement makes that mission tangible.”
Riggs said he envisions a dual focus. Internally, the Center will support students’ growth as leaders through service learning, academic connections and community problem-solving. Externally, it will position Hastings College as a regional hub for civic dialogue, hosting speakers and public programs that draw people from across central Nebraska.
“In five to 10 years, success will mean civic engagement is ingrained in who we are,” Riggs said. “That Hastings College is the place where business, political and community leaders gather to wrestle with big issues, and where our students learn by engaging alongside them.”
For student Carrie Brosman, a history and political science double major from Aurora, Nebraska, the Doerr Center represents opportunity. A fourth-year student active in Model United Nations and a recent study-abroad participant in Argentina, Brosman is already immersed in civic and global conversations.
“It’s exciting because so many high schools don’t emphasize civic education. The Center gives us a way to change that,” she said.
Brosman hopes the Center will help students across all majors connect their passions with community life.
“If you’re in business, science or the arts, there are countless ways to engage civically, through nonprofits, local government and religious organizations,” she said. “You don’t have to change the world. You just need to put yourself out there. Small changes all add up.”
Her experience working with a local poverty reduction program illustrates the point.
“My job was to sit with kids, color, sing, eat graham crackers, so their parents could attend meetings they otherwise couldn’t,” she said. “It was simple, but it made a real difference. That’s what civic engagement looks like.”
Roger Doerr’s dedication to Hastings College has spanned more than four decades, including serving as professor, head coach of the men’s golf team and seven years as president of the Hastings College Foundation.
In reflecting on the Center, he emphasizes that while the couple provided the initial funding, the future direction belongs to the College.
“Karen and I are giving the money. We have the vision. That’s where it stops,” he said. “We don’t want to interfere in what the College does with our funding. This is the College’s opportunity to move it ahead as they see best.”
Karen adds that the Center is not just about Hastings College students, but about building a culture of responsibility.
“Civic engagement isn’t about politics alone, it’s about caring for your neighbors, contributing to your community and realizing that your time and talents matter,” she said.
The Doerrs’ hope is that the Center will be lasting, with an endowment ensuring permanence and with civic engagement integrated into the academic and co-curricular life of every student.
For Karen and Roger, the Center is both a capstone to their decades of civic involvement and a gift to future generations of students. For Hastings College, it is a way to live more fully into its mission at a time when higher education faces profound challenges. And for students like Brosman, it is an invitation to step into leadership with confidence.
“I want students to leave Hastings believing they can make a difference, whether in a small town, a large city or anywhere in the world. That’s the heart of this Center,” Karen said.
By Lottie (Fryer) Nilsen ‘95