Retention rates have been an ongoing concern for higher education institutions for the last few decades, and there has been extensive research conducted to determine the root cause of this decline especially among underserved student populations. Black and Hispanic communities are rapidly growing and are expected to be the majority races within the next 50 years, and for this reason, it will be crucial and necessary to implement retention programs that will create a pathway to academic success in helping them achieve their career goals. While retention models focusing on retaining students of color have yielded positive results, additional work will need to be completed if the needle to student retention is to be moved in the opposite direction. Taking smaller steps like focusing on fall-to-fall retention using high impact practices can aid in the retention of students of color at post-secondary institutions beyond the first year. This Executive Position Paper will explore in detail the following high impact practices in higher education: academic advising, mentoring, first year experience programs, and student support services. This exploration led to the creation of HIPSS (High Impact Practices for Student Success) which outlines in detail a first-year fall-to-fall student retention plan for student success. This retention plan was designed to focus on students of color at community colleges, but it can easily be adapted to fit any institution whose student population who would benefit from the research. [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/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]