.jpg)
The Heart Behind IAmCollegeLife
IAmCollegeLife was born from a mother's love, hope, and determination to help her son build an independent future.
When Founder and CEO Tulane Bates' son, Steven, was diagnosed with autism in the third grade, her family began a journey that would shape both their lives and her future mission. Like many parents, she wondered what adulthood would look like for her son. She wanted him to have every opportunity to succeed, build meaningful relationships, find fulfilling employment, and live as independently as possible. Most importantly, she wanted him to be respected, valued, and recognized for his strengths rather than defined by his diagnosis.
As Steven grew older, Tulane realized that preparing for adulthood required much more than academic achievement. It required confidence, social connections, practical life skills, self-advocacy, and opportunities to practice independence in real-world settings.
When Steven enrolled in college, Tulane watched him take some of the most important steps toward adulthood. Living away from home, managing responsibilities, navigating everyday challenges, meeting new people, and making decisions independently helped him grow in ways that could never be taught solely in a classroom. Witnessing his growth reinforced her belief that autistic young adults thrive when they are given opportunities, encouragement, and the right support.
That experience became the inspiration behind IAmCollegeLife.
The name IAmCollegeLife is deeply personal to Tulane. As a first-generation college student, leaving home to attend college marked the beginning of her own journey toward independence. College became the place where she learned responsibility, solved problems on her own, gained confidence, and discovered who she was. Those experiences shaped her life and inspired a vision that every autistic young adult deserves opportunities to develop the same confidence, independence, and life skills, whether through college, employment, vocational training, or other meaningful pathways to adulthood.
Today, IAmCollegeLife is dedicated to supporting autistic young adults as they transition into independent living by providing essential resources, practical training, and meaningful social experiences for home, work, and everyday life. Through workshops, community events, life skills education, employment readiness programs, and social engagement opportunities, the organization empowers young adults to build confidence, strengthen independence, and create lasting connections within their communities.
At its core, IAmCollegeLife believes that autism should never define a person's potential. Every autistic young adult deserves the opportunity to pursue their goals, develop meaningful relationships, contribute to their community, and build a future filled with purpose and possibility.
What began as one mother's vision for her son has grown into a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering autistic young adults and supporting families as they navigate the journey toward independence.
Today, that vision continues to grow—one skill, one connection, and one success story at a time.
Every Skill. Every Step. Every Future.