This dissertation examined the significance of the Undergraduate Students Together Reaching Instructional Diversity and Excellence (USSTRIDE) community of practice (CoP) mentorship program offered at Florida State University College of Medicine and its profound impact on first-generation, rural, and economically disadvantaged undergraduate student learners navigating a premedical track and beyond. Using Lave and Wenger's (1991) CoP model and Vygotsky's (1978) sociocultural theory, the USSTRIDE CoP mentorship program employed qualitative and quantitative analyses to explore holistic student development across social, academic, leadership, professional, and experiential domains. Key indicators of the success of a CoP include increased academic performance, mentoring at multiple levels, heightened social engagement with like-minded students, leadership, professional skill development, enhanced critical thinking and reasoning skills, and higher admission rates into medical and graduate programs. These indicators bridge gaps and catalyze meaningful change. [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://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]