Founded in 1999 by the Nebraska Alumni Association, Cather Circle goes beyond traditional mentoring programs, promoting the growth and education of women and creating a nationwide network of women leaders with ties to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln.

The Members
Alumna members are selected for their accomplishments in their careers and civic activities and for their desire to mentor University of Nebraska–Lincoln woman students. All are highly successful women with a myriad of backgrounds and professions.

Student members are chosen for their interest in personal and professional growth and in developing their leadership abilities.

Since its inception in 1999, more than 250 alumnae and 350 students have participated in Cather Circle.

The Program
Meetings are held each fall and spring on the UNL campus where attendees benefit from mentoring, professional development, and personal growth. Alumnae are provided the opportunity to reconnect with UNL and share their wisdom as mentors and role models. Students are matched with mentors to assist them in their development and link them to jobs and internships across the nation.

A committee of Cather Circle students and alumnae selects and plans the program for the meetings. Through varied formats the programming addresses the diverse interests of the student and alumna members and supports the mentoring and development of UNL woman students.

The Nebraska Alumni Association recognizes Willa Cather as an inspiration and a role model for women today.

The Namesake
The Cather Circle is named after the legendary author Willa Cather (1873 – 1947), an alumna of the University of Nebraska. Cather was born in Virginia, but moved to Red Cloud, Neb., at a young age. During her childhood, she pursued unconventional interests for women at the time as she had a deep love for the sciences and aspirations of becoming a doctor.

As a student at Nebraska, Cather was editor of the school magazine and wrote numerous articles for local papers. She went on to write numerous books and short stories, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel One of Ours. Her thematic writing focused on strong women, provincial life and the fading of the pioneer tradition. Cather used Nebraska as the setting in a number of her classic novels, including My Antonia, O Pioneers! and A Lost Lady. Cather challenged the typical role of women of her time by the way she lived her life and through her writings, positively influencing the way many people would come to view women.