Growing up in Montana, Isaac Nehring spent much of his time camping, skiing, and hiking. These outdoor activities shaped him profoundly, deepening his connections with his family, friends, and spirituality. It wasn’t until the summer before his sophomore year while working at the Prickly Pear Land Trust that he came to fully appreciate how critical conservation and land management are to being able to enjoy outdoor spaces.

“Their focus area is my figurative backyard, the public lands I grew up in,” Nehring said of the nonprofit that works to preserve land around Helena, Montana. “That’s shaped a lot of different thoughts for my future.”

The Stanford junior majoring in American studies is a recipient of the 2025 Truman Scholarship, in recognition of his efforts to uplift rural development issues and advocate for local conservation. The scholarship, which is awarded by the Harry S. Truman Foundation, provides up to $30,000 for recipients to attend graduate school in a field of their choosing in pursuit of a career in public service.

At Stanford, Nehring has stayed connected to his Montana roots through the Stanford Rural Engagement Network, whose purpose is to provide community for students from rural parts of the U.S. and create opportunities for urban and rural students to connect.

Nehring discovered the network as a resident of the Otero Public Service Theme House, where he organized the first Rural Panel, inviting leaders on various rural development issues to discuss their perspectives. Through the event, he connected with network members and got involved with their programming. For the past two years, he has served as the network’s co-president.

“Since first joining the leadership at the end of my freshman year, we’ve expanded the community aspect for rural and non-rural students greatly,” Nehring said. “We’re trying to reach more people in general and are looking at ways to get the broader Stanford community involved. We give them a taste of some of the social and cultural pieces of what rural life in America is like.”

Nehring also advocates for the interests of his community through policy and civic engagement. In the winter of his sophomore year, he participated in the Stanford in Washington program, which places students in an internship at the nation’s capital and offers opportunities to engage in politics. While there, he worked for Sen. Jon Tester of Montana and that summer helped with Tester’s reelection campaign.

Elected to Stanford’s Undergraduate Senate during his sophomore year, Nehring advocated for improving daily life for Stanford students in big and small ways, from pushing for free airport shuttles through Students for a Sustainable Stanford to clearing abandoned bikes from racks across campus to make them more available for commuters.

After he graduates, Nehring wants to continue advocating for rural development issues through graduate work in environmental management and regional planning. His long-term plan is to move back to Montana, where he hopes to build a career in public service or land conservation. His overarching goal is to support the community he grew up in as well as other rural spaces in the United States.

Asked what he is most excited about for his time as a Truman Scholar, Nehring expressed gratitude for his nominators and the people who have supported him, including Tester, Montana State Sen. Cora Neumann, and history Professor Emeritus David Kennedy. He said he is looking forward to expanding his connections and sharing ideas with the cohort of other Truman Scholars.

“We’re awarded as scholars for a similar reason of being really passionate about public service and dedicated to a specific cause with a lot of fire. Getting to also bring my own story and interest to this community is pretty exciting.”