Research on American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students indicates that only about 47% persist to complete their freshman year, meaning that one of out two students drops out before the sophomore year. Using a focus group methodology, the study reported in this paper examined the extent to which in- and out-of-class academic, social, and spiritual experiences are associated with persistence among AI/AN students at a Bible college. Family, spirituality, and validation were the most important influences on student persistence.