President Larry D. Johnson Jr. delivered the 2026 keynote address at the annual conference of the National Organization for Student Success (NOSS), challenging approximately 400 educators, advocates, and innovators to rethink what “Success and the City” truly means for today’s students.

In his address, “Success and the City: Reclaiming Promise,” Johnson reflected on higher education at a crossroads and called on institutions to recommit to designing systems that support the whole student. Drawing from his leadership at BCC, he underscored a central message: student success is not accidental – it is intentional, and it must be built with purpose.

President Johnson highlighted transformative initiatives such as CUNY’s Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) and College Discovery, along with integrated basic-needs supports and responsible AI exploration. These efforts, he noted, are designed to anticipate student needs rather than simply react to them – removing barriers related to food insecurity, childcare, career readiness, and academic momentum.

The president expressed gratitude to NOSS leadership, colleagues, and his first higher education mentor, and reaffirmed his belief that community colleges serve as engines of mobility and belonging. “Community colleges are not the last chance for anyone – we are the first gateway to everyone,” he said. “The promise is theirs. The responsibility is ours.”

His message to the NOSS community was clear: when we align access with intentional design, we do more than help students complete credentials. We uplift families, strengthen neighborhoods, and reclaim the promise of higher education as a public good.