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Studying computer science is a journey: people start at different times, travel at different paces, and pause along the way. In this experience report, we describe a peer-led, year-long program designed to welcome students to Computer Science and Engineering as a discipline, department, and academic program. We detail the logistical, curricular, and personnel structures of this program, highlighting design choices we made to (a) open multiple ways to join the program all year, (b) de-emphasize "getting ahead", (c) prioritize reflection, and (d) connect students to existing resources. Throughout, we emphasize the critical role of peer mentors in leading and shaping this space. We share our own lessons learned, as well as reflections from students and mentors on the value of this learning community outside of formal classroom structures. 

This research paper studies barriers to students continuing in undergraduate computing programs. On the journey to a computing profession, every course has the potential to be an off-ramp away from students’ goals. Every student who leaves a computing degree has a last class they took before not continuing, and a reason they didn’t continue. Based on qualitative analysis of open-ended questions in surveys of students in eight undergraduate computer science and engineering (CSE) courses, we identify common barriers students anticipate, and learn what encourages them to persist onto the next CSE course. For example, even for students within the major, a commonly reported barrier was the perceived inability to enroll in their next computing course due to unclear enrollment systems and requirements. We disaggregate the data by three demographic categories—race/ethnicity, gender, and admissions-type—to understand potential disparate impacts of CSE majors at our large, research- intensive university. Solutions to the reported barriers faced by students may include student-focused interventions, policy and programmatic changes at the department level, and broader institutional or external support. Keywords: 5.b.vii. Computer science, 10.f. Retention, 3. Diversity