The national organization of the Society of American Archivists, founded in 1936, serves as the largest professional society for archival community members interested in leadership, advocacy, advanced training, and education. Our student organization, SAA-UT, is the flagship Texas student chapter of the national Society of American Archivists. Our mission is to promote the intellectual and professional development of our members, which we achieve by creating opportunities for student members to discuss archival issues, interact with professional archivists, and engage in professional activities. We also aim to advocate for our profession and communicate with the public about the importance of archives to their lives and empower those people to explore archives for themselves.
Our membership averages 40 students a year, representing the majority of the iSchool graduate students participating in the archives area of study. Our members are well-versed in archival issues, and attendance is strong at general meetings and informal gatherings. Our annual events include invited speakers such as Dr. Michelle Caswell and New York based documentarians Pat Ivers and Emily Armstrong, behind-the-scenes tours of local archives and cultural heritage institutions, and professional workshops.