There are more STEM jobs than there are qualified graduates to fill these positions, and recruiting students into STEM majors is insufficient. Of students who enter college intending to pursue STEM, nearly half do not finish their STEM degrees. In this article, we focus on retaining students who enter college with a declared biology major. This qualitative study examines this retention issue through the lens of identity theory, situated learning, and constructivism in the context of a research-focused biology firstyear seminar at a small, private university. It was found that the six participants felt more like scientists at the conclusion of the semesterlong seminar, and all were planning to remain in STEM career pathways.