What is PERSIST?

The PERSIST project is a single institution project in the college of arts and sciences at Tuskegee University, Alabama. This project runs from January 2022 to December 2027 with the following specific goals:

• Goal #1 [Retention]: increase first year retention rates in biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics;

• Goal #2 [Persistence]: graduate over 80% of scholars who participate in this project;

• Goal #3 [Knowledge Generation]: investigate factors that promote persistence in STEM disciplines among low-income students.

The PERSIST project aims to increase student persistence in STEM fields by linking scholarships with effective supporting activities, including mentoring, undergraduate research experiences, service learning, outreach projects, and participation in discipline-specific conferences. With the help of mentors, the scholars will create Individual Development Plans outlining their career goals and steps toward achieving those goals. The project will also support curriculum improvements aimed at improving first-year student retention in STEM.