Published: February 10, 2021 by Melissa Prunty Kemp

New and existing students have so many demands on their time, from work to family to studying for classes and certifications. We are a busy bunch! But we also have opportunities that the iSchool MARA program provides that can greatly enhance our learning experience. 

Even if you are a current full-time employee, engagement in one or more of the major professional organizations is highly recommended. One of most valuable, and one to which MARA students are offered a student membership while enrolled in MARA 200, is the Society of American Archivists (SAA). 

With a myriad of exploration areas our courses open to students, an organization like SAA can offer opportunities to get real-world involvement with these areas. For example, if you’re interested in the very popular topic of digital preservation, SAA has multiple groups working in this are that you can access through SAAConnect. 

iPres and Digital Preservation Coalition are two groups I learned about through SAA. Both have great conferences, frequent webinars, and opportunities to engage and practice what we are learning in classes. As a very busy student, I highly encourage getting involved with one of our professional development organizations.