It almost eclipsed Valentine’s Day! And one could think of it as an academic love story. Tuesday, February 12, was the long-awaited Declaration of Majors (DOM) day held in the Fine Arts Building. Three hundred and thirty seven sophomores gathered to declare and celebrate an academic track of their choosing for the next two and a half years. Scores of faculty members along with their department student advisors eagerly waited at their booths during the lunch hour to answer questions and assist with declaration forms. “This event officially welcomes sophomores to the academic curriculum of Kalamazoo College,” says Lesley Clinard, assistant director of academic advising and institutional support. “It’s a fun time that has become a rite of passage because of the cake and ‘I declared…’ stickers.” DOM makes a difference in academic focus before spring course registration. Most students expressed excitement; a few called it “anticlimactic” and “not a big deal.” Assistant Professor of Classics Elizabeth Manwell says DOM is “an opportunity for sophomores to feel special. Moving forward,” she adds, “students begin thinking about their future courses and all the pieces of the K-plan.” Tristan Kiel, department student advisor of Computer Science, thinks being a sophomore is difficult because class workloads pick up. “But DOM brings together the diverse spectrum of sophomores, and they own and enjoy this momentous occasion,” he says. (Story and photo by Sameen Haque ’14)