Impact of STEM RLC on Student Experiences and Retention in the First Two Years: Building a Sense of Community

The retention of first-year college students majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) fields is a persistent concern in higher education. A variety of high impact practices can contribute to improving the persistence of STEM majors, particularly among underrepresented groups. One specific practice is the implementation of residential learning communities (RLCs). A new RLC for STEM majors was implemented at a mid-sized comprehensive institution in the mid-Atlantic in 2018. We followed students through their first two years of the program to investigate the impact on retention and student experiences. We found that the cohort model enhanced first-to-second-year retention. Additionally, the RLC was able to facilitate a strong sense of community among the participants, likely impacting their academic success and retention at the college. A better understanding of best practices and their outcomes will help our college and peer institutions provide supports for STEM students to succeed through known attrition points and persist as STEM majors through their first years.