Test advanced ability to design a rigorous mixed-methods research proposal and an evidence-based intervention to increase STEM persistence among first-generation, low-income undergraduates. Scope: articulate research questions and theoretical frameworks (culturally responsive pedagogy), select an appropriate convergent or explanatory mixed-methods design, define sampling and recruitment, specify qualitative and quantitative measures, identify learning-analytics data streams and instrumentation, outline analytic strategies (statistical modeling, thematic analysis, data integration), detail intervention components, implementation/fidelity monitoring, ethical and data-governance plans, outcome metrics, scalability, and dissemination strategies.