Roommates Bound for West Point and Naval Academy

From left: Rosie Carmichael ’24 and Sophia Gimino ’24 attend the Army-Navy Game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, last December, where Army beat Navy 17-11.

Sophia Gimino ’24 and Rosie Carmichael ’24 share a connection reminiscent of a lifelong friendship, although they’ve only known each other since the start of the school year.

Becoming roommates at Peddie last August, the duo, born two days apart, embarked on a postgraduate year before pursuing distinct paths. A postgraduate year serves as an additional year beyond high school graduation, allowing students to enhance their academic and personal growth, better positioning themselves for success in college. Gimino heads to the United States Military Academy at West Point this fall, while Carmichael will join the United States Naval Academy.

Gimino encountered obstacles during her West Point recruitment, as she was set to participate in javelin for track and field but had to contend with a knee injury. While researching schools to meet the academy’s requirement for a postgraduate year, she discovered Peddie, attracted by its vibrant track program. A swift response from Head Coach Tim Brennan solidified her decision. “Coach Brennan reached out to me almost immediately, which convinced me I should choose Peddie,” Gimino recalled.

Meanwhile, Carmichael navigated the intricacies of securing a nomination for the Naval Academy. Sponsored by the USNA Foundation for a postgraduate year, she chose Peddie for its standout swim program. “I feel like Peddie’s swim program is similar to college training. I won’t be swimming at Navy, so I wanted to take this opportunity to swim at a college level,” she explained.

As roommates, they’ve cultivated seamless harmony, with their shared commitment to service academies forming the bedrock of their friendship. “The fact that we are both going to a service academy has really helped,” said Carmichael.

Both have taken on mentorship roles, adopting freshmen into their circles. Carmichael chuckled as she shared, “We’ll come back to our dorm, and people will ask, ‘How are your kids today?'”

They also connect over being out-of-state students, with Gimino hailing from Wichita, Kansas, and Carmichael from St. Augustine, Florida. “It’s nice to have somebody who gets that,” said Carmichael.

Immersed in the quintessence of New Jersey life, their conversations are sprinkled with lighthearted moments, like lively debates about bagels and pizza. “Everyone is crazy about the bagels here,” said Gimino. “People teased me because, before coming here, the only bagel I’d ever had was a Panera bagel. Everyone was like, ‘You’re missing out, man!'”

As their Peddie chapter concludes, Gimino and Carmichael’s friendship is poised to endure. From attending the Army-Navy game in Boston last December to proudly adorning their dorm room door with flags representing their respective academies, Gimino and Carmichael’s bond is a celebration of camaraderie, laughter and the pursuit of dreams.