Sangeeta Budhiraja, a senior women's studies major at Hamilton College, was recently awarded a Thomas J. Watson Fellowship for the 1996-97 year. Each year the Watson Foundation carefully selects and funds approx-imately 60 students nationally, from liberal arts institutions, to embark on a year of self-directed, independent study and travel.

As a Watson Fellow, Budhiraja will be traveling to India, South Africa, Great Britain, Trinidad and Tobago. Her project, "Feminism in the Indian Diaspora," will include educating various women's organizations on literacy, rape crisis, sterilization and birth control.

The Watson Fellowship was established in 1968 by the children of Thomas J. Watson Sr., the founder of IBM, and his wife, Jeannette K. Watson, in honor of their parents' long-standing interest in education and world affairs. The program provides graduates of small liberal arts colleges an opportunity to spend a year overseas to independently explore a topic of their choice. This year's Watson Fellows will be traveling to nearly 80 countries.

Winners were selected based upon their character, leadership and the willingness to immerse themselves in new and different cultures. Watson Fellows are known for developing creative, imaginative projects evolving from deep personal interests. Topics range from various concentrations, including business, science, humanities, social-science, music and the arts.