MACRAO History

The Missouri Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (MACRAO), founded in 1936, is a non-profit, voluntary professional education association of degree-granting post-secondary institutions in the state of Missouri. MACRAO is one of 23 single-state and 7 multi-state regional associations affiliated with the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO), which has a full-time executive staff and offices in Washington, DC. 

The first reference to the actual formation of the Missouri Association came in College and University published in 1936-37. The "Historical Review of the Association" published in 1973 by AACRAO lists Missouri personnel as officers of the National Association as early as 1931-32 when Elma Poole of St. Louis served as first vice president.

At the beginning of the National Association, Missouri delegates were primarily college accountants from the University of Missouri. This group (along with other state accountants) decided it would be more advantageous for them to form their own association. The accountants organized their members and the Missouri Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions officers has its beginning.