Ferrum College’s STAR program is positioned as an example of whether mandatory student support can improve persistence. The report describes the program’s structure—requiring struggling students to participate—and links early performance gains to the initiative’s outcomes in retention and academic performance. The development matters for leaders weighing scalable “wraparound” interventions against concerns about student autonomy and engagement. STAR’s early results provide data points for how structured supports may counter attrition risks. For institutional planners, the open question is sustainability and transferability: whether mandatory participation can be implemented without unintended morale or compliance costs, and how outcomes hold over time beyond initial cohorts.