Large‐scale student programs increase persistence in STEM fields in a public university setting

Background Louisiana State University's (LSU) STEM Talent Expansion Program (STEP) was established to increase students' persistence in first‐year, declared engineering majors (a project priority), in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) majors (an NSF goal), and in all majors at LSU (an institutional goal). Over 8 years, 3,097 (27%) engineering students participated in one or more STEP activities including a residential college, a...