BY KEVIN PERLA
Staff Writer
The 1210 Society, a club created by students with a passion for history and politics, has garnered significant attention on campus. The club was created for students of all affiliations to have a safe place to discuss political and historical issues.
“The club began after Dr. Marshall proposed the idea to Z and after class one day —it stuck in my mind,” said club president Brunella Escate. “As I work in the Student Organization Suite, I contacted Amanda Alling and I was able to ask her about the official process. Within a week, I drafted a constitution and proposed it to Z, who helped me build this club from the ground up.”
Escate who is a senior and political science major, explained her vision for the 1210 Society.
“The purpose of the club is to help students move away from the idea that history is boring and dull and that politics is scary and troublesome. I want this club to prove all those stereotypes wrong.”
The club began in September 2025, near the beginning of the fall semester.
“Students wanted a club where they could get involved in general topics related to history and political science without it being specific to majors or focused on one particular purpose,” said Dr. Chelsea Kaufman, who serves as a political science professor at Wingate and co-advisor of the 1210 Society.
The club has about 40 active members registered on WUSync and has a consistent number of attendees at events.
“While the number may seem low, we value and appreciate every single one of our members,” said Escate. “The Executive Board has faced many challenges trying to find a time that works for everyone. We are students first, but we take pride in the consistency of the club.”
The name “1210” came from Dr. Joseph Ellis, who suggested they name the club after the year the bulldog was first bred, 1210.
“This lets you learn something new about history from the name,which they brought to an early interest meeting, and members voted on it, ultimately choosing this one,” said Dr. Kaufman.
The 1210 Society has organized a variety of events, such as January and February Growth Lyceum events hosted by Dr. Kaufman and Dr. Ellis respectively. Both events were bipartisan in nature and discussed topics such as voting and political discourse. These events highlighted the organization’s commitment to fostering open and respectful political discussion.
“The 1210 Society offers an inclusive and safe environment for students to engage in open conversation about history and political science, whether they discuss contemporary issues or debate historical topics,” said Dr. Sydney Marshall, co-advisor of the 1210 Society.
The club continues to increase its number of members and will host a meeting for all interested students on April 7.
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