In 2007, the president of Shelton State Community College in Alabama announced that with more than 60% of incoming freshmen placing into developmental courses, the college had a moral and ethical obligation to provide top-quality opportunities for underprepared students. He appointed a team to investigate options for improving services and coursework for incoming underprepared students and committed to providing the funding (without reliance on grants) that would be necessary. The result was the creation of the Student Opportunities for Achievement and Resources (SOAR) Institute, a comprehensive program that includes intensive mandatory advising, comprehensive tutoring services, and changes in developmental curricula and course offerings. SOAR has resulted in higher persistence rates and higher pass rates in both developmental courses and subsequent college-level coursework, expanded tutoring, and intensive individual advising/mentoring services for developmental students.