Academic Homecoming: A Major Celebration
Major declaration for the Class of 2015 wrapped up March 8. To recognize that milestone and officially welcome students to their new academic homes, the Academic Advising Center, the Sophomore Class Council and Duke Student Government hosted the inaugural Academic Homecoming: A Major Celebration March 20 on the main quad on West Campus.
Coverage: Duke Today | The Chronicle
This new academic tradition provides sophomores the opportunity to celebrate their major declaration alongside their classmates and begin building relationships within their majors. Faculty and students from 50 majors in both Trinity and Pratt were on hand for the first edition of the event to personally welcome their new students. Deans from Duke, Trinity and Pratt also joined in the celebration.
Sophomores posed for a class photo on the Duke Chapel steps and received T-shirts displaying their majors, buttons commemorating the event and tickets for a raffle.
“Declaring our majors is a rite of passage,” said Bret Lesavoy, sophomore class president and one of the organizers of Academic Homecoming. “Having a tradition that recognizes selection of our majors will further engage Duke students academically. This event will not only be a celebration, but will serve as a place where students can meet and mingle with professors in their respective programs in a social setting.”
Academic Homecoming is also generously supported by the Office of Undergraduate Education, the Pratt School of Engineering, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences, Duke University Libraries and the Sophomore Year Experience.