Many colleges and universities face record numbers of first year students leaving during or after their first semester of the first year. With increased access to higher education over the past decade the demographic makeup of universities in Illinois and the United States has certainly diversified. In the state of Illinois universities are evaluated based upon graduation rates for first year students. State legislators are challenging institutions of higher education to demonstrate progress by tying funding measures to institutional performance. Several public universities have initiated, implemented and institutionalized first year retention programs. The development of first year retention programs has been a strategy in improving freshman persistence. The purpose of this study was to investigate how administrators in higher education explain the reasoning behind initiating retention programs for first year students in universities. This study discovered different aspects of how administrators in higher education initiate retention programs for first year students. This study also revealed implementation strategies administrators in higher education use to retain first year students. Finally, this study discovered how the retention programs for first year students are institutionalized in Illinois universities. This study employed a mixed method research design. The qualitative method used in this study involved interviewing administrators from four universities in the state of Illinois. Each administrator had a direct involvement in first year retention. Online surveys were emailed to administrators at all Illinois public institutions. Administrators at these institutions worked with first year students and programs that cater to the needs of first year students. The quantitative method was used to analyze descriptive data. The results of this study revealed that collaboration with various campus units was needed and campus buy-in influenced the decision making among administrators in the initiation and implementation process of first year retention programs. Funding and resources were very influential in decision that administrators had to make regarding first year retention programs along with best practices at other institutions of higher education. This study provides administrators with common elements and practices in the decision making processed used by other administrators in their implementation and initiation of first year retention programs. Various administrators share their story on their program and the influences that affected their decision making which gives insight to those who are developing and initiating a first year retention program. [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.]