Abbreviation SSA Type non-profit Staff 12 | Formation November 21, 2001 Legal status corporation Founded 21 November 2001 | |
Motto Empowering Students for a Secular Future Similar Secular Coalition for America, American Atheists, Center for Inquiry, Freedom From Religion, Atheist Alliance International Profiles | ||
Atheist experience 948 a plug for secular student alliance
The Secular Student Alliance (SSA) is an educational nonprofit organization whose purpose is to educate high school and college students about the value of scientific reason and the intellectual basis of secularism in its atheistic and humanistic manifestations. The SSA also offers these students and their organizations a variety of resources, including leadership training and support, guest speakers, discounted literature and conference tickets, and online articles and opinions.
Contents
- Atheist experience 948 a plug for secular student alliance
- We are the secular student alliance
- History
- Membership growth
- Events
- Conferences
- References
We are the secular student alliance
History
In 1999, the students on the Executive Council of the Campus Freethought Alliance, along with some other students, faculty advisors, and off-campus supporters, decided that a national student organization needed autonomy (the Campus Freethought Alliance was governed by the Council for Secular Humanism). Therefore, in April 2000, a majority of the members of the Campus Freethought Alliance Executive Council decided to become independent from the Council for Secular Humanism. The Secular Student Alliance was thus founded in May 2000 by eight student leaders from the grassroots secular movement. It was organized under the nonprofit corporation laws of the State of Ohio on November 21, 2001. The corporation's principal office is located in Columbus, Ohio.
The SSA is an independent, democratically structured organization in the U.S. that promotes freethinking high school and college students. The SSA was formed "to organize, unite, educate and serve students and student communities that promote the ideals of scientific and critical inquiry, democracy, secularism, and human based ethics".
In January 2012, the SSA had over 312 affiliates in North America and abroad, including groups in Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia.
In June 2013 the SSA announced that with the Freedom from Religion Foundation, it will work on educating students on their rights and will assist with rectifying violations.
The SSA is a founding member of the Secular Coalition for America.
In October 2015 SSA tweeted that it "desperately" needed $100,000 by the end of the month. Executive director August Brunsman said fundraising had lagged.
Membership growth
The SSA has experienced increasing membership growth since its founding. As of February 2013, the SSA's Board of Directors has ten members. The number of SSA community college and university campus affiliates has expanded considerably in recent years:
Events
On August 7, 2009, the SSA organized a trip to the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky. 304 students, atheists, and scientists attended, in order to familiarize themselves with the museum. One notable name in attendance was PZ Myers, who also came to experience the museum.
Since 2009, the SSA has held their Annual Leadership Conference over the Summer which aims to train student leaders and group members in leadership skills and grassroots organizing. In 2013, the conference was split into two locations (East and West).
Conferences
The SSA holds an annual leadership conference.