An identity-based learning community intervention enhances the lived experience and success of first-generation college students in the biological sciences.

ABSTRACT

Working-class first-generation (FG) college students are underrepresented in higher education and STEM. Using a longitudinal quasi-experiment, we tested the impacts of a living learning community (LLC) in the biological sciences on FG students in their first year of college (Semester 1 N = 243; Semester 2 N = 199), across three cohorts (2018-2019, 2019-2020 and 2020-2021). Participation in the LLC enhanced FG students' belonging, confidence, motivation, grades, knowledge of the social relevance of biology, and reduced STEM anxiety compared to a control group of FG students not in an LLC. LLC participation also increased retention in biological science majors one-year post-intervention compared to the control FG group. Moreover, LLC participation closed the academic gap between FG students in the LLC and honors students from college-educated families in a separate honors LLC. Benefits of the LLC intervention remained stable despite the COVID-19 pandemic, when living together became impossible, producing positive effects across cohorts from pre-pandemic to in-pandemic. Our results suggest that affinity-based learning communities-with or without shared housing-in the transition to college enhance academic thriving, persistence, and reduce social class driven achievement gaps in STEM.