As science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) scholars, educators, and students themselves, the authors have collectively been involved in trying to promote student success in STEM for many years. As they analyzed data from a STEM student retention program, they explored aspects of the student retention literature, finding that there was far more identification of the inequities that exist than productive discussions about how and why those inequities arose. The Determinants of STEM Retention (DSR) model recognizes students' social capital and social cohesion as critical components for modulating students' ability to take advantage of resources. The DSR model adapts a highly successful model developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) Commission on the Social Determinants of Health for understanding inequities in health outcomes. According to the WHO model, structural determinants such as race affect health by acting as the organizing principle behind hierarchies and power relations in a population (Solar & Irwin, 2010). It is not a radical leap to anticipate that similar structural dynamics would impact student outcomes in an academic setting. The DSR model identifies important aspects to consider when developing interventions designed to support student success to increase positive outcomes for all students.