UNL staff member creates Herbie Husker sculpture to support veterans

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – A University of Nebraska-Lincoln staff member is bringing together two of her passions: Huskers football and veterans.

Ashley Dohe, an administrative coordinator at the College of Engineering and an Air Force veteran, learned how to paper mâché while creating her son’s Halloween costume last year.

She’s continued making paper mâché projects and is currently working on a replica of Herbie Husker.

Dohe started the process in August and would often come into work at 5:30 a.m. to work on the sculpture in an office kitchen.

“I was starting to have reasons why I was continuing the paper mâché projects in the kitchen at work, so I had pitched to my boss if he would let me do a life-size Herbie,” Dohe said.

Dohe pursued the project because of how passionate Husker fans are about Nebraska football and those who served in the military.

“On gamedays, all of Nebraska turns to red,” she said.  “There are people that are passionate about it, every game day they do shoutouts to veterans, the whole crowd stands and praises the accomplishments of that veteran.”

The sculpture is up for auction on eBay, and proceeds will benefit Tunnel to Towers, an organization that is close to Dohe’s heart.

“It’s made me process some unsolved feelings that I had about my time in the service, and I hope that it gives hope to other veterans that are stuck in what they want to do now,” she said.