Distinguished Service Award winners support the next generation of scientists

To Eileen and Norbert Hartmann, opportunity is everything. Growing up in low-income communities that emphasized traditional career paths meant access to science was a rarity. After finding those opportunities with the support of their families and their own perseverance, they’ve dedicated themselves to making more for others.

“Education was very important for me and for my family,” Eileen Hartmann said. “My parents sacrificed greatly to send my sister and me to college. I want to see that other people, younger generations, can pursue a college career and have that opportunity to do so.”

From scholarships to endowments, their generosity is honored with the 2025 Distinguished Service Award from the College of Science. Their belief in the power of education has guided every stage of their careers and philanthropy — and Oregon State University has been a constant thread through it all.

From the classroom to lifelong partnership

Eileen Hartmann grew up on a farm in southern Idaho, where she spent her youth immersed in 4-H. The largest youth development program in the country, 4-H gets kids involved in science, agriculture and more across the U.S. This was especially critical for her in a time when such fields weren’t typically accessible for women.

“It was really one of the few activities for girls,” she recalled. “This was before Title IX — no sports, no real extracurriculars. 4-H was about all there was, and it taught me responsibility and leadership from a young age.”

The independence she gained from the program stuck through college. When deciding on a major at the University of Idaho, mathematics stood out as something girls “just didn’t do.” As an act of rebellion, she not only dedicated herself to earning a mathematics degree, but excelled despite opposition in her male-dominated class.

After earning her bachelor’s in 1972, she came to OSU to pursue a master’s in statistics in the College of Science. It was there that she met her husband, Norbert Hartmann, in the Department of Statistics. He also came from a low-income community in Texas and valued his education, knowing it hadn’t come easily. Their shared commitment to education and service became the foundation of their partnership.

A man and a woman stand beside each other outside of Reser Stadium.

Eileen and Norbert Hartmann met at OSU and have committed to a life of service ever since.

When Eileen Hartmann completed her degree, she decided to stay at OSU and earn an impressive second bachelor’s in accounting. She then began a successful 40-year career as a certified public accountant, running her own firm until she retired in 2014.

“I really enjoyed my time at Oregon State,” she said. “My classes inspired a love of science that’s stayed with me all my life. I’ve always felt my time there had a positive impact.”

Like her, Norbert Hartmann built a long and successful career in many roles. After completing his Ph.D. in statistics at Texas A&M University, he began his career as a professor at OSU in the Department of Statistics. He later became a research statistician with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. He finished his career as a product engineering manager at Hewlett Packard in Corvallis before retiring in 2005.

Now, Norbert and Eileen live on their small farm near Monmouth, Oregon, where they have embraced the country life, volunteering locally and serving on boards tied to education and community service.

Eileen served six years on science advisory boards at both Oregon State University and the University of Idaho, while Norbert became a board member and later president of the Oregon 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees. Their connection to both the College of Science and the 4-H program — run by OSU’s Extension Service — reflects the institutions that shaped them.

“We’ve always supported 4-H because it’s a wonderful program,” Eileen said. “I think the kids who go through it come out much better people and have much more responsibility and ability to deal with life.”

Building a lasting legacy

After decades of careful saving and hard work, the Hartmanns reached a turning point. “As my husband and I got older, we realized we probably had more money than we needed to live out our lives,” Eileen Hartmann said. “We had been fairly frugal over the years, and we looked at each other and thought, ‘We’ve accumulated quite a bit. Let’s do something good with it.’”

In one of their most transformative acts of generosity, they donated nearly all of their 300-acre farm to the Oregon State University Foundation. The Foundation later sold the land, as the couple had requested, using the proceeds to create several endowed funds: scholarships for OSU Baseball and Women’s Basketball, and the Hartmann Faculty Scholar.

A man and woman stand on either said of a handrail on the steps of Gil Coliseum.

Eileen and Norbert Hartmann's philanthropy extends to the College of Science and beyond, including scholarships for OSU Women's Basketball.

The faculty scholar endowment funds recipients within the College of Science for five years. Department Head of Mathematics Jonathan Kujawa is the current holder, using the funding to enrich academics and leadership within the department.

The Hartmanns’ philanthropy at Oregon State also ties into their passion for broadening opportunities for women in higher education and athletics. Never having the chance to play sports herself, Eileen and Norbert have been dedicated supporters of OSU women’s basketball, holding season tickets for years.

“I'm just so amazed at these women, what they've accomplished and what they're able to do. And the fact that they can get a scholarship to go to college and play sports is just amazing,” she said.

No matter what form their giving takes, it works to ensure that education and the university experience remains accessible.

Ensuring the future of science

A large driver behind the Hartmanns’ generosity to Oregon State is to preserve the university’s quality education and resources for generations to come.

“I'm just wanting to see the College of Science continue to succeed,” Eileen Hartmann said. “I want Oregon State to continue to be competitive in the university environment and be able to attract not only good faculty, but good students.”

Today, the Hartmanns’ philanthropic plans include long-term support not just for Oregon State but also the University of Idaho and Texas A&M University, where they received their bachelor’s degrees.

“We’re dividing our assets in our wills amongst our universities,” she said. “I am just grateful knowing that the money we can leave, particularly for the scholarships, can have such an impact on students and help them to get through college.”

To learn how your donation can support the next generation of scientists, click here.

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