For many students, stepping into an undergraduate science classroom can be intimidating. Students face many barriers to success, including weaknesses in their educational backgrounds, mental and physical health issues, and outside demands on their time. As faculty, we walk beside our students through these challenges and work to inspire them to feel invested in their learning. In this talk, I will describe several strategies that I have used to create engaging classroom environments. I will describe how I have mentored students through research projects in my courses and in my research laboratory, how I have structured my courses in ways that promote community-building, and how I have used technology to enhance student learning.