The Student News Site of Florida Gulf Coast University

Eagle Media

Eagle Media

Eagle Media

New FGCU club for history fans begins

EN+Photo+by+Trinia+Oliver+%2F%2F%0AFrom+left%2C+Brett+McFarlane%2C+Samantha+Paxton%2C+Emma+Ramseyer+and+Laurel+Weng+pose+for+a+photo.+All+four+are+officers+of+the+History+Club.
EN Photo by Trinia Oliver // From left, Brett McFarlane, Samantha Paxton, Emma Ramseyer and Laurel Weng pose for a photo. All four are officers of the History Club.

By Trinia Oliver
Assistant E&L Editor


If you’re into things like period dramas, fans of watching the History Channel, Discovery, or PBS TV specials, there is a place where you can discuss, debate, and learn of identical subjects from others who have the same or similar interests at History Club.
FGCU’s History Club was brought to life in Spring 2018 by a now-alumni. Luckily, since the student’s leave, the club has been kept alive by its five officers and co-founders who are the current officers. This past Wednesday was a one its first meetings for this semester.
The goal of the club is “[to be] a fun place for people who like history or are interested in history, to learn about the history program, or even to learn about opportunities that students have that you may not be aware of—you don’t even have to be a History major,” Brett McFarlane, an FGCU sophomore, said.
His degree is focused on the 1800s to 1920s Floridian history and he is the club’s secretary.
Because all the officers are history majors, they are very proficient in writing and are open to critic and provide help for papers.
“With a major as small as [the history program] and how integrated we are with each other and how regular you might have the same professors, it helps to have this sort of close-knit community here,” Laurel Weng, a senior with a focus in Latin American history and the club’s treasurer, said. “We all help each other and support each other, and we all look out for each other as we make the step towards higher education or into the career field.”
The club wasn’t intended to be directly aimed at history majors, but to anyone who has an interest in history.
”What we do is a mix of academic and fun stuff,” Samantha Paxton, senior and club VP whose focus is on world history and serial killers.
“But we’re very lax, and we’re one big family. And we give out free food. And we have memes,” said Emma Ramseyer, club president and FGCU junior focused on Victorian-era fashion, particularly prostitution.
There is deserving praise for the club and officers for it being a new club, and they already have a calendar planned with events—it has a casual and welcoming atmosphere, its members are effortlessly jovial, made lighthearted jokes at each other, and the thoughtful activities arranged for the club members made this club a fun and worthy experience.
Because History Club is new, the room is not packed and they’re still hoping to recruit members.
If you’re looking for a fun ending to your Wednesday evening, or just hoping for a place to hang out with laidback people, this club is a great option.
History Club posts its meeting dates and locations on Eagle Link. They can also be contacted via email linked on their page on the website. Their next planned big events are: hosting a film for next week’s Native American film festivals, and a club movie night with free food this November.

Story continues below advertisement
Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Eagle Media Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *