First-generation college students are among the most driven, resilient people in higher education — and among the most likely to leave without the right support. Nationally, first-gen students graduate at significantly lower rates than their continuing-generation peers, not because of a lack of intelligence or ambition, but because of access: to networks, to knowledge, to the unspoken rules of professional life that other students absorb long before they ever set foot on campus. CAMD F1RST closes that gap. CAMD F1RST is a first-generation student support program within Northeastern University's College of Arts, Media and Design, welcoming a small cohort of incoming students each year who are the first in their families to attend college. From a fall retreat that builds lifelong bonds, to professional development workshops, to a spring break trip to New York City where scholars meet alumni and explore co-op opportunities, CAMD F1RST gives first-gen students the experiences, networks, and confidence that other students often take for granted. This year's 11 scholars arrived from as far as Peru and Hawaii, navigating college without a roadmap — and your gift helps ensure they don't have to do it alone. As one scholar put it: "CAMD F1RST has made me realize that everyone around me is ready to help, and that it's a truly supportive community always willing to lend a hand."