There continues to be a concern regarding sustained recruitment and retention of students in STEM majors. Although the rate of attrition in these majors is comparable to other majors (Chen, 2013), the demand for trained scientists to enter the workforce with a baccalaureate degree is high (PCAST, 2012). In an effort to enhance retention and support of STEM students from their first year to graduation a Residential Learning Community (RLC) for STEM majors was established. Although learning communities of this type currently exist, this was the first one of its kind at our institution. The primary components included living on campus with a roommate also in the program, taking courses like general chemistry and first year seminar as a designated cohort, and increased faculty mentoring through advising. The RLC, named “STEM Scholars”, was developed with significant institutional buy-in and interdisciplinary faculty support, but without financial backing. Several key takeaways are reported here, most notably the need for funding to support a STEM cohort program. The effectiveness of the program and its components continues to be assessed; results of the assessment will be shared in the near future. Successful components of STEM Scholars can be incorporated at other institutions to further enhance STEM education.