EFFORTS TO BOOST PERSISTENCE PAY OFF

Increasing student persistence, especially in STEM fields, is a major goal in higher education across the United States. Attrition rates are high: Only 40 percent to 60 percent of students who declare a STEM major actually graduate with a STEM degree. This percentage is even lower for underrepresented groups. A wide variety of supplemental programs have been incorporated at many universities to address this issue, but more research is needed regarding their impact. These programs are now fully institutionalized in the college and continue to evolve. For example, the peer mentoring program provides student mentors with an exceptionally strong opportunity to grow leadership skills. These student leaders founded an official student organization in 2012, and they are currently working to expand this organization to other universities in the near future.