One of our History majors, Cynthia Balzamo, is starting a History Club. She has the full support of the faculty, and now she needs your help.

I proposed to Cynthia that our department needs another student History organization besides Phi Alpha Theta because PAT is exclusive (it is an Honors Society) and therefore doesn't really serve all of our students. I also know that it's the nature of PAT to be relatively inactive, or difficult to sustain, because most students join right before they graduate, and do so mostly because it looks good on a grad school or professional school application, or gets you a higher pay grade in the military or civil service. And because it's cool to have Honor cords. (All of which are excellent reasons. :) But as it's the only History student association right now, it's not serving the needs of the many -- only the few.

The History Club will have no membership requirements: you just have to like History. Therefore, members can be recruited campus-wide. It will also be self-sustaining financially via dues and/or other fundraising efforts. (Dues will be minimal; definitely not the $45 PAT fee.) It will also be an organization that will promote and organize activities for students -- social functions as well as more serious learning activities. Who says you can't just socialize as people who like History? Not everything has to be a learning experience. . . .

There will be no competition with PAT! There are plenty of students to go around and each organization has different mandates. Certainly I would expect some co-sponsorship of activities and communication between officers of each group.

So here is what Cynthia needs from you: in order for Clubs and Organizations to recognize the History Club as an organization, Cynthia needs at least 8 people to agree to be members. Then she can get the paperwork completed and get the ball officially rolling. Our target is to have everything in place by the end of this semester so by Fall there can be a full recruitment drive, activities planned, etc.

If you're interested, e-mail Cynthia directly. If you know of other WSU students who are not History majors or minors who you think might be interested, forward this to them. If you're interested in officer positions, also let her know that. Her e-mail address is cynthiabalzomo@mail.weber.edu

Thanks,

Dr. Vickers

Dr. Vikki J. Vickers
Department of History
Weber State University
1205 University Circle
Ogden, UT 84408-1205
(801) 626-6712
vikkivickers@weber.edu