A cohort program to increase retention of under-represented groups in chemistry was developed at the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University. In particular, this program chose to emphasize early career mentoring and early access to research. This goal was chosen because research has been repeatedly shown to increase scientific identity resulting in increased retention of students in the STEM fields. Several elements of this program have been useful in preparing students to access research programs early in their college careers including a summer bridge program, career mentoring, advising, and a second year "research bootcamp" course.