The purpose of this session is to present research-based strategies for improving doctoral candidate retention and completion rates. We will first discuss findings from a qualitative phenomenological study examining factors associated with doctoral persistence. Derived from these findings and a synthesis of the literature on doctoral attrition, we present 5 practical strategies for improving doctoral persistence. Throughout this discussion, we will model specific practices that are found to be effective on an individual, course, program, and institutional level for increasing social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence. Session attendees will learn about technologies and practices they can implement to increase sense of community and, thus, persistence in their own doctoral programs. We conclude the session with a reflective discussion about how participants can modify current practices to encourage increased persistence in their doctoral programs.