When President Larry Johnson came on board this past summer and mentioned the idea of Homecoming, Head Men’s Basketball Coach Warren Thompson and Assistant Coach Andre Scott jumped at the opportunity. It was something they – and others – had been hoping to revive for years, and this finally felt like the right moment. 

They moved quickly, bringing in Patience Roberts, Confidential Executive Assistant in the Division of Student Success. The three formed a Homecoming Committee and immediately got to work. In addition to helping lead the planning, Patience also served as the event’s emcee. 

Palpable Energy on Campus  

Homecoming 2025 brought alumni, current students, and prospective students from three surrounding high schools to campus for a full day of activities leading up to the women’s and men’s basketball games in Alumni Gym. The celebration marked a new era for BCC. 

“It was such a warm and pleasing feeling that this came to fruition,” Thompson said. “With new energy and the new administration at BCC, we were finally able to pull it off.” 

The Mardi Gras–themed day began with an employee alumni lunch  in the Gould Memorial Library rotunda, while the Quad hosted a lively mix of mask-making, beads, food, music, contests, and giveaways. The festivities continued with a Homecoming parade; performances by dancers, cheerleaders, and other musical groups; and finally the Women’s and Men’s Basketball games. 

Area High School Students Get a Taste of BCC 

A highlight of the day was the attendance of more than 100 high school students, many visiting BCC for the first time. Several said they could picture themselves on campus in the future. A large contingent came from DeWitt Clinton High School, including the dance and cheerleading teams, who performed outside GML. 

Hip Hop Club Gives Away Turkeys 

Each year the Hip Hop Club assists with distributing turkeys to the community—donated by NYC Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez’s office—around Thanksgiving. The first phase of this year’s giveaway took place in the Roscoe Brown Student Center, where 300 turkeys were distributed. Another 3,000 were scheduled for distribution later in the week. 

Rich Nice, Student Advisor to the Hip Hop Club, was thrilled to take part. “Hip hop is more than just music; it’s about community as well,” he said. He added, “Today was amazing—having alumni, current students, and faculty together with high school juniors and seniors inspired to be on a college campus. BCC is  the largest campus within CUNY, the original NYU, the highest point of the Bronx…The altitude was met today with the energy of the students.” 

On the Court 

Broncos Women’s Basketball dominated the second half, defeating the Suffolk Sharks 67–34. The Men’s Basketball team ultimately fell short, dropping to the Sharks of Suffolk by a score of 74-59, but put up a determined fight. 

“Seeing the smiles on everyone’s faces made Homecoming magical,” Thompson said. “We’ll set the bar even higher next year, but for now, we’ll enjoy the feeling that this turned into something bigger than we expected. You have to start somewhere, and this day set the stage for many more successful Homecomings in the future.”

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