Not many people would admit to having a grandfather who was a German soldier in Adolf Hitler's army and cousins who fought with the Hitler Youth.
But Monica Oberkofler '96 is not exactly what you would call a timid person. Like so many other things she does, Oberkofler openly discusses her family's Nazi history and uses it as a springboard for her own growth and learning.
The lessons Oberkofler gleans from her unique background and experiences resurface in almost every aspect of her daily life, which is quite busy.
Oberkofler could be a called a prototypical student leader. She stays busy not only with her job as intern to College President James Freedman, but also as an editor of the Aegis, as well as a member of the Collis Governing Board, the Council on Student Organizations, Palaeopitus and Green Key Society.
"My typical day starts at 8:00 with a run," she said. "After attending classes, I run to various meetings, work in the President's office or try to complete my scholarship and graduate school applications."
Dani Brune '96, Oberkofler's sorority sister and friend, said even though Oberkofler is deeply involved with many activities on campus, she is tends to keep quiet about the breadth of her involvement.
"I think one of the best things about Monica is that she does a lot of work and is very involved, but she is not vocal about it," Brune said. "She is very modest."
Despite her varied involvement in campus activities, Oberkofler, a history major and German minor, said her priority is academics. "I think my strong academic background helped get me the internship," she said.
Oberkofler is currently in the process of applying to graduate schools and for graduate study scholarships. She said she hopes to study history at Oxford and to eventually publish a book on her family background.
After completing graduate school in history, Oberkofler would like to work in government, she said.
A unique family history
Oberkofler's family history has had a profound impact upon her intellectual pursuits and travels.
She even chose to write about her family history in the personal essay section of her graduate scholarship applications.
"My grandfather was not only an amicable shoemaker, but also a German Wehrmacht soldier," she wrote. "With my Austrian roots I inherited the legacy of Mitlaufer, people who embraced Hitler."
Oberkofler said comprehending her family history has been a difficult challenge to confront. It is something with which she still struggles today.
Oberkofler first confronted her family's history when she was 12 years old and picked up a copy of Anne Frank's diary. She said the experience deeply affected her.
"Absorbing the thirteen-year-old's thoughts and feelings, I developed not only an instinctive connection with her as my peer, but felt for the first time in my life, the depth of my family's history," she wrote in the essay.
"I could not understand how my grandparents stood on one side of history, and my conscience on another," she wrote.
Before she matriculated at Dartmouth, Oberkofler traveled to Germany three times in an attempt to more completely understand her family's past.
"My trips to Germany were fascinating and exhilarating," she said. "I was in Berlin right after the Wall came down and have witnessed the city change tremendously."
Oberkofler continued to pursue her quest for comprehending her past upon arriving at the College.
She has studied German history and language and participated in a foreign study program in Berlin and a language study abroad program in Mainz. As a Presidential Scholar, Oberkofler focused on her unique family background.
Working for Freedman
"I think my background helps me better relate to different people," she said. "I decided to intern for President Freedman to seek ways to increase contact between the student body and the administration."
Oberkofler said after exploring many options, she decided to pursue an internship with the President's office because "last year's intern [Hosea Harvey '95] was very enthusiastic about his experience."
Jim Brennan '96, a friend of Oberkofler's for several years, said Oberkofler is "the perfect person" to intern in President Freedman's office because she is so level-headed and responsible.
"No one is more trustworthy and dependable than she is," Brennan said.
Oberkofler dedicates 10 hours a week to work in Freedman's office, where she proof-reads his book, helps schedule meetings between the President and students and works with the Board of Trustees. She also reads and summarizes newspapers from other Ivy League colleges for Freedman.
Through her internship, Oberkofler hopes to gain a better understanding of how Dartmouth works. "I hope to better understand the responsibilities of the administration and of the students to the administration," she said.
Oberkofler also hopes to increase discussion and communication between Freedman and the students. "I think that Freedman is an incredible person and an incredible resource," she said.
Outside of work
With all that she does on campus, it is hard to imagine that Oberkofler has any spare time in which she can relax. But Oberkofler still manages to find time to relax with her friends and be active in her sorority.
Oberkofler, a member of Delta Delta Delta sorority, said her house has been an important social outlet for her. "I wanted a place to belong to at the College," she said. "I live in Texas and cannot go home often."
"The Greek system is not for everyone, but it was for me," she said. "I haven't been the most active person, but I've gotten out of it what I wanted."
Oberkofler said few people at Dartmouth know she harbors a deep love for music and has played the piano since age five and the flute since age ten.
"Music was a focus of my life in high school," she said. "I was on a pre-professional track."
A member of San Antonio's all-state orchestra in high school, Oberkofler said she chose to put her interest in music on hold when she came to Dartmouth.
"I decided to see if there was anything else I could do well," she said. "I wanted to explore other possibilities."
In her free time, Oberkofler said she enjoys going for walks around Occum Pond and the golf course with friends. "I also enjoy going for coffee at night with my friends and going to West Lebanon and seeing movies," she said.
