While I was not a first-gen student, my college journey was a challenge. Through a combination of factors, I struggled to find my way and be as successful as I wanted to be academically. I had to rethink my career path and until I found my roles in medical education, changed paths a couple of times. I did not have a good support system nor did I have the understanding and skills to seek it out. In my role in medical education, I am committed to making sure our students have a support system and am glad to do that for any student who reaches out. Personally, I am married to my husband who is a physician (who was a first-gen student) and we have two children, a daughter who is a junior at Washington University in St. Louis studying architecture and a son who is a senior at West High School, but is a child with intellectual disabilities, so has required quite a bit of advocacy over his life. He will stay at West until he's 21.