From a country’s borders to everyday conversation, history has an impact in varying ways. History clubs provide a space for people to explore historical events beyond what is covered in traditional classrooms. . Seattle Pacific University’s history club, Hindsight History, is bringing fun to learning history. Whether it be history presentations or cultural games, Hindsight History covers all the bases.
Third-year Hindsight History Co-President Madylynn Stark, environmental justice major and history minor, global engagement minor, and honors minor, shares what new members — or people just passing through — can expect when they join Hindsight.
“I really want it to be a space to meet new people and build community,” Stark said. “I want to make sure people that aren’t super interested in history yet, feel welcome to come and that they can have a space that they can still participate in and then hopefully spark a love of history through that.”
Hindsight history is not just history books and presentations. Board games, political discussions, conspiracy theory, and trivia nights are just a few examples of what Hindsight puts on for all students to enjoy. Each activity highlights the excitement that comes from learning history and how each person interprets history differently.
One example of this dynamic approach, explained by third-year treasurer Gretta Denton, a history major, a secondary education major, and a political science minor, is using entertaining formats like “Puppet History”, a fun and interactive method that resonates with many students.
“We do take inspiration from what past presidents have done, like when we watched Puppet History which was always a lot of fun and engaging for everybody,” Denton said.“We partner with the history department quite a bit. We always stay up to date with Dr. Hughes and Dr. Walter [to learn what] the history department is doing and how we can promote it so sometimes we get connected to events that way.”
The club also takes their interests around SPU and the Seattle area, allowing them to get involved with even more outside of their meetings.
“Last year we did museum days or we got a red lining tour; where we tour what districts have been redlined in Seattle,” Stark said. “Last year, hindsight collaborated with the Sustainability Club where we did a dendrochronology project. We tracked the history of a tree that had fallen on campus and we tracked the history of SPU, Seattle and the country with the lifespan of the tree.”
While Hindsight offers hands-on projects like museum days and tree history tracking, the club also values creating a relaxed environment for members to unwind.
“We’re very open to doing anything, I think our main role as a club is like meeting once a week and being like here’s some snacks and here like just an hour of just chill time to relax and not think about school for a minute,” Stark said.
The name “Hindsight History” often leads to misconceptions due to the association with history. Some can assume the club is only for history majors or those deeply invested in the subject. “The first question we usually get is ‘Do I have to be a history major to join?” Denton said. “I think that it can be misunderstood that you don’t [need to be”
Stark further elaborates on the welcoming nature of Hindsight History, emphasizing that a deep connection to history is not required to participate in club activities.
“You don’t have to be so invested in dedicating your study to history to still enjoy it and want to come participate and talk about it. And even if you don’t like history you don’t have to know anything about history to come do that or play games or have a PowerPoint night.”
While Stark emphasizes the club’s low-pressure and inclusive approach to history, both she and Denton are quick to point out that Hindsight History is more than just about academics, it is about creating a fun and open space for everyone.
“The main thing I want to communicate is just that the club is open to anyone at any time, you can come late, you can bring friends, it’s really an open space just to meet new people and hang out with your friends,” Stark said.
Denton captures the essence of Hindsight History’s approach to learning, noting how fun and education go hand in hand. “I think it’s a really unique thing that we’re able to teach each other stuff while having fun.”
Hindsight is a club for all students to have fun and learn history regardless of previous knowledge. If you want to get involved or just stop by, you can learn more about upcoming events on their Instagram @spu_hindsight. Meetings are held Wednesday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in room 202 of Weter Hall.
