As outlined in its strategic plan, the University of Arizona (UA) is committed to serving Arizona's culturally diverse students by addressing educational equity and the STEM retention gap in underrepresented group of students (URGs) including students who are first generation, from low-income households, under-represented minorities (URM), and community college transfer students. The Arizona's Science, Engineering, and Math Scholars (ASEMS) program is a nationally recognized STEM-diversity retention program that uses an asset-based, student-centered, student experience focused approach that has increased retention among undergraduates in URGs at UA. We propose to adapt the ASEMS Program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS, referred to as CALS-ASEMS) to increase retention among undergraduates focused on food and agricultural sciences. CALS-ASEMS will increase annual retention, sense of belonging and participation in experiential learning opportunities among undergraduates from URGs by focusing on 2 educational need areas (recruitment/retention and experiential learning) with 3 objectives: Objective 1: Increase academic achievement and persistence in STEAM by providing academic, social and financial support through culturally responsive, asset-based and individualized advising, activities, and mentoring. Objective 2: Increase sense of belonging within CALS, UA, and the STEAM environment by developing a STEAM identity, forming a structured STEAM learning community and providing culturally responsive mentoring. Objective 3: Increase interest in STEAM careers by building career capital through creating a career plan, fostering an awareness of why STEAM is important to Scholars and their communities, and engaging Scholars in STEAM career preparation activities.