National Student Association

The National Student Association (NSA) was a confederation of college and university student governments that was in operation from 1947 to 1978.^[1]

NSA held annual national conferences attended by student leaders, especially student body presidents from their respective student governments. From the early 1960s, the NSA played a significant role in the student activism movement, advocating for a student-centric vision within American universities. Many founding members of Students for a Democratic Society began their involvement in national activism through NSA, and numerous students were introduced to civil rights and antiwar movements through NSA events.

The NSA was also American host for student Eurail and air passes, and for many years served as American students' representative to IATA, the International Air Transport Association.^[2]

In the early 1960s, the NSA housed the United States Student Press Association and its news agency, Collegiate Press Service. Both groups spun away as independent groups but eventually shut down as student-run organizations.

From the early 1950s until 1967, the international program of the NSA, and some of its domestic activities, were underwritten by clandestine funding from the Central Intelligence Agency.