The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to better understand the lived experiences of students enrolled in the Boyker-Anoroc Bridge Program. The Bridge Program was designed to increase the persistence of underrepresented minority (URM) graduate students in STEM doctoral programs. The participants in the study recounted their experiences within the program and identified aspects of the program and mentoring that impacted their self-efficacy, confidence, and persistence. The researchers also examined the lived experiences related to graduate students and faculty during the global pandemic. The researchers utilized two theoretical frameworks to help guide the study. Bandura's social cognitive theory was used to explore participants' perceptions of self-efficacy and Tinto's theory of student persistence was used to explore the impact of academic and social factors on student persistence. The study included a questionnaire, three rounds of semi-structured interviews with student participants, and one round of interviews with faculty/staff members to better understand their perceptions of the Bridge Program. The researchers utilized inductive analysis to search for patterns and themes within the data and used deductive analysis to identify any patterns or themes in the data that corresponded to the theoretical framework. The findings were organized within six themes, including identity, confidence, student centered, community, mentoring, and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants agreed that relationships were one of the most positive aspects of the Bridge Program. The research findings support that the Bridge Program served a crucial role in providing community, student-centered services, and mentoring to URMs. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]