“It’s hard to beat spring at Loomis when all the trees finally turn green, and that first nice day on campus where you can comfortably sit outside and it’s not too hot.”

We recently caught up with Sophie Posamentier as her senior year winds down. But she herself is not winding down. When asked what she might be most proud of in her time at Loomis Chaffee, she says, “Being very present in my activities. I take a lot of pride in truly showing up, especially in senior spring. I value being fully engaged in my communities and going to everything instead of senior sliding. My philosophy is I will never start sliding on something that affects more than just me.”

Year: Senior

Hometown: Piedmont, Calif.

Clubs/activities highlights: Acapelicans, Jazz Ensemble, Chamber Singers, Concert Choir, tour guide, ski team, Student Activities, Jewish Student Union, Pancake Society. Recipient of the William C. Card Junior Music Award. Sophie has been a leader of the Acapelicans for two years. “We draw from all over campus for the group, so it has been so cool to meet so many people, make music together, and it is music of our choosing.” She says she has enjoyed her time in the Jewish Student Union with “such a casual community of people.”

On jazz singing, her favorite style: She didn’t sing jazz until the summer before her sophomore year and had not previously done much singing. She had concentrated on playing the saxophone. As Sophie says of jazz, the music is written to be a guideline, not a rule.

College: Sophie will attend the University of Chicago, concentrating on economics and music.

Favorite meal in dining hall: If there are cheese blintzes on the weekend, “that’s the highlight of my brunch.”

A course or assignment that sticks out: “My Comparative Religion course this fall [taught by John Morrell). We went outside a lot, and it was just a lot of fun. We went to the confluence, the Meadows, maybe just walked to a random spot on campus.”

Favorite place on campus: “I spent a ton of time in Hubbard, but my favorite place has to be the Meadows, the walking trails on the outer edge.”

Favorite time of year: “It’s hard to beat spring at Loomis when all the trees finally turn green, and that first nice day on campus where you can comfortably sit outside and it’s not too hot.”

What would people be surprised to find out about you? “I used to mountain bike competitively. And the fact that I do other things than what they see me for. Mostly people know me for my music, so anything beyond that, like being on the ski team for two years.” That’s a big commitment, especially with the commute [Loomis Chaffee’s home mountain is Ski Sundown in New Hartford, Conn., about 45 minutes away from campus]. “But it is fun to get to bond with people on the bus.”

If you could have any superpower, what would it be? “I would have the power to temporarily have any power, so that would give me the taste of everything out there, using it for whatever is needed, to push things forward.”