College Awareness Tour

Bringing Awareness, Education, and Early Detection Resources to College Campuses

About the Initiative

The AiArthritis College Awareness Tour is an outreach initiative designed to educate young adults (ages 18-24)—a key demographic for autoimmune and autoinflammatory arthritis (AiArthritis) disease onset (20-40 years old)—about early symptoms, barriers to diagnosis, and available resources. With a focus on communities of color, this program aims to address critical gaps in early detection by tackling cultural barriers, healthcare distrust, and access challenges.

2025 Pilot Program

  • Events at Six Campuses. Presenting to students at Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, San Diego State, San Francisco State, San Jose State, and Cal State East Bay.
  • Engagement with Campus Organizations. Partnering with cultural student organizations, professional healthcare student groups, and student health centers to facilitate discussions and extend the reach of educational materials.
  • Customized Social Media Awareness Campaigns. At each school, students will create unique social media campaigns, tailored to their communities to spread awareness beyond the event.
  • Interactive Educational Components. Events will include pre- and post-surveys, discussions on cultural barriers to care, interviews, and on-the-fly content creation to maximize engagement.
  • Resource Dissemination. Distributing early detection tools to student health centers and professional healthcare student groups to ensure ongoing impact.

Why This Matters

  • Young Adults Are At Risk. Many don’t recognize the early signs of AiArthritis diseases, leading to delays in diagnosis and treatment.
  • Underrepresented Communities Face Higher Barriers. Cultural differences, healthcare disparities, and preferences for natural remedies often prevent early medical intervention.
  • Education Leads To Better Outcomes. Awareness of these diseases can empower students to advocate for their health and seek appropriate medical care.


Event Info

What We Offer

Free interactive presentations that can be tailored for:

  • Cultural Student Organizations & Greek Life: Discussions on how cultural perspectives affect diagnosis and treatment.
  • Pre-Med, Nursing, Public Health, and Physical Therapy Programs: Patient experience insight and strategies for early detection in young adults.
  • Professors & Courses in Health Fields: Guest speaking opportunities or recorded educational videos with QR codes for students to access resources.



What to Expect

Each session is 40-60 minutes and includes:

  • Pre- and Post-Surveys: To assess knowledge gained.
  • AiArthritis Disease Overview: Early signs, symptoms, and why early detection is critical.
  • Discussion on Cultural Barriers to Care: How stigma, natural remedies, and healthcare distrust impact diagnosis.
  • Student-Led Social Media Campaign: Participants create and share customized awareness content to expand outreach.
  • Resource Distribution & Networking: Printed and digital materials for students and campus health centers. 

How Your Campus Can Get Involved

We are currently scheduling presentations for Spring & Fall 2025 Semesters and would love to collaborate with your organization or department.


Ways to participate:

  • Host a live presentation at your student health center, class, or organization meeting
  • Help coordinate outreach to students through campus newsletters, social media, or event boards
  • Provide a platform for our educators to speak on early detection in young adults

Get in Touch to Schedule a Presentation

Interested in bringing the AiArthritis College Awareness Tour to your campus?

Contact us at collegeawarenesstour@aiarthritis.org or send us a DM at @ifaiarthritis on Instagram today to learn more!

Help Us Amplify Awareness

How You Can Help Expand This Initiative

While we are actively working to complete the 2025 pilot, additional support is needed to continue and expand this initiative. Future funding will allow us to:


  • Expand to More Colleges Nationwide – Reaching additional universities with large underrepresented student populations.
  • Enhance Educational Tools – Developing culturally tailored resources for student health centers, primary care offices, and frontline healthcare providers.
  • Increase Community Engagement – Expanding partnerships with pre-med, nursing, public health, and physical therapy programs to improve provider knowledge.
  • Scale Social Media Impact – Strengthening student-led social media campaigns to ensure long-term digital engagement.

Support the Future of the AiArthritis College Awareness Tour

With continued support, we can ensure that more students receive critical education about AiArthritis diseases and that more healthcare providers recognize the early signs in young adults. This initiative has the potential to improve early detection, reduce diagnostic delays, and empower individuals to take control of their health.