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This study explores Houston-LSAMP's efforts in retaining and supporting underrepresented minority (URM) students in STEM fields. Established by NSF in 1998, H-LSAMP is a regional alliance of five universities that provides retention programs aimed at increasing URM student graduation rates. However, many of these efforts have now been halted or severely underfunded during the second Trump administration. Recognizing the vital role of such efforts and the ongoing need to support URM STEM students, this study aims to assist existing programs that now operate with little or no funding, or with significantly reduced budgets, by analyzing key components of H-LSAMP that effectively promote student success. This study reveals that while H-LSAMP partner institutions vary in their programmatic approaches, all support minority students through academic development, financial aid, community-building, and professional development opportunities, among other initiatives. Student financial support emerges as the most vital component in promoting success, as it removes financial burdens and enables students to focus on their academics, which increases retention. Building on these insights and the shrinking availability of financial support, this paper suggests several cost-effective strategies to improve URM student success in STEM amidst financial challenges.
Keywords: STEM retention program, college retention, minority student retention, collaborative learning community
How to Cite: Abdelhamid, M. , Pattison, D. , Horn, C. L. , Templeton, T. , Cerna, E. , Uzman, A. , Gad, S. , von Miller, D. , Tolbert, M. , Anthony, K. , Wilson, B. & Akladios, M. (2026) “Opportunities for a STEM-focused Retention and Success Programs in Times of Fiscal Constraint: Case Study of the Houston-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (H-LSAMP) Program”, Journal of the National Organization for Student Success. 3(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.61617/jnoss.103
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