Deficits in college degree attainment limit important perspectives and ways of knowing that inspire creativity and innovation. Disproportional outcomes for racially minoritized groups that are historically underrepresented in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics exacerbate this problem and promote societal inequities, structural racism, professional segregation, and racial wealth gaps. Culturally responsive programming that incorporates empathy and equity for non-majority populations can empower students from diverse backgrounds to achieve their educational goals. This paper describes the outcomes of a first-year place-based learning community in which students studied the science, culture, values, and social justice concerns of the Indigenous people of the Klamath River Basin by completing a water quality experiment alongside faculty, Indigenous scientists, and cultural experts. A combination of survey data and thematic analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the program on intellectual growth, gains in psychosocial factors associated with first-year student success, and academic achievement. All student participants demonstrated intellectual growth and gains in psychosocial factors associated with STEM retention, but the effects were most pronounced for students who identified parallels between issues faced by Native American communities and their home communities. The most significant gains in STEM retention and academic achievement occurred for URG students (students from underrepresented groups) who learned about Native American culture through the water quality laboratory. The majority of students expressed the importance of understanding the cultural, environmental, and/or social justice issues of Native American people to their future careers. We believe ours is one of the first studies that specifically examines the improved outcomes for first-year URG college STEM students that can result from curriculum that highlights scientific, cultural, and social justice concerns of Indigenous communities.