Graduation season has come to Bronx Community College. The major event, of course, is Commencement on Friday, May 31. But in the weeks leading up to graduation day, there are other celebrations of student success and achievement across campus. The first of these was the Dean’s and President’s Lists 2019 Convocation, which was held in the Gould Memorial Library Auditorium on May 2.

To be one of the 1,613 students on the President’s List this year required a grade point average of 3.7 or higher, while those on the Dean’s List need a GPA of between 3.3 and 3.699 or more. In total, 1730 students earned a place on the Dean’s List and 3,343 Broncos made both.

“Please give yourselves a robust round of applause,” Dr. Alicia Bralove of the Department of Modern Languages urged the honorees. “And now I am going to turn the mic over to someone who was the first in his family to attend college” — which turned out to be Dr. Bralove‘s introduction to BCC President Thomas A. Iskenegbe.

“What we have here is the best of the best,” Dr. Iskenegbe told the enthusiastic crowd. “To all of the students we are honoring this afternoon, I want to say congratulations. This is the beginning of great things to come.”

Most of the ceremony was devoted to the triumph of those on the President’s and/or Dean’s List coming to the stage as their names were called and claiming their ribbons. Some were accompanied by their children, there to see their parents shine — and perhaps be inspired to receive that same honor as one of the next generation of the Bronx’s best.