On March 16, Monica Mukerjee was called to the Board of Trustees office. What she expected was a follow-up interview after her nomination as a Truman Scholar.

After she said, "I never thought I would make it this far," MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon walked in, along with faculty members who Mukerjee knew.

It was then that she realized she had won the $30,000 scholarship.

The Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation honors college students who demonstrate leadership skills and are committed to careers in public service.

Mukerjee is one of 75 students in the United States to be named a Truman Scholar, and the 15th in MSU history.

"She's intellectually curious," said Michael Schechter, dean of James Madison College. "And like a Truman Scholar is supposed to be, she's committed to public service."

Schechter has taught Mukerjee in several classes, including an independent study on the prosecution of women in conflict situations.

Mukerjee, an international relations and psychology senior, said gender studies is a field she "sort of fell into."

"I'm really hoping that there will be a growing field, especially as more research is being done on the issue," she said. "There aren't a lot of jobs in the field, so I'm trying to pave the way."

Honors College Dean Ron Fisher worked with Mukerjee since last fall and throughout the application process.

"When students win one of these major national awards, it's appropriate recognition for the students and the work they've done," Fisher said, adding that the award also recognizes faculty.

Mukerjee's studies in international relations and psychology may appear to be disparate, she said, but they often turn out to be complementary.

Psychology works with small-scale observations, while international relations covers a range of topics.

"By having them together, I realized I saw things that nobody else did," she said.

Instead of looking at a single abuse case, Mukerjee likes to step back and see how abuse systematically fits into society.

In addition to her academic work, Mukerjee volunteers as a counselor for the Listening Ear Crisis Intervention Center. She also volunteers for Sparrow Hospital's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program and has worked on several Alternative Spring Break programs.

After she graduates in May 2008, Mukerjee plans to join the Peace Corps in Africa.

With the Truman Scholarship, she plans to go to graduate school and become a researcher for a nonprofit organization or the government to help spread knowledge about gender and conflict issues.

"I want to bring awareness to issues people would otherwise not know about," she said.

Mukerjee's mother, Indrani Mukerjee, said her daughter's interests are inspired by the family's Indian background.

"She wants to do so much for women and disadvantaged kids and people who need opportunity," her mother said. "Coming from India, we understand that very well, and it's nice to know she's interested in that."

Mukerjee's mother immigrated to the United States in 1979, and her father came in 1976. The family resides in Canton.

"She always did care to be part of other things, and I'm very happy she has chosen this field," her mother said.