By Skylar Rispens, UM News Service
MISSOULA – From dorm roommates to earning one of the most prestigious scholarships in the country, University of Montana juniors Vivianne Ostheimer and Cadence Hatten have spent their college years growing not only as student leaders, but as friends.
Hatten and Ostheimer are the latest students from UM to be named Harry S. Truman Scholars, a competitive national grant award recognizing students with exceptional leadership potential, academic excellence and a commitment to careers in public service. The Truman Scholarship provides $30,000 for graduate study, along with leadership training and internship opportunities in public service. This year, 55 college students were selected for the Truman award from a pool of 781 candidates nominated by 305 universities.
Together, they are the 17th and 18th recipients from UM to receive the award. But for Ostheimer and Hatten, the recognition represents something more personal: a milestone in a journey they began together.
“Cadence was the first person I met at UM and we started this journey together, and now we’re going to continue our journey after college together,” said Ostheimer. “It’s just really special to know that someone’s in it with you for the long haul.”
Over time, that connection evolved into a steady source of support as both students pursued ambitious academic and extracurricular paths.
“You watch someone go through all of these highs and lows, and it’s really nice to know you’re not alone in those moments,” said Hatten.
Both students credit the Davidson Honors College as a cornerstone of their experiences.
“The DHC has been central to both of our college experiences,” said Ostheimer. “It has our favorite professors, it’s where we’ve met a lot of our friends and it’s the reason we applied for the Truman.”
Though their academic interests differ, Ostheimer and Hatten are united by a shared commitment to serving communities.
Ostheimer, a junior majoring in environmental science and journalism from Buffalo, Wyoming, plans to pursue master’s degrees in public policy and energy resources. Her long-term goal is to help communities transition to more sustainable energy systems.
“There’s so many things you can do with climate change, but my dream is to work for a municipality and help them with their energy transition and then maybe scale that up and later in my career work for an organization like the Rocky Mountain Institute or some larger governmental or non-governmental organization that helps localities take steps to decrease carbon emissions by transitioning our energy systems,” Ostheimer said.
Her interest in climate work has been shaped in part by her studies in UM’s climate change studies minor.
“I’ve always known that I want to help people and I care a lot about the environment, but being a part of that minor has shown me that you can tackle the problem of climate change from any realm, because it intersects with every other problem there is,” Ostheimer said. “It’s shown me that what I want to do is more locally focused.”
That local focus is evident in her work on campus. As a member of UM’s Kless Sustainability Fund committee and a 2024 fall grant awardee, Ostheimer led a composting initiative that distributed 150 countertop composting bins to residents in UM’s off-campus student housing.
“It showed me that people really are open to trying new things and want to do the right thing, you just have to take the barriers away and make it more accessible,” Ostheimer said.
After initial funding for the pilot project ran out, she compiled both quantitative and qualitative data and presented the results to university housing officials, successfully advocating for continued financial support for the project through UM Housing.
Her global experiences have also shaped her perspective. She studied climate change in Vietnam’s Mekong River delta in late 2025, spent a summer in Spain in 2024 and will travel to Nepal this May with the School of Journalism to report on water and wildlife conservation.
Still, her roots remain central to her vision.
“Growing up in a small town in Wyoming, the sense of community is so strong, and even if you don’t agree with each other on everything, there’s forced proximity and you have to learn to get through challenges together,” Ostheimer said. “It really made me value working together and it showed me the role of community.”
Hatten, a junior majoring in communicative sciences and disorders from Helena, is equally driven by a desire to serve. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in speech language pathology and hopes to improve access to care, particularly in rural communities.
“I will go to graduate school in order to become a speech language pathologist,” Hatten said. “There’s so many sectors that you can go into, which is really encouraging. I would love to come back to Montana and help the community that supported me, and also do my part to improve access to this type of care in rural places.”
Her passion for the field has been shaped by both personal experience and her work on campus.
“My work with the neurodiverse community was sparked because of what is happening here at UM,” said Hatten. “We’re among the top of the nation’s colleges that support people with Autism. It’s cool to be a part of.”
Hatten serves as president of the Neurodiversity Student Union and Allies, a committee chair for the National Speech Language and Hearing Association and executive functioning coordinator for Mentoring, Organizing, and Social Support for Autism/All Inclusion on Campus, (MOSSAIC). She will travel to Dublin, Ireland this summer for an equine therapy internship.
Her commitment to service is also deeply personal.
“I saw disparities growing up, which now looking back on, really inspired me to do the work, or eventually, do the work that I want to do,” said Hatten. “The community aspect is huge for me too. I had my family and friends who were there to support me, and I think that support has encouraged me to do what I want to do. I feel like I can give back what they’ve given me.”
Together, the two have shared not only academic pursuits but also creative outlets. Both participated in the Roots Ensemble and continue to play music together at open mic nights at the honors college.
Their partnership extended to the Truman application process itself. They submitted their applications side by side from the Mansfield Library, offering each other encouragement through the rigorous and often stressful experience.
As Truman Scholars, Ostheimer and Hatten will head to Washington, D.C. in summer 2027 for work experience aligned with their career goals – Ostheimer with the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy and Hatten with the Potomac River Clinic, a multidisciplinary nonprofit integrating audiology, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology.
“Cadence is a compassionate leader whose work on the UM campus, and future work as a speech language pathologist, supports the needs of an often-overlooked population,” said Kylla Benes, director of UM’s Office of External Scholarships and Fellowships. “Her emphasis and success in providing supports so that all individuals in our community have the opportunity to thrive exemplifies her commitment to public service and fully aligns with the Truman Foundation's mission.”
Benes also praised Ostheimer’s leadership and impact.
“Vivi's achievements and engagement on our campus and in Missoula clearly show her ability to effectively lead in ways that empower individuals to more easily live sustainable lives,” Benes said. “Her commitment to thoughtful, collaborative leadership and public service is likely what stood out to the Truman selection committee.”
Tim Nichols, dean of the Davidson Honors College, emphasized the broader significance of their accomplishments.
“Cadence and Vivi are extraordinary young women,” Nichols said. “Along with being top-performing, deeply engaged students, they are bright, highly motivated, hard-working, big-hearted servant leaders.
“Each of them has committed themselves to improving their communities, Vivi through her transformational work to improve composting on campus, and Cadence through her passionate advocacy alongside individuals who experience neurodivergence,” Nichols added. “Students like Vivi and Cadence give me – and all of us – hope for a brighter, more just, and sustainable world.”
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Contact: Dave Kuntz, UM director of strategic communications, 406-243-5659, dave.kuntz@umontana.edu.