2023-Present College Academics & Activities

Harvard and Berklee

Sofia Detjen is a cross-registered student at Harvard University and Berklee College of Music, where she continues to distinguish herself at the intersection of music, scholarship, and leadership.

Entering her third year, Sofia serves as the resident drummer for The Hasty Pudding Theatricals—the third-oldest theater company in the world—with over 40 performances across Cambridge, New York City, and Bermuda. Her recent performances included sharing the stage with Jon Hamm and Academy Award-winner Cynthia Erivo during the Hasty Pudding’s annual Man and Woman of the Year celebrations.

Sofia was recently accepted into the prestigious Berklee Global Jazz Institute (BGJI), under the direction of GRAMMY® Award-winner Danilo Pérez. Through BGJI, she is mentored by world-renowned jazz artists including Terri Lyne Carrington, John Patitucci, George Garzone, and Joe Lovano, and is given opportunities to deepen her creative expression, collaborate internationally, and perform at the highest levels of contemporary jazz.

She also brings original jazz, hip-hop, and R&B songs to life as the drummer for Boom Boom Sauce, and performs with Ibis, a genre-blending band influenced by folk, jazz, and indie traditions.

Sofia’s summer experiences reflect her dual passions for music and public service. Last summer, she was selected for the Hudson Institute Political Studies Fellowship in Washington, D.C., where she studied political theory and policy alongside leading scholars and practitioners. She then toured Shanghai and Beijing as a representative of Harvard College, concentrating on crucial bilateral policy issues such as Data Regulation and Artificial Intelligence. This summer, she embarks on a professional internship with The Kurland Agency, the world’s premier representation firm for elite jazz artists, while preparing for the LSAT in the fall.

Her earlier performance credits at Harvard include Jekyll & Hyde, Little Shop of Horrors, Spring Awakening, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, First Year Musical: The Kids Are Alight, and the Hasty Pudding’s 175th production HEIST, HEIST, BABY!

Academically, Sofia’s interests span History and the great texts of literature, philosophy, government, and the arts, explored through coursework at Harvard College and the Harvard Kennedy School. She is currently learning Arabic, deepening her linguistic skills and cultural fluency.

Sofia’s leadership shines across several extracurricular activities. She is a contributing member of The Hasty Pudding Institute of 1770, The IC final club, and the Harvard Undergraduate Foreign Policy Initiative (HUFPI), where she previously served as Deputy Director of Foreign Summits. She also successfully walked on to the Harvard-Radcliffe Women’s Heavyweight Rowing Team, competing at the NCAA Division I level.

With a unique blend of discipline, creativity, and global perspective, Sofia continues to be a strong voice on campus—driven by her enduring commitment to Global Music Diplomacy.