A Manual for Student Leaders
Welcome to Students with Diabetes, a part of the Bringing Science Home Initiative. Being connected to this network means having a network of peers and professionals to help you live a happier, healthier life while transitioning into independent adulthood.
Section 1: Background Introduction
What is Bringing Science Home: Students with Diabetes?
Students with Diabetes began in 2010 as an organization providing connections, resources, and education for college-age students living with diabetes.
Vision: To create a national network of young adults with diabetes.
Mission: To empower young adults touched by diabetes to live optimistically.
Goal: to develop a national network of college chapters of Students with Diabetes that engages young adults in:
(1)Diabetes Awareness and Consciousness-raising
(2)Fun Events and Activities
(3)Student Success
(4)Fundraising and Outreach
Why target college students?
As a student, you are probably aware of how difficult the transition from living at home to moving into a state of independence is. Students with Diabetes aims to relieve some of the stress that comes along with living with diabetes while juggling school, work, and a new environment.
College often leads to diabetes being put on the back burner and Hemoglobin A1c levels going up. This happens for many reasons including distractions from self-management, difficulties finding a new doctor, trying new and unpredictable things, and having limited social support. A new environment calls for new strategies and that’s where Students with Diabetes comes in.
Providing a network of peers who understand what it’s like to live with diabetes is the most important thing Students with Diabetes does. Being able to discuss diabetes related topics casually and create lasting bonds with new friends is one of the most important things that can be done for young adults with diabetes.
Section 2: Create a Student Chapter for Students with Diabetes
Students with Diabetes chapters are lead by students and serve as a unique network for young adults navigating independence while living with diabetes. This group may be informal and should be seen as a way to create friendships with other students living with diabetes. It can also serve as a network group that gives advice and assistance during the process of obtaining a college degree and finding a job after graduation. These groups have great service potential and will lead to resume building opportunities. Volunteer activities and awareness building should be considered group goals. How you define the group is up to you! The main thing is that the group meets the needs of your attendees.
To assist you in beginning a Students with Diabetes chapter, we ask that each chapter fulfill a few requirements.
•Register with Bringing Science Home: Students with Diabetes at After recruiting some members and adhering to your university’s guidelines for creating a student organization, register your chapter. Please include the contact information for your members, so we can keep each member up to date on national Students with Diabetes news.
•Have a Diabetes Social Event
A great way to create more awareness, fundraise and have fun is to organize an event with your group- such as a walk for diabetes or some kind of fundraiser on campus. This is a good way to bond as a group and do something for the larger diabetes community.
•Hold a Monthly Meeting
Holding a monthly group meeting is one of the best ways to maintain group cohesiveness and enthusiasm. It is also a means to keep the group “on the same page” so that friendships and networks can be formed, and members’ needs met.
•Check in each month
After each of your monthly meetings or diabetes community events please send a quick email to the Students with Diabetes coordinator at including how many people were involved in your meeting (no matter how big or small the meeting may have been), how you marketed your chapter, and what activities you participated in. This step is key in helping your chapter progress and grow!
How Do I Begin My Chapter?
There are several things you can do to get started. These include:
•Contact Bringing Science Home: Students with Diabetes
One of the first tasks is to contact the Student with Diabetes coordinator Paige Wagner via email, , or telephone, 850-206-8231. This coordinator is your point person for obtaining the advice and input you need to proceed. You can also contact Nicole Johnson at .
•Register your chapter on the Bringing Science Home: Students with Diabetes website at
On the home page of the website there is a link that says, “Click here to set up a membership.” From there you will follow the “Student Membership” link and fill in your information to add you to the official Students with Diabetes contact list.
•Recruit a Faculty or Staff Member as Advisor
If you do not already have an advisor in mind, start looking at health services around campus for faculty and staff affiliated with diabetes. This advisor should be interested in helping students, understand student needs and those living with diabetes, and that this is a social group for student with diabetes, not necessarily a clinical support or therapy group.
Reasons why an involved advisor is important:
- Increased access to campus and community resources
- Help in creating contacts and networking
- Added guidance and experience
- Chapter stability after certain members graduate
•Establish Leadership Structure and Define Group Goals
How many people are going to be involved? How will leadership be delegated?
What is the overall goal of the group? The sooner you define what you want to do together, the easier it is to plan successful meetings.
Once you find members, you may consider sending out a survey regarding what you want to do in the diabetes community.
•Register with Your College
A majority of schools require that student groups register with the college and adhere to the college’s guidelines for student organizations. In addition, by registering you may be eligible for a group budget from your school. This is financially helpful, in addition to any fundraising your group may accomplish.
•Reaching out / Marketing
Outreach is the key to a successful group. You may want to consider reaching out to RA’s at your school to create further awareness of both your group and the challenges students living with diabetes face. Sending RA’s flyers and brochures about your group will allow them to disseminate the information to students that might be interested. Also, consider reaching out to local health providers that specialize in diabetes, as well as your school’s student health office. Marketing your group to the school media is also a great way to gather participants. Testimonials in the student newspaper or other media outlets are always great at building awareness.
Ideas for Students with Diabetes Activities and Events
•JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes
•ADA Walk to Stop Diabetes
•Volunteer or Services events at your college
•Bowling as a group
•A day at a local park!
•Zumba, Yoga, Pilates instructor come to part of a monthly meeting and hold exercise session for fun
•Dining out with a nutritionist
•Movie night – maybe choose movies with diabetes references
Final Thoughts
Your Students with Diabetes group will progress and change with time, don’t worry about the kinks in the beginning. As your group grows and becomes more established, it will be easier to achieve your goals. Remember, the website is a great source for important information on by-laws, creating a constitution, and other technical aspects to creating your group. All the flyers and brochures there are for you to customize and use on your campus.
If you run into challenges, don’t hesitate to contact us. We are here to help. The goal is to provide a resource for young adults with diabetes to ease the transition of youth to adulthood.
You can reach the Students with Diabetes coordinator at: .
We are excited about you joining the Student with Diabetes network and look forward to working with you!
Thank You!
Nicole Johnson, MA, MPH
Executive Director, Bringing Science Home
USF Health