The problem addressed in this study was the retention and completion rates at community colleges leave room for significant improvement, particularly with underprepared students who tend to be at a disadvantage and contribute to low graduation rates. A learning community designed to further engage students and improve retention was implemented at a Midwestern community college, but how students utilize and perceive their learning community experience and if it improves student engagement and persistence is unknown. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational, and within-subjects quantitative study was to (a) describe developmental education students' utilization and perception of the learning community at a Midwestern community college, (b) examine how students' utilization and perception of the learning community contribute to student engagement and persistence, and (c) determine if students' reported student engagement and persistence significantly increased due to participation in the learning community. The sample included 23 community college students enrolled in a developmental education course that required engagement in a learning community. Students were surveyed at the beginning and at the end of a 16-week semester using the same pre- and post-survey to measure their perceived experience, engagement, and persistence, and utilization of the learning community utilization was collected using activity logs. Descriptive analysis revealed, on average, students utilized the learning community below the minimum requirement for the class but did use it for varied services that supported interaction and engagement. Correlation and multivariate regression analyses revealed that one or more variables significantly related to and predicted measures of student engagement and persistence with their reported experiences with Caring Instruction and Diversity being significant and predictors. The repeated measures MANOVA was significant with subsequent univariate tests identifying Emotional Engagement as the only variable with statistically significant difference from pre-survey to post-survey; however, students reported significantly lower Emotional Engagement by the end of the semester. Students may benefit from the learning communities, but community colleges should implement them as part of a larger integrated effort to improve retention and persistence. Technology mediated platforms should be explored to help students access learning community even when public health crises arise. Future research should be conducted with a larger sample and once the pandemic is resolved and students' comfort and access to on-campus services are resumed. [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.]