David and Sandra Hartman

Dr. David R. and Sandra A. Hartman spent their youth in Northwestern Illinois. While there, Sandra earned a diploma in nursing at Freeport Memorial Nursing School. David completed a Bachelor of Science in general science at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois. After graduation in 1962, they moved to Blacksburg, Virginia. David earned a Master of Science and Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Nutrition at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.

The couple came to Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1966, where David was hired as an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at WKU. He remained in the Department for 42 years and served as the pre-pharmacy advisor for 35 years. He moved through the ranks to become professor and served as department head for two years before his retirement in 2003.

For decades the Hartman family has placed a high value on education. David’s father, Reverend Robert W. Hartman, frequently encouraged him by reminding him to “save money for college,” and “get an education, they can’t take that away from you.” In that spirit, David and Sandra established the David and Sandra Hartman Scholarship Fund in 2020. The fund assists deserving WKU students who are pursuing a degree in science. Through this fund, the Hartmans’ legacy lives on in perpetuity.